HOLMES INSTITUTE
FACULTY OF
HIGHER EDUCATION
HOLMES INSTITUTE
FACULTY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
SUBJECT OUTLINE
HC 1062 DECISION-MAKING & PROBLEM-SOLVING
Melbourne / Sydney/ Brisbane
TRIMESTER 2 / 2016
Holmes Institute is committed to providing the highest quality education in a dynamic, student-centred learning environment. Holmes Institute fosters in its students rational thought, intellectual integrity and social responsibility.
www.holmes.edu.au/highereducation
Hong Kong Brisbane
Sydney
Melbourne
HC 1062 Decision Making and Problem Solving T2 2016
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
FACULTY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Holmes Institute Faculty of Higher Education offers business courses that combine discipline-based excellence with practical applications. The faculty operates on campuses in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Hong Kong.
The faculty offers a Bachelor of Business, a Bachelor of Professional Accounting, a Master of Professional Accounting, a Master of Business Administration and a Graduate Diploma in Business.
Details about the members of the faculty can be found on the faculty's home page at www.holmes.edu.au
HOLMES INSTITUTE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
At Holmes Institute, the Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Professional Accounting programs offer domestic and international students the opportunity to study a set of contemporary subjects in the field of business. These subjects prepare students for the challenges in business environments of the 21st century. These programs emphasize the global and cross-cultural dimensions of business. Teaching utilizes a combination of delivery methods and includes critical analysis and case study methods. A combination of exams, case studies and company analysis are used in assessment.
The Bachelors' programs of Holmes Institute focus on:
• Developing career related capabilities
• Business numeracy and literacy
• Developing managerial proficiency
• Working in the new economy
• Leadership skills
• Entrepreneurship
• Social responsibility and ethics
SUBJECT OVERVIEW
Welcome from the Subject Coordinator; Seyi Lagoke
In your business career you will face many decisions. This subject examines the techniques available for undertaking research, analysing data, identifying alternatives, making choices and formulating recommendations.
SUBJECT RATIONALE
Research that is well planned and well executed can improve the quality of business decisions. This subject will explore the alternatives available for undertaking research and equip students with the skills required to manage effective research projects.
SUBJECT OBJECTIVES
The subject objectives are to equip students with a sound understanding of how research contributes to business decision making.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Knowledge
Graduates will be able to, evaluate theoretical and practical knowledge of Business Research in context of Management decision making
Skills
On successful completion of this course students will be able to;
• Analyse business problems, identify how research can increase understanding, reduce risk and contribute to improved decision making.
• Explain why a particular management problem would require use of qualitative and/or quantitative research techniques
• Develop a research plan
• Design a survey
• Perform data collection and analysis
• Analyse and Interpret research data
• Prepare a persuasive research report
• Work with others to find solutions for management problems.
Application of Knowledge and skills
Graduates will be able to, apply theoretical and practical knowledge of Business Research and in the diagnosis of organizational issues and the formulation of appropriate strategies
Students will demonstrate research skills, showing initiative in consulting the academic literature and integrating fresh ideas into the discourse in preparation for life-long learning.
Students will demonstrate the capacity to write persuasive reports containing sound recommendations, in preparation for their career in business.
SUBJECT ADMINISTRATION
Awards Duration Core/Elective Subject weight Campus
BBus, BPA, MBA, MPA, GradDip 1 semester Core 3 credit points Melb
Mode of delivery On campus
Prerequisites Nil
Workload Students are expected to attend all classes
Delivery 2 hrs of lectures and 1 hr tutorial or equivalent
Independent study 5 hrs
CONTACT DETAILS
Subject Coordinator/ Sydney Lecturer Seyi Lagoke slagoke@holmes.edu.au
Melbourne Lecturer Anh Le Viet ale@holmes.edu.au
Brisbane Lecturer Serguei Mikhailitchenko smikhailitchenko @holmes.edu.au
Students please note:
Holmes Institute provides each student with a Holmes webmail. Faculty and Administrative staff can only communicate with you using your Holmes Institute mail address. Emails from private and/or business email accounts cannot be used and may not be answered.
