PUBAFRS 6055 (Sections 4767 and 4777)

Judgment in Managerial Decision-Making

Summer 2023 – Online
May 9 – June 16

COURSE INFORMATION
 Credit hours: Two
 Mode of delivery: Online

Instructor
 Name: David Landsbergen, M.P.A., J.D., Ph.D.
 Email: landsbergen.1@osu.edu
 Virtual office hours: By Appointment

Graduate Teaching Assistant

 Name: Matt Dean
Email: dean.1042@buckeyemail.osu.edu
 Virtual Office Hours: Thursdays from 7-8 pm and By Appointment

COURSE OVERVIEW
Catalog description
This course will present a diverse set of models and skills to analyze and guide decisions in
operational and managerial settings by drawing on scholarship from economics, psychology,
sociology, political science, and management. It provides opportunities for managers to
practice how to identify common biases and logical fallacies and employ skills and techniques
to compensate for them.
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Course description
Good management is good decision-making. Every day, every hour, managers make
decisions that have large and small consequences. If decision makers can improve just a small
percentage of those decisions, they could realize significant cost savings and improved
outcomes. Most of our work will center on making a decision in your organization. We will
apply the course skills and concepts to that decision.

Public affairs decisions are made in the context of imperfect information, uncertain conditions
and outcomes, and conflicts over values. Yet despite these challenges, decisions must be
made in order to meet a wide range of societal objectives. A diverse set of models and skills
are available to guide decisions in operational, tactical, and strategic settings.

In addition to reviewing the rational ideal of decision-making, this course draws on scholarship
from economics, psychology, sociology, political science, and management that examines how
and why human beings so often deviate from this classic model of the rational “economic
person.”

People make bad decisions; but the good news is that they make those irrational decisions in
predictable ways. The predictability of these decisions allows us to use tools and
organizational routines to make “course corrections” to guide our decision-making. This course
provides opportunities for managers to practice learning how to identify these common biases
and logical fallacies and then employ skills and techniques to compensate for them. The
PrOACT system of decision-making was designed to overcome many of these biases and
learning this system is a central concept and skill in this course.

The course will also offer opportunities to apply skills to improve group decision-making and
how to include citizens or stakeholders in decision-making. We easily solve simple problems,
but complex problems persist. Simulations are the tools of the future because they are
designed to deal with complex problems. We will play a simulation game to make decisions
about a complex problem, climate change.

MPAL degree learning goals

The course contributes to Glenn College learning goals related to foundational knowledge in
public affairs; competencies in management and leadership and developing an appreciation for
multiple perspectives in public affairs. In particular, the course attends to the following Glenn
College program goals.

1. Students can lead and manage in public and nonprofit organizations. (Intermediate
level)
3. Students can analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions
(Advanced level)
4. The ability to articulate and apply a public service perspective. (Intermediate)
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5. The ability to communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing
workforce and citizenry. (Intermediate)
6. The ability to integrate, synthesize, and apply knowledge across the curriculum in a
professional public service context. (Intermediate)
7. The ability to interact effectively with public policy and administration professionals
from a broad range of sectors, using professional competencies common to the field.
(Intermediate)

Course learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students will develop decision-making skills that include:

o Learning the PrOACT approach to decision-making that is applicable to a wide variety

of managerial problems and contexts

o Developing a lifelong skill at being reflective about how decisions are made

o Managing “up” in working with your superior

o How to manage meetings better

o How to create a stakeholder or citizen engagement plan

Upon completion of the course, students should understand:

o The theoretical assumptions about human decision-making underlying public policy and
management practices

o Learn that decision-making is an iterative process and it takes persistence to continually

refine your understanding of a problem and how to solve it.

o Understand the importance of working with others as you go through the problem-
solving approach

o What a complex problem is and how simulations are designed to deal with complex
problems
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TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
As a professional Master’s course, the focus is on application rather than a typical bachelor’s
course where students learn facts and concepts. Some of the material in a Master’s course
might be slightly denser, but the main focus of the course is on the “so what” question and the
“how to” skills question.

