This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Postgraduate Handbook 2019-2020 (archived)
Module BUSI49315: APPROACHES TO DECISION MAKING (FT)
Department: Management and Marketing
BUSI49315: APPROACHES TO DECISION MAKING (FT)
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tied | 4 | 15 | Available in 2019/2020 | Durham |
Tied To
- N1K017: Business Administration (12 month Full Time) (see Postgraduate Handbook 2016-2017 for details)
- N1KC17: Business Administration [Finance] (full time) (see Postgraduate Handbook 2010-2011 for details)
Pre-requisites
- None.
Corequisites
- None.
Excluded Combinations
- None.
Aims
- To provide an advanced understanding of the ways in which decision making frameworks may help in making sense of the complex world in which managers manage.
Content
- Optimisation: using linear programming to find best solutions.
- Multi-attribute problems: how to trade off different sorts of outcomes.
- Risky decisions: how to cope with uncertainty.
- Subjectivity and bias: why we need help in making rational decisions.
- Competition and cooperation: the application of game theory.
- Problem structuring: describing complexity using soft systems and pattern languages.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- Upon successful completion of the module, the students will:
- have an in-depth understanding of the contribution that analytical decision methods (mainly, but not only, quantitative) can make to the solution of decision problems in business;
- have a critical appreciation of how to structure complex problems.
Subject-specific Skills
- Upon successful completion of the module, the students will:
- be able to formulate and solve models to assist management decision making.
Key Skills
- Written communication; planning, organising and time management; problem solving and analysis; using initiative; computer literacy.
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 | Yes | |||
| Preparation and Reading | 122 | ||||
| Total | 150 | ||||
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Assignment | 100% | Written assignment | 4000 words maximum | 100% |
Formative Assessment
None.
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.