|
Course Description & Learning Objectives
In a world marketplace that is changing at an accelerating pace, organizations, managers, and teams of individual workers are bombarded with new and complex challenges. They must acquire and make sense of vast amounts of information in order to make key decisions that impact performance, competitiveness and innovation, and their very survival
Over 3 weeks of instruction and end-of the week tests (to be followed by a week 4 final), this course introduces participants to a blend of theoretical knowledge and historical perspectives on decision making, and sharpens their perspective on the practical skills needed to apply the concepts behind decision making. We will focus on how decisions actually happen as both an art and a science, recognizing and appreciating the value of analysis and emotions.
By the end of the course, the participants should:
- Be aware of the importance of systematic and effective decision making to organizational success
- Utilize the various models, tools, and decision-making processes for a given situation in order to generate effective actions and solutions
- Be more aware of their own and others’ decision-making styles, biases, and framework and be better equipped to manage the influence of those factors in the decision-making process
- Appreciate the importance of decision making for high-performance teamwork, and understand how to use decision-making tools and processes for team problem-solving and innovation
- Understand and apply decision-making processes with awareness of business ethics
The instructors will encourage participant participation through discussion forums, wherein the participants will be expected to apply the concepts presented in various weeks to their individual work environments, draw parallels between their work and the faculty presentations, and discuss the application of course materials to issues and challenges in their workplaces. Using the course’s Web-based message board, participants will be encouraged to submit questions to the instructor, who will respond in a comprehensive and timely manner. In addition, material covered in each week will be capped by a weekly assessment test.
Participant learning will be evaluated through the final exam.
Course Assessments
This course has a “pass/fail” format.
In order to determine if the participant has sufficient command of the materials and has met the learning objectives, assessments will be given at the completion of each week’s online class (e.g., lectures, slides, and other materials). In the event the participant does not pass any of the weekly assessments, he or she will have an opportunity to review the material and retake the assessment until a passing grade is achieved.
Week 4 is designed to provide a review of all the materials from the previous three weeks. The audio-video review presentation will connect the theory, instruction, and the learning objectives to the questions posed by participants. After the review session, participants will complete a final assessment.
Course Schedule
| Week # |
Session |
Time (hrs) |
Topic |
| Week 1 |
1 |
1.00 |
Introduction – Dynamic and Changing World: Audiovisual introduction session |
| 2 |
0.75 |
Models and Processes |
| 3 |
0.75 |
Frames - Framing and Reframing |
| 4 |
0.5 |
Assessment: Week 1quiz |
| Week 2 |
5 |
0.75 |
Gathering Information |
| 6 |
0.75 |
Weighing Options and Making Choices |
| 7 |
0.75 |
Continuous Learning from Experience |
| 8 |
0.5 |
Assessment: Week 2 quiz |
| Week 3 |
9 |
2.00 |
Tools and Practices |
| 10 |
0.75 |
Team and Group Decision Making |
| 11 |
0.75 |
Decision Making – Leadership and Culture |
| 12 |
0.5 |
Assessment: Week 3quiz |
| Week 4 |
13 |
2.00 |
Course Review – 1: Audiovisual review session |
| 14 |
Course Review – 2: Audiovisual review session |
| 14 |
0.75 |
Final Assessment: Week 4 final assessment |
| Total: |
|
12.5 |
|
|
