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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

    • U

      Universiteit Leiden

      EU policy and implementation: making Europe work!

      Skills you'll gain: Policy Analysis, Public Policies, Policy Development, Environmental Policy, Program Evaluation, Governance, Immigration Law, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Experimentation

      4.4
      Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
      ·
      188 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      M

      Macquarie University

      Negotiation skills: Negotiate and resolve conflict

      Skills you'll gain: Conflict Management, Negotiation, Intercultural Competence, Stakeholder Management, Leadership, Leadership and Management, Organizational Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Cultural Diversity, Self-Awareness, Communication

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      772 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      T

      The Linux Foundation

      Linux for Developers

      Skills you'll gain: Package and Software Management, Linux, Command-Line Interface, File Systems, Linux Administration, Linux Commands, User Accounts, System Configuration, Unix Shell, Performance Tuning, System Monitoring, Operating Systems, Networking Hardware

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.4K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: New
      New
      Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      G

      Google

      Maximize Productivity With AI Tools

      Skills you'll gain: Workflow Management, Generative AI, Process Optimization, Productivity Software, Prompt Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Operational Efficiency, Automation

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      84 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • S

      Starweaver

      Customer Relationship Management

      Skills you'll gain: Customer Relationship Management, Loyalty Programs, Customer experience strategy (CX), Customer Data Management, Customer Insights, Customer Engagement, Customer Service, Customer Retention, Customer experience improvement, Personalized Service, Marketing Strategies, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Technology Strategies, Business Technologies, Automation

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      209 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • B

      Brightline Initiative

      Bridging the Gap between Strategy Design and Delivery

      Skills you'll gain: Strategic Leadership, Organizational Strategy, Plan Execution, Strategic Decision-Making, Strategic Thinking, Organizational Effectiveness, Business Leadership, Business Strategy, Organizational Change, Business Consulting, Change Management, Decision Making

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      784 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Colorado Boulder

      Renewable Energy Technology Fundamentals

      Skills you'll gain: Energy and Utilities, Electrical Power, Engineering, Electric Power Systems, Thermal Management, Basic Electrical Systems, Environmental Issue, Physics, Emerging Technologies

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      715 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      T

      Technical University of Munich (TUM)

      Cost Accounting

      Skills you'll gain: Cost Accounting, Management Accounting, Income Statement, Operating Cost, Cost Management, Inventory Accounting, Profit and Loss (P&L) Management, Gross Profit, Strategic Decision-Making, Accounting, Product Planning, Resource Allocation, Product Assortment, Depreciation, Financial Accounting, Production Process, Financial Statements, Price Negotiation, Capacity Management, Decision Making

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      259 reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      R

      Rice University

      Business Applications of Hypothesis Testing and Confidence Interval Estimation

      Skills you'll gain: Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Statistical Methods, Sample Size Determination, Statistical Inference, Estimation, Statistics, Probability & Statistics, Sampling (Statistics), Statistical Analysis, Microsoft Excel, Excel Formulas, Decision Making

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.3K reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • E

      Eindhoven University of Technology

      Ethics, Technology and Engineering

      Skills you'll gain: Ethical Standards And Conduