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2019/2020  BA-BPROO1021U  Decision-making, Risk and Uncertainty

English Title
Decision-making, Risk and Uncertainty

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Bachelor
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course Spring, First Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Business Administration and Project Management
Course coordinator
  • Joana Geraldi - Department of Organization (IOA)
Main academic disciplines
  • Management
  • Organisation
  • Project and change management
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 12-05-2020

Relevant links
Learning objectives
[Note that the learning objectives entail both the decision, risk and uncertainty (BRU) and research methodology classes, because both courses will be examined together.]
  • analyze the difficulties, challenges and risks that an uncertain and complex world gives to decision makers
  • apply different decision-making models, including organisation, cognitive and behavioral theoretical models
  • account for decision elements in connection with both design and implementation of projects
  • formulate a problem that is relevant to project management
  • apply and reflect on data collection methods
  • apply and integrate theories from several subjects to support the analysis of empirical work
  • explain and discuss the applied theories and compare them with alternative theories
  • apply, explain and reflect on project management tools used in their own project
Course prerequisites
Note that the exam in this subject is at the same time a test in the subject 'Metode, ‘projektstyringsværktøjer’ and ‘tværfagligt 1. årsprojektools’, so that enrolment in the subject requires that you have also enrolled in the subject 'Method’, ‘project management tools’ and ‘interdisciplinary 1st year project'.
Examination
Beslutning, risiko og usikkerhed - Metode, projektstyringsværktøjer og tværfagligt 1. års projekt:
Exam ECTS 15
Examination form Oral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance.
Individual or group exam Oral group exam based on written group product
Number of people in the group 3-5
Size of written product Max. 40 pages
The project report is prepared in groups of 3-5.
A group of 5 students writes max. 40 pages
A group of 4 students writes max. 40 pages
A group of 3 students writes max. 30 pages
Assignment type Project
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and external examiner
Exam period Summer
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
If the student participated in the writing of the project report for the regular exam, but was sick at the time of the oral examination, the re-examination will be based on a resubmission of the original project report.

If the student did not participate in the writing of the project rapport due to sickness, the student must write a project in a group or individually and participate in the following oral re-exam on the basis of this rapport. If the student writes an individually project rapport the project rapport must have an extent of maximum 15 pages.

If the student participated in the writing of the project rapport, but did not pass the oral examination, the re-examination will be based on a resubmission of the original project rapport or a new individually project rapport. If the student writes an individually project rapport the project rapport must have an extent of maximum 15 pages.
Description of the exam procedure

The oral part of the exam will be online.

 

The literature related to the course is in English. If you prefer, you can write the reports and conduct the oral examination in English.

 

Examiner may talk in English, but in such cases the student may choose to answer either in Danish or English.

 

The student presentation at the exam is 3 minutes per student in the group.

 
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

This course focuses on the decisions that must be made when designing and implementing projects. We will also explore the actual conditions under which these decisions are made. There is particular interest in the uncertain, complex and ambiguous conditions that make it difficult to make rational decisions. The students will be presented with a number of theories for how such decisions are taken. These theories will be applied to the analysis of concrete project practices.

 

The purpose is to give the student an understanding of decision making, not as a right but as a task, and sometimes even a burden, as well as giving the student an insight into what kind of task it is about what makes it a challenge to solve it, and which strategies can be used to solve it appropriately.

 

The form of teaching is dialogue lectures. Emphasis is placed on the student's preparation, in the form of both independent reading of the specified scientific literature, listening to specific videos related to the readings and in the preparation of group presentations of concrete case-based analyses illustrating the use of theories.


The students are expected to develop an intermediary formative (not graded) focused on the application of a theory to the case. The formative assessment will prepare you for the development of your 1st year project (which is the basis of the exam). The work is conducted in collaboration with the  ‘tværfagligt 1. årsprojektools’ class.

 

Students are expected to conduct a peer review of other groups through peergrade.
Description of the teaching methods
Dialogue lectures, blended learning (short videos on the articles and theoretical perspectives), group discussions, student presentations, case studies.

The language of the teaching is English.
Feedback during the teaching period
Feedback is given primarily in connection with guidance on the 1st year project, where the subject is included and tested.
Student workload
Lecture preparation 98 hours
Teaching 36 hours
Exam 72 hours
Expected literature

The curriculum will be dominated by scientific articles that cover both theories of limited rationality, cognitive processes and irrational and intuitive choices.

 

Reading can be found in:

  • Basic book: Kahnenmann (2013) Thinking fast and slow. Penguin.
  • A compendium with relevant literature that is not available in Libsearch
  • List of articles available in Libsearch 

 

Complete reading list is available in Canvas.

 
Last updated on 12-05-2020