CONSULTATION TIMES*
Campus Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Melbourne
(by appointment)
Sydney
(by appointment)
Brisbane
(by appointment)
* Other times by arrangement
STUDENT ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENT TYPE DUE DATE WEIGHT
Class Test Week 6 20%
Group project &
Group Presentation Week 10
Tutorial
(Week 10, 11) 20%
10%
End of study period examination Exam week 50%
ASSESSMENT POLICY
To be eligible to pass this subject, students must complete all forms of assessment and demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes. All assignments must be submitted electronically using a word processor, uploaded to Blackboard via SafeAssign. You must print and attach the full SafeAssign report with the Holmes Institute Cover Sheet to the printed assignment (hard copy).
The assignment cover sheet must include the student/s name, number, subject code and subject name, subject lecturer’s name, assignment due date and time of submission. All hard copies must be placed in the Assignment Box in the Resource Centre during opening hours.
Submission deadlines are strictly enforced and late submissions incur penalties unless an extension and/or special consideration has been granted by the Subject Coordinator. No assessments are accepted after 14 calendar days of the due date. Students are requested to familiarize themselves with the Holmes Institute Assessment Policy located on the Blackboard Student Subject: HE-General Study Information (HGEN_HE) General Information Policies and Procedures Holmes Institute Student Assessment Policy v1.pdf.
STANDARD GRADING SYSTEM AND DISTRIBUTION
GRADE LETTER RANGE
High Distinction HD 80% and above
Distinction D 70 – 79%
Credit CR 60 – 69%
Pass P 50 – 59%
Fail NN 0-45% (did not meet the standard required according to the learning outcomes in the Subject Guide )
Faculty Pass* FP 46 – 49% (awarded by Board of Examiners)
Supplementary Exam Granted (a temporary grade) NS Supplementary examination granted
Deferred Exam (a temporary grade) ND Officially Deferred examination
Fail NA Student did not submit any work according to the schedule in the Subject Guide
Result Withheld RW Additional assessment and/or work required
Result Withheld WH Outstanding fees or non-return of Holmes Institute materials
* This grade is sometimes referred to as a conceded pass at other institutions
VIEWING STUDENT GRADES
Results including the final grade can be viewed via the Grade Centre on Blackboard. Results for all assessments are published within two weeks of the due date of the assessment and the final examination. Students who wish to appeal their mark for a specific assessment are advised to follow the procedures outlined at www.holmes.edu.au /highereducation/appeals.
PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
Holmes Institute view any forms of academic misconduct as most serious offences. Academic misconduct in any form during an examination is not tolerated and will be dealt with according to the policies and procedures set out in the Holmes Institute Student Handbook (see www.holmes.edu.au/highereducation/handbook).
Plagiarism occurs when one uses another person’s ideas or manner of expressing them and passes them off as one’s own work by failing to give appropriate acknowledgement (that is, referencing the source). Any instances of plagiarism will be dealt with promptly (see www.holmes.edu.au/highereducation/handbook).
It is important that student reference their work appropriately. The Faculty of Higher Education at Holmes Institute uses the APA (American Psychological Association) style of referencing. A detailed guide to referencing can be found in the Student Handbook. It expected that you will be familiar with the APA style of referencing.
USE OF BLACKBOARD
Holmes Institute uses Blackboard as its online teaching platform and all students enrolled have access to Blackboard to access their lecture material, grades, important announcements on their subjects and discussion rooms for selected subjects.
Please note that it is the student’s responsibility to check Blackboard on a regular basis. It is expected that students will have viewed lecture materials and additional readings before class. All students are advised to familiarize themselves with the use of Blackboard. Guides to Blackboard are available in the Resource Centre on each campus (see www.holmes.edu.au/highereducation/blackboard). Should students have difficulties accessing and/or using Blackboard, please contact your lecturer or the Holmes Institute Blackboard Helpdesk on: bbhelpdesk@holmes.edu.au.
USE OF RESOURCE CENTRE AND PROQUEST
For most subjects, students are expected to engage in additional research. Textbooks and teaching materials available in the Resource Centre will be of use here. In addition, current students have access to a range of electronic academic journals via Proquest, which is accessible once you log into Blackboard.
Should you require any assistance with the use of Proquest and/or online research, please contact your lecturer and/or the Resource Centre staff on your campus.
STUDY SKILLS & ACADEMIC SUPPORT
Students who have difficulties with their studies and/or specific forms of assessment should visit online Study Skills on www.holmes.edu.au/highereducation/studyskills. Holmes Institute also offers regular Academic Support, which is free for any student enrolled. See details on www.holmes.edu.au/highereducation/academicsupport.
