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    • Decision Making

    Decision Making Courses Online

    Explore decision-making techniques for personal and professional growth. Learn to make informed and strategic decisions using data and analysis.

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    Explore the Decision Making Course Catalog

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IESE Business School

      Análisis de situaciones de negocio

      Skills you'll gain: Business, Financial Analysis, People Management, Strategic Decision-Making, Marketing Management, Corporate Strategy, Decision Making, Financial Statement Analysis, Business Analysis, Business Administration, Strategic Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Brand Management, Leadership and Management

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      152 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IESE Business School

      Finance for Managers

      Skills you'll gain: Financial Statement Analysis, Operational Analysis, Working Capital, Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Financial Forecasting, Forecasting, Return On Investment, Financial Analysis, Cash Flows, Cash Flow Forecasting, Risk Analysis, Financial Planning, Accounts Receivable, Inventory Management System, Growth Strategies

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1K reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

      Text Mining and Analytics

      Skills you'll gain: Text Mining, Data Mining, Unstructured Data, Statistical Analysis, Natural Language Processing, Analytics, Data Analysis, Unsupervised Learning, Probability & Statistics, Regression Analysis, Predictive Modeling, Supervised Learning, Machine Learning Algorithms

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      735 reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of California San Diego

      Machine Learning With Big Data

      Skills you'll gain: Exploratory Data Analysis, Apache Spark, Big Data, Regression Analysis, Data Mining, Applied Machine Learning, Statistical Analysis, Machine Learning, Data Analysis, Unsupervised Learning, Data Transformation, Predictive Modeling, Data Cleansing, Supervised Learning, Decision Tree Learning

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      2.5K reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      A

      Arizona State University

      Strategic Thinking

      Skills you'll gain: Strategic Thinking, Strategic Decision-Making, Systems Thinking, Strategic Planning, Business Strategy, Complex Problem Solving, Decision Making, Analysis, Trend Analysis, Competitive Analysis, Risk Analysis, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Market Intelligence, Performance Analysis

      4.4
      Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
      ·
      47 reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • U

      University of Leeds

      Foundations of Software Testing and Validation

      Skills you'll gain: Test Case, Software Testing, Software Quality Assurance, Quality Assurance, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Test Planning, Verification And Validation, Acceptance Testing, System Testing, Unit Testing, Functional Testing, Usability Testing, Integration Testing, Performance Testing, Software Development Life Cycle

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      350 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of California, Irvine

      Leverage Data Science for a More Agile Supply Chain

      Skills you'll gain: Supply Chain Planning, Demand Planning, Customer Demand Planning, Inventory Management System, Inventory Control, Supply Chain Management, Capacity Planning, Materials Management, Process Optimization, Forecasting, Operations Management, Resource Allocation, Service Level, Capacity Management, Performance Measurement, Microsoft Excel, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Statistical Methods, Cost Reduction, Simulation and Simulation Software

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      427 reviews

      Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Michigan

      Assisting Public Sector Decision Makers With Policy Analysis

      Skills you'll gain: Statistical Analysis, Program Evaluation, Policy Analysis, Data Analysis, Statistical Methods, Public Policies, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Policy Development, Analytical Skills, Forecasting, R Programming, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Research Design, Time Series Analysis and Forecasting

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      25 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IBM

      Developing Back-End Apps with Node.js and Express

      Skills you'll gain: Node.JS, Server Side, Restful API, Back-End Web Development, JavaScript Frameworks, Cloud Applications, Web Applications, Application Programming Interface (API), Web Servers, Javascript, Authentications, Package and Software Management, JSON, Middleware

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      525 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IBM

      Deep Learning with Keras and Tensorflow

      Skills you'll gain: Keras (Neural Network Library), Reinforcement Learning, Unsupervised Learning, Deep Learning, Tensorflow, Generative AI, Artificial Neural Networks, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Artificial Intelligence, Image Analysis, Time Series Analysis and Forecasting, Natural Language Processing, Performance Tuning

      4.4
      Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
      ·
      944 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      V

      Vanderbilt University

      Generative AI for Leaders

      Skills you'll gain: Succession Planning, Business Writing, Generative AI, Leadership, Meeting Facilitation, Organizational Leadership, Business Leadership, Proposal Writing, Communication, Human Resource Strategy, Business Transformation, Artificial Intelligence, Internal Communications, Strategic Thinking, Decision Making

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      454 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      S

