This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Postgraduate Handbook 2012-2013 (archived)
Module BUSI41U15: IMPROVING MANAGEMENT DECISION MAKING (CARIBBEAN)
Department: Business School (Business)
BUSI41U15: IMPROVING MANAGEMENT DECISION MAKING (CARIBBEAN)
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tied | 4 | 15 | Available in 2012/2013 | None. | Durham |
Tied To
- N1KA17: Business Administration [Caribbean] (see Postgraduate Handbook 2011-2012 for details)
Pre-requisites
- None.
Corequisites
- None.
Excluded Combinations
- None.
Aims
- To give students an in-depth understanding at an advanced level of the complexities of decision-making, and how decisions can be improved by specialist techniques such as decision analysis and scenario thinking. Emphasis is placed on critically evaluating both the quality of management judgement and the assumptions underlying decision-aiding techniques.
Content
- How people choose between alternatives.
- Improving choice using multi-attributable value analysis techniques.
- Psychological pitfalls in choice: overconfidence, escalation of commitment, shift-to-risk in decision making.
- Decision analysis - methods and techniques for making decisions that involve uncertainties.
- Scenario planning versus decision analysis - creativity and the framing of decisions.
- Decision making in management teams - pitfalls and remedies.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- By the end of the module students will have:
- a specialist knowledge of the pitfalls in how individuals and management teams make decisions;
- a critical appreciation of the assumptions, implications, and limitations of decision analysis.
Subject-specific Skills
- By the end of the module students will have:
- advanced skills in, and a critical understanding of, the techniques of decision analysis.
Key Skills
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Learning outcomes will be met through a combination of lectures, groupwork, case studies and discussion, supported by guided reading. The written assignment will test students' understanding of relevant concepts and their ability to apply and interpret what they have learned to the analysis of a particular issue in depth.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workshops (a combination of lectures, groupwork, case studies and discussion) | 28 | ||||
| Preparation & Reading | 122 | ||||
| Total | 150 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Assignment | 100% | Written Assignment | 4,000 words maximum | 100% |
Formative Assessment
Students receive feedback on their contributions to the workshops.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.