The course design draws upon research on andragogy – how adults learn rather than
pedagogy – how children learn. The most obvious difference is that adults already have
concepts and experience while children still need to acquire this “raw material”.

This course does not teach theory with the hope that you will one day see how you might apply
that theory. Rather, the course leads with practical knowledge and then uses theory as a way
to deepen your understanding of the skill so that you are more easily able to apply that skill in
a wide variety of circumstances.

My own personal experience is that teaching oneself (‘autodidactic’) is the best way to learn
something. No, I am not talking myself out of a job! There is still value in attending courses as
they do provide you with important ideas and questions you may not have considered, useful
resources to teach yourself, and a community of collaborative students who can accelerate
and diversify your learning experience.

Teaching oneself is central to the idea of being a “life-long learner.” It means you should listen
to and trust your own emotions and intuitions by listening to your introspective voice. “What is it
about that idea or statement that moves you or leaves you unsettled or unsatisfied? Does the
idea make sense or agree with you, given all of the professional experience and knowledge
that you already have? Does it excite you so that you can see implications for action or even
more interesting questions? In a world where there is an exponential growth in information, you
need to know how to constantly teach oneself, knowing what you know, what you don’t know,
and what is the next thing you ought to learn.

HOW THIS ONLINE COURSE WORKS

Mode of delivery
This course is 100% online. We have two synchronized sessions scheduled (See Course
Calendar) using the Zoom platform. Online education can work great, but we still need to have
a human connection.

Pace of online activities

This course is divided into weekly modules. Students are expected to keep pace with weekly
deadlines but may schedule their efforts freely within that time frame. Please see the course
modules for specific dates and times.
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Credit hours and work expectations

This is a 2-credit-hour, half-semester course. As a half semester course, suggested work

expectations for the semester are doubled to account for having half the number of weeks.

As such, according to Ohio State policy, (3335-8-24 “Credit Hours”) students should expect
around four hours per week of time spent on direct instruction (instructor content and Carmen
activities, for example) in addition to eight hours of homework (reading and assignment
preparation, for example) with a total of twelve hours per week. However, I have designed the
course so that you will probably be spending eight-nine hours per week on the course. This
includes working on your final project as long as you continue to work on your final project
every week. If you find that you are spending too much time on this course, please notify me.

Attendance and participation requirements

This is an online course and so your attendance is based on your online activity and
participation. The following is a summary of everyone's expected participation:

o Participating in online activities for attendance: TWICE PER WEEK

You are expected to log in to the course in Carmen every week. If you have a situation
that might cause you to miss a week, discuss it with me as soon as possible.

o Office hours: OPTIONAL

Both the instructor and the GTA are available to meet with you by appointment at a
mutually convenient time. We have a set Zoom meeting link for the class. The GTA has
set office hours on Thursday from 7-8 pm (except during out synchronous sessions).
Office hours are scheduled on Thursday so that you have a chance to look at the
materials before you work on them over the weekend. We encourage you to contact
us to schedule an office hours appointment.

o Exit Tickets: ONCE PER WEEK

You are required to complete an exit ticket at the end of each week (Mondays) that tells
me what you have learned and what might still be fuzzy or need more explanation. This
is a fast-moving course and we need exit tickets to make sure that everyone is
progressing at a good pace. You can also provide me any other comments relevant to
the course.

o Course and Assignment Details: WHENEVER NECESSARY

Please see the course modules for specific details on what is expected for each week.
If you have any questions, please post them on the Course Q&A Discussion board.

O Participating synchronous sessions: TWO DURING THE SEMESTER

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If you cannot make either or both of these sessions, I will work with you to make sure
that you do not miss any important information.
COURSE MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES
Students can access textbook information via the Barnes & Noble bookstore website:
https://ohiostate.bncollege.com as well as from their BuckeyeLink Student Center. This
information is disseminated by B&N to all area bookstores. You may buy from a store of your
choice and/or shop for books (always use ISBN# for searches) online. Please shop around
because the prices of these books really vary.

