Business Analysis & Decision Making

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Approximately 2.5 hours of personal study per hour of class time is required to achieve a satisfactory level of performance.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements for this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject introduces students to the different types of information that business analysts and decision makers gather, and how that information is processed to make effective business decisions. A wide range of strategic and operational business problems and decisions will be considered, from fields such as financial management, marketing, human resource management, supply chain management and international business. The subject explores how organisations gather and generate multiple forms of information, and how this information is analysed and converted into useful knowledge via individual judgement and organisational learning processes. In applying empirical and analytical approaches to practical situations, students will develop insights into both the nature of the business problems as well as methods that are used for identifying and evaluating alternative solutions. The subject content will include conceptual foundations, practical tools, and case studies to discuss the costs, benefits and risks of the various analytical methods that will be introduced.

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• Describe the knowledge and comprehension of different approaches to decision making;
• Analyse and evaluate the underlying assumptions and implications for practice of the different approaches;
• Apply different models to real and hypothetical situations.

• 2-hour end of semester examination (50%)
• 1500 word group assignment, due Week 5 (15%)
• 3500 word group assignment, due Week 11 (35%)

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On successful completion of this subject, students should have improved the following generic skills:

• Problem solving skills and critical thinking skills through the discussion and written exercises, and the selection of reading material;
• Verbal and written communication skills through discussion and written exercises;
• Research skills through the preparation of the written exercises; and
• Analytical and problem solving skills through the frameworks and tools that will be learned.