      Stanford University

      Evaluations of AI Applications in Healthcare

      Skills you'll gain: Data Ethics, Artificial Intelligence, Health Technology, Healthcare Industry Knowledge, Health Care, Patient Safety, Health Equity, Health Disparities, Regulatory Compliance, Application Deployment, Continuous Monitoring, Clinical Data Management, Decision Support Systems, Predictive Modeling

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      294 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

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    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular decision making courses

    • Análisis de situaciones de negocio: IESE Business School
    • Finance for Managers: IESE Business School
    • Text Mining and Analytics: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    • Machine Learning With Big Data: University of California San Diego
    • Strategic Thinking: Arizona State University
    • Foundations of Software Testing and Validation: University of Leeds
    • Leverage Data Science for a More Agile Supply Chain: University of California, Irvine
    • Assisting Public Sector Decision Makers With Policy Analysis: University of Michigan
    • Developing Back-End Apps with Node.js and Express: IBM
    • Deep Learning with Keras and Tensorflow: IBM

    Skills you can learn in Business Essentials

    Analytics (37)
    Presentation (33)
    Modeling (29)
    Business Analytics (27)
    Language (26)
    Microsoft Excel (26)
    Writing (26)
    Speech (18)
    Plan (17)
    Business Communication (16)
    Decision-making (16)
    Leadership (15)

    Frequently Asked Questions about Decision Making

    Decision-making skills are the ability to evaluate several courses of action and choose which to take. This is an important life skill as well as a business leadership skill, since effective problem-solving requires deciding on a solution. However, making smart business decisions isn’t just about being decisive in an abstract sense.

    Effective decision-making is a skill that requires a combination of critical thinking and data analysis. In a business context, a familiarity with tools of financial analysis is especially important for decision-making, although the financial bottom line isn’t always the only factor to be considered in a careful cost-benefit analysis. For example, a growing number of companies consider corporate social responsibility principles and a “triple bottom line” approach that also looks at social and environmental costs and benefits.

    Beyond cost-benefit analyses, there are approaches informed by psychology that are used to make decisions as well as describe decision-making in the real world. Decision theory uses tools similar to game theory to analyze how decisions are affected by uncertainty, different timing between decisions and impacts, social and competitive situations, and other factors. And behavioral economics helps to understand how cognitive bias can influence decision-making, as in the case of the sunk cost fallacy which results in economically irrational decisions based on previous investments.‎

    Decision-making skills are essential for leadership positions in every field, whether chief executive officers (CEOs) of corporations, executive directors of non-profit advocacy groups, or government roles such as mayors and governors. These leaders are responsible for setting organizational goals and policies and, ultimately, making decisions on how to achieve them.

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, top executives earn a median pay of $104,690 per year, including a median pay of $184,460 for CEOs. This high level of compensation is a testament to the importance of savvy decision-making skills, which are in high demand in organizations of all kinds.‎

    Absolutely. Coursera lets you learn about decision-making and related topics like problem-solving, psychology, and leadership from top-ranked schools like the University of California, Irvine, the University of Michigan, and the University of Pennsylvania. And although you’ll be learning remotely, you’ll get the same course materials as on-campus students as well as opportunities to discuss these important topics in leadership with expert faculty as well as your fellow students.‎

    Everyone can benefit from learning about decision making, both in their personal and professional lives, so you may not need any previous experience or skills to study the concept. However, any type of work experience may help prepare you for your studies. Once you've worked in a field, you'll better understand why decision-making skills are important and how you can use them to advance your career or even get a new job in your field.‎

    A person who is a leader and good communicator is best suited to work in roles that involve strong decision-making skills. As a matter of fact, learning how to be a good decision maker can lead to supervisory and management positions in your field. You should also be an active listener and someone who can easily convey to other people what your thoughts and ideas are. People who are strong decision makers tend to be good analyzers, troubleshooters, problem solvers, and critical thinkers. This helps them gather the evidence they need to make a choice. Other skills needed for roles that require good decision-making skills are time management, logic, reasoning, and intuition. You'll also need to have good interpersonal skills, as well as be a good collaborator who doesn't shy away from teamwork.‎

    Decision-making studies or skills look good on any resume, so if you're looking for a new career or starting a career, learning about it may be right for you. It can also be helpful if you're looking to be promoted into a managerial position at work. Decision-making skills are very important for people in roles of leadership. If you currently work in a managerial position or any position in any field and find that you're having trouble making sound decisions at work, learning how to do so can improve your work performance. Learning it can also help you make better decisions in your personal life.‎

    This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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