Required Textbooks
Hammond, J.S., Keeney, R.L., & Raiffa, H. (2015). Smart choices: A practical guide
to making better decisions. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard Business Review Press.
Hardcover [ISBN-13: 978-1633691049] or Ebook [ISBN-13: 978-1633691056]

The Hammond, Keeney, and Raiffa book is a classic on decision-making for managers.
It is simple and easy to read but much harder to apply (that’s why we are working on it
this semester!) What does “PROACT” stand for anyhow? They also do a great job in
introducing “heuristics” which will be a very new idea for you but one that is often
explained in a complicated way. I think they do a good job here too.

Cialdini, R. (2021). Influence: The psychology of persuasion. New York:

HarperCollins Publishers. [ISBN-13: 978-0062937650]

This book sounds like it is written to make salespeople more effective in parting you
from your money. In truth, we are all selling our ideas and we know that people are
selling us their ideas. We will use this book in the group decision-making module. The
class discusses them so that you are a more effective decision-maker in a group
setting.

These books are available at the OSU bookstore, but you can use the above information to
order / rent the books online elsewhere. All other readings are available on the course website.

Course technology
For help with your password, university email, Carmen, or any other technology issues,
questions, or requests, contact the OSU IT Service Desk. Standard support hours are
available at https://ocio.osu.edu/help/hours, and support for urgent issues is available 24/7.
o Self-Service and Chat support: http://ocio.osu.edu/selfservice
o Phone: 614-688-HELP (4357)
o Email: servicedesk@osu.edu
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o TDD: 614-688-8743

BASELINE TECHNICAL SKILLS FOR ONLINE COURSES

o Basic computer and web-browsing skills
o Navigating Carmen: for questions about specific functionality, see the Canvas Student
Guide. Additional navigation instructions are provided within the course.

REQUIRED TECHNOLOGY SKILLS SPECIFIC TO THIS COURSE

o Navigating Carmen: for questions about specific functionality, see the Canvas Student
Guide. Additional navigation instructions are provided within the course.
o Basic computer and web-browsing skills
o Navigating CarmenCanvas (go.osu.edu/canvasstudent)
o CarmenZoom virtual meetings (go.osu.edu/zoom-meetings)
o Recording a slide presentation with audio narration and recording, editing and uploading
video (go.osu.edu/video-assignment-guide)

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
o Computer: current Mac (OS X) or PC (Windows 7+) with high-speed internet connection
o Webcam: built-in or external webcam, fully installed and tested
o Microphone: built-in laptop or tablet mic or external microphone

REQUIRED SOFTWARE
o Microsoft Office 365: All Ohio State students are now eligible for free Microsoft Office
365 ProPlus through Microsoft’s Student Advantage program. Full instructions for
downloading and installation can be found at go.osu.edu/office365help.

CARMEN ACCESS
You will need to use BuckeyePass multi-factor authentication to access your courses in
Carmen. To ensure that you are able to connect to Carmen at all times, it is recommended that
you take the following steps:

o Register multiple devices in case something happens to your primary device. Visit the
BuckeyePass - Adding a Device help article for step-by-step instructions.
o Request passcodes to keep as a backup authentication option. When you see the Duo
login screen on your computer, click “Enter a Passcode” and then click the “Text me
new codes” button that appears.
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o Download the Duo Mobile application to all of your registered devices for the ability to
generate one-time codes in the event that you lose cell, data, or Wi-Fi service.

If none of these options will meet the needs of your situation, you can contact the IT Service
Desk at 614-688-4357 (HELP) and the IT support staff will work out a solution with you.

