The research area covers a number of different disciplines including politics, sociology, economics, law and political economy. In line with the SDC framework the social science theme is dominated by a cross-disciplinary approach focusing on two major themes: Welfare and Innovation Management.

Public Management and Social Development
A broad group of political economists, sociologists, economists, and political scientists focus on comparing welfare regimes, institutional competitiveness, and social innovation. This theme is divided into five areas in which several research projects are emerging.

1) Welfare regimes, the organisation of welfare, institutional competitiveness, and social innovation
2) The labor market and the tension between social security and economic efficiency
3) Welfare reforms and the mixed economy of welfare
4) Business regimes and social innovation
5) Building national competitiveness through public sector regimes

Innovation Management
The theme Innovation Management is approached from a cross-disciplinary perspective and focuses on three areas:
1) Innovation Systems
2) Innovation related to business systems in a cross-cultural perspective
3) Company level innovation and innovation management

PhD students
SDC PhD students play an important role in the research collaboration. They all work with both a Danish and a Chinese supervisor, do research in both countries and contribute to teaching the Master’s programmes at SDC in Beijing. This close connection provides the PhD students with a unique opportunity to establish personal and professional relationships and bring Danish and Chinese research environments closer together.