DETAILED INFORMATION ON SUBJECT ASSESSMENTS
Item Due Date Weighting Length
Individual Assessment
– class test
Week 5 20% 1 hour
Group Project and
Group Presentation
Week 10
Tutorial (Week 10, 11) 20%
10% 2000 words
Final Examination Exam week schedule 50% 2 hrs (+10
reading time minutes
Class Test:
Short Essay questions and multiple choice questions drawn from Topics 1-5
Group Project:
Form groups of 3
Identify a company.
Identify a management problem. (Note: not a market research nature).
Specify research questions which address the management problem/decision. Design a research program.
Carry out the research.
Sourcing both secondary and primary data Analyse the findings.
Identify alternatives and make recommendations to improve the performance of the organisation Prepare a persuasive report showing how the management problem/decision should be managed. Prepare and deliver a persuasive presentation of the key points in your report.
Each group will also make a 10 minute presentation of their research and findings in week 10 or 11 and there would be an additional 5 minutes for questions and answers.
Assessment criteria
Students will be assessed on their knowledge of the concepts covered in the course and their capacity to apply that knowledge to improve business decision making.
Examination
The examination will draw from all of the material covered in the subject.
SUBJECT RESOURCES
Prescribed Textbook (compulsory)
Cooper (2013) Business Research Methods. 12th ed. McGraw-Hill ISBN: 9780073521503
Recommended Reading
When big data goes lean - The combination of advanced analytics and lean management could be worth tens of billions of dollars in higher earnings for large manufacturers. A few leading companies are showing the way, (2014), Rajat Dhawan, Kunwar Singh, and Ashish Tuteja, Mckinsey Quarterly
Scoring dynamics across professional team sports: tempo, balance and predictability
Sears Merritt1, and Aaron Clauset, Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado,
Boulder, CO 80309
Review On Evaluation and Benefits Of Decision Support Systems, (2013), Roger Alan Pick, University of Missouri, Kansas City, USA, Nancy Weatherholt, University of Missouri, Vol 17, Number 1, Kansas City, USA
LECTURE SCHEDULE/SYLLABUS
Wk Topics scheduled Assessment Tutorial Activities Chapters
1 Introduction to Business Research Intro to assessments and subject 1 - 2
2 Business Research Proposals and Ethics in Business Business Scenarios and research decisions 3 - 5
3 Research design: Overview and Secondary Data Pilot testing, research proposal, prudent decisions 6 - 7
4 Qualitative Research and Observation Different types of studies and data 8 - 9
5 Research Surveys Class test Qualitative vs Quantitative 10
6 Experiments and test markets 11
7 Measurement –part I Experiments and other research designs 12
8 Measurement – part II The different scales Using different measurement scales 13
9 Questionnaires and Instruments Rating, Ranking, Likert, etc 14
10 Sampling concepts Questionnaire design 15
11 Data preparations, analysis and
Hypothesis-testing
Research reports Sampling, data analysis and hypotheses 16-18,
21
12
Study *
Exam *
* Note: Students must consult the Academic Calendar for the dates of the Study and Examination Week in the trimester.
STUDENT ASSISTANCE
Studying in higher education presents many experiences and challenges. These might involve academic, personal and/or professional issues. At Holmes Institute, we have a range of people who can help you with various challenges. The following table identifies contact points should you require any support.
SUPPORT REQUIRED WHO TO CONTACT
Information for Current Students Holmes Institute Student Handbook:
Academic Probation / Mentoring Academic Mentors, Associate Dean
Accommodation Holmes Institute Home Stay
Computers, Blackboard, Email IT Help Desk
Disability Needs Holmes Institute Campus Directors
Employment and Careers Career Development Team
Enrolment Higher Education Coordinator
Exams Higher Education Coordinator
Financial Issues Holmes Institute Campus Directors
Personal Issues National Higher Education Program Manager, Mentoring Team
Proquest Database Librarian on each Campus
Study Skills Holmes Institute Academic Support & Study Skills Team
Visa Issues, COEs etc. Higher Education Coordinator
This subject outline was prepared by the Course Development Team for the Undergraduate Programs, Faculty of Higher Education, Holmes Institute. It was correct at the time of publication. Change to the Subject Outline may occur at any time. However, the Faculty of Higher Education endeavours to inform the students accordingly. This publication is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism, or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process or placed in computer memory without written permission. Enquires should be made to Holmes Institute Faculty of Higher Education. © Copyright 2016.
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