FACULTY FEEDBACK AND RESPONSE TIME

I am providing the following list to give you an idea of my availability throughout the course.
(Remember that you can call 614-688-HELP anytime you have a technical problem.)

o Broken links or missing resources – I try to check and recheck to make sure that
links are working, but if you find a broken link or a link is not available, please let me
know as soon as possible in the Course Logistics discussion board or using email.
o Announcements: I am going to use the Announcements tool as the way to
communicate with the class. The default setting in Carmen is to send the class an email
as soon as I post an announcement. You can view this video on how to manage your
notifications.
o Grading and feedback: For large weekly assignments, you can generally expect
feedback within the next four working days to allow for timely and thoughtful feedback.
o Email: The instructor and teaching assistant will reply to emails within 24 hours on
days when class is in session at the university and 48 hours on the weekend.
o Phone: I am providing my personal phone number. If you phone, know that I don’t
usually answer my phone immediately as I use voicemail to screen my calls. 614-795-
6002.
o Discussion board: Carmen will immediately notify me of new messages. I will reply to
messages within 24 hours on school days. If you have a question about the course
material or the logistics of the class, I prefer that you post the question on the
appropriate discussion board first so that everyone has a chance to hear your question
and my response. Of course, you are still free to send me a direct email as not every
question need be public.
O There will be a midterm check-in with you by using a course survey to see how the
course is progressing. I would appreciate your suggestions.
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GRADING
How your grade is calculated
See the course module for specific details including times and dates for each
assignment.

CATEGORY POINTS
BREAKDOWN
Course Warm-Up 15
Video Introduction 5
Quiz: Syllabus and Course Policies 5
Getting to Know You Survey 5
Workplace Journal (Weeks 1-4) 115
PrOACT Overview 30
Problem and Objectives 30
Alternatives and Consequences 30
Tradeoffs 25
Application Assignments 60
Meeting Observation 20
Citizen / Stakeholder Engagement Plan 20
Complex Decisions – Simulation Scenario 20
Final Project 160
PrOACT Analysis - Draft 25
Verbal Presentation - Draft 5
PrOACT Analysis - Final 110
Verbal Presentation - Final 20
Looking back, Looking forward 50
Course Reflection 50
Total Possible Points 400
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COURSE WARM-UP ASSIGNMENTS

These assignments are low stakes, warm-up exercises that allow me and the rest of the class
to get to know you and your professional goals. I will be closely monitoring my email and
course website to make sure to quickly respond to any questions you might have in this first
week.

Please upload a video introduction so that we get to know you and to have some fun. If you
do not have a video, we provide instruction on how to do that on Carmen from your computer.
There is a quick low stakes quiz to make sure that you have read through the syllabus. There
is a short survey to get to you know and what you would like to gain from this course.

DRAFT AND FINAL PROJECTS

The largest assignment in the course is your final project. Your project requires that you
analyze a decision, (organization, another organization, or for yourself) and then make a
recommendation based on your analysis. The final project will be the PrOACT analysis and a
video in which you make a short elevator speech that is giving a “heads up” for those who will
be reviewing your PrOACT analysis.

Each week, you will cumulatively build the final project by applying what you learn in the class
to a set of structured questions in the workplace journal and from the asynchronous
conversations you will have with your peers.

You will submit rough drafts of your work in Week 5 of the course and then revise your drafts
based on peer and instructor feedback and turn in your final analysis at the end of the course.
The first draft is a low stakes assignment, but beware that it will be rigorously graded, so that
if all of the comments are attended to, you should be in good shape for getting an “A” grade on
the final project.

WORKPLACE JOURNAL
To help you build up to your final project, there is a set of questions for Weeks 1-4 of the
course that will help you appraise, reflect upon, and analyze how decisions are made - and
how they could be made differently - in your organization.

Week PrOACT focus

1 Quick Overview of Decision
2 Problem and Objectives
3 Alternatives and Consequences
4 Tradeoffs
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APPLICATION ASSIGNMENTS
Given the pace of covering material in a short course and the vagaries of summer time
schedules, you are encouraged to work ahead of schedule on the individual assignments.

This course is largely about developing your decision-making skills. While we strongly
encourage you to collaborate on the main project of this course, the decision-making project,
we also have individual application assignments. No conversation, idea-sharing, or sharing
about your applications assignments is allowed. Feel free to ask me clarifying questions.

(There are a few practice quizzes on heuristics, but these merely allow you to test your
understanding of these concepts. There are no grades involved.)

One we get off to a good start for the semester, we have three application assignments. For
the group-decision-making module in Week 3, we are also going to ask you to observe a
meeting using some structured questions to help you understand the dynamics of meetings
with an eye towards improving their efficacy and efficiency. The meeting could be one of the
many meetings that you regularly attend, or any other meeting, in which decisions are made.
In Week 4, the ‘public decision-making’ assignment applies what we know about engaging
the public in a public decision. Designing a good process is key to successful public and
stakeholder engagement, and this exercise will ask you to design an appropriate process. We
will begin preparing for Week 5 Complex Decision-Making at the end of Week 4. Everyone will
need to do some individual analysis before you join your group for the synchronous session in
Week 5 where the class will play a game on how to deal with climate change using
simulation.

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD ASSIGNMENT

We complete the cycle of learning by reflecting on what you have learned. By reflecting on the
course, you deepen your knowledge of these skills and concepts by weaving them into a
coherent understanding of how it all fits together. This gives more meaning to the material and
also predicts the material will stay with you longer. This course reflection not only looks back
help you internalize to make it your own, so that you can apply these skills in the future. You
will also abe sked what you would like to learn next. The course reflection should be 500-700
words in length. Specific prompts are provided in the assignment.
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Policy on grading disputes

The assigned grade is designed to show the overall quality of work performed by each student,
but errors, mistakes, and omissions can occur. If you believe that any grade was not properly
assigned, you may write a letter explaining why you believe the grade was incorrectly assigned
within one week of receiving the graded assignment back. Each appeal will be considered,
and if a re-grade is performed, the entire assignment will be re-graded. The final grade may
be greater, less, or equal to the original grade.

Late assignments
The MPAL degree was designed for working professionals who must juggle the needs of their
workplace, family, and their academic career. Late submissions will be accepted should there
be extenuating circumstances. Given the short duration of this course, you must contact me
as soon as you aware of the problem so that we can quickly decide upon a course of action.
Please refer to the course modules for due dates.

Grading scale
I will use the following grade scale to translate your percentile score into a letter grade.

Letter Percentage Letter Percentage

A 93-100 C+ 77-79.9
A- 90-92.9 C 73-76.9
B+ 87-89.9 C- 70-72.9
B 83-86.9 D+ 67-69.9
B- 80-82.9 D 60-66.9
E < 59.9
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OTHER COURSE POLICIES

Discussion and communication guidelines
The following are my expectations for how we should communicate as a class. Above all,
please remember to be respectful and thoughtful.

o Writing style: While there is no need to participate in class discussions as if you were
writing a research paper, you should remember to write using good grammar, spelling,
and punctuation so that you can be understood. A more conversational tone is fine for
the workplace journals and peer feedback. The final deliverable, however, is a
professional document for your supervisor and, as such, must be written in a
professional manner.
o Tone and civility: Let's maintain a supportive learning community where everyone feels
safe and where people can disagree amicably. Remember that sarcasm doesn't always
come across online. Learning requires a willingness to be vulnerable and we will not
have great discussions if there is a negative tone or incivility in the class. We have to
be willing to risk asking what we fear might be a dumb question or to contribute an
interesting comment or observation.
o Writing and backing up your work: Consider composing your academic posts in a
word processor, where you can save your work, and then copying into the Carmen
discussion.

Academic integrity policy

SPECIFIC GUIDANCE ON INTEGRITY POLICIES FOR THIS CLASS

o Written assignments: Your written assignments, including discussion posts, should be
your own original work. You are encouraged to collaborate with your peers on your
PrOACT decision problem on everything except writing your own assignments. You can
also ask a trusted person to proofread your assignments before you turn them in.
o Reusing past work: In general, you are prohibited in university courses from turning in
work from a past class to your current class, even if you modify it. If you want to build on
past research or revisit a topic you've explored in previous courses, please discuss the
situation with me.
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OHIO STATE’S ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY

Academic integrity is essential to maintaining an environment that fosters excellence in
teaching, research, and other educational and scholarly activities. Thus, The Ohio State
University and the Committee on Academic Misconduct (COAM) expect that all students have
read and understand the University’s Code of Student Conduct, and that all students will
complete all academic and scholarly assignments with fairness and honesty. Students must
recognize that failure to follow the rules and guidelines established in the University’s Code of
Student Conduct and this syllabus may constitute “Academic Misconduct.”

The Ohio State University’s Code of Student Conduct (Section 3335-23-04) defines academic
misconduct as: “Any activity that tends to compromise the academic integrity of the University
or subvert the educational process.” Examples of academic misconduct include (but are not
limited to) plagiarism, collusion (unauthorized collaboration), copying the work of another
student, and possession of unauthorized materials during an examination. Ignorance of the
University’s Code of Student Conduct is never considered an excuse for academic
misconduct, so I recommend that you review the Code of Student Conduct and, specifically,
the sections dealing with academic misconduct.

If I suspect that a student has committed academic misconduct in this course, I am

obligated by University Rules to report my suspicions to the Committee on Academic
Misconduct. If COAM determines that you have violated the University’s Code of Student
Conduct (i.e., committed academic misconduct), the sanctions for the misconduct could
include a failing grade in this course and suspension or dismissal from the University.

Please be sure to read the directions for whether you can collaborate on work or must do the
assignment individually. If you have any questions about the above policy or what constitutes
academic misconduct in this course, please contact me.

Other sources of information on academic misconduct (integrity) to which you can refer
include:

o The Committee on Academic Misconduct web pages (COAM Home)

o Ten Suggestions for Preserving Academic Integrity (Ten Suggestions)
o Eight Cardinal Rules of Academic Integrity (www.northwestern.edu/uacc/8cards.htm)
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Copyright disclaimer
The materials used in connection with this course may be subject to copyright protection and
are only for the use of students officially enrolled in the course for the educational purposes
associated with the course. Copyright law must be considered before copying, retaining, or
disseminating materials outside of the course.

Statement on Title IX
Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights
offenses subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to
offenses against other protected categories (e.g., race). If you or someone you know has been
sexually harassed or assaulted, you may find the appropriate resources at http://titleix.osu.edu
or by contacting the Ohio State Title IX Coordinator, Kellie Brennan, at titleix@osu.edu

Your mental health

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such
as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty
concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may
lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily
activities. No matter where you are engaged in distance learning, The Ohio State University’s
Student Life Counseling and Consultation Service (CCS) is here to support you. If you find
yourself feeling isolated, anxious or overwhelmed, on-demand mental health resources
(go.osu.edu/ccsondemand) are available. You can reach an on-call counselor when CCS is
closed at 614- 292-5766. 24-hour emergency help is available through the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline website (suicidepreventionlifeline.org) or by calling 1-800-273-8255(TALK).
The Ohio State Wellness app (go.osu.edu/wellnessapp) is also a great resource.

Commitment to a diverse and inclusive learning environment

I am committed to nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment that celebrates the
fundamental value and dignity of everyone by recognizing differences and supporting
individuality. We are dedicated to creating a safe space and promoting civil discourse that
acknowledges and embraces diverse perspectives on issues and challenges that affect our
community.
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Requesting Accommodations
The university strives to make all learning experiences as
accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience
academic barriers based on your disability including mental
health, chronic or temporary medical conditions, please let me
know immediately so that we can privately discuss options. To
establish reasonable accommodations, I may request that you
register with Student Life Disability Services (SLDS). After
registration, make arrangements with me as soon as possible
to discuss your accommodations so that they may be
implemented in a timely fashion.

DISABILITY SERVICES CONTACT INFORMATION

 Phone: 614-292-3307
 Website: slds.osu.edu
 Email: slds@osu.edu
 In person: Baker Hall 098, 113 W. 12th Avenue

ACCESSIBILITY OF COURSE TECHNOLOGY

This online course requires use of CarmenCanvas (Ohio State's
learning management system) and other online communication and
multimedia tools. If you need additional services to use these
technologies, please request accommodations with your instructor.
 CarmenCanvas accessibility (go.osu.edu/canvas-accessibility)

 Streaming audio and video

 CarmenZoom accessibility (go.osu.edu/zoom-accessibility)
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 Collaborative course tools