Mastering the Art of Decision-Making

By the time theyve reached their final semester before graduating, Business Management majors have absorbed an enormous amount of knowledge from their coursework. Joel Evans goal is to help those students use their knowledge to make sound decisions.

That is the objective of Managerial Decision-Making, a capstone course that synthesizes virtually everything Business Management students have learned in their first and second years, according to Evans, a lecturer in both the Business Management and Development Skills Departments.

A case study approach
The course is based primarily on case studies of typical management problems in every conceivable area, from sales and marketing to human resources, he says. Students learn to identify the problem, propose a solution and then justify it,

Why a separate course on decision-making? Managers are often afraid to make decisions, especially in the current business climate, Evans says. In some cases, they will recognize a problem but back off from making a decision in the expectation that the problem, if left alone, will solve itself—which is often a mistake.

While making a decision in and of itself isnt necessarily difficult, he adds, the challenge we address in the course is how to justify the decision and make it meaningful to the business. Ultimately, he says, what we want is for students to have the courage to make a decision—and, ideally, to have the resources to make the right decision at the right time.

Making decisions—in and outside the classroom
Evans goal is for his students to come away with decision-making skills that will stand them in good stead in their academic careers, their work, and their personal lives. I often receive phone calls and e-mails from former students telling me that what theyve learned in the course has helped them in many aspects of their lives, he says.

Since most of the students move on to a Bachelors degree program, one thing we work on is making decisions related to their education, Evans says. In particular, we talk about the mechanics of education an how important it is to be on top of what it is theyre trying to accomplish. That means being able to analyze their current situation and goals so they fulfill the requirements for their major and dont wind up taking courses they dont need.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• BMCC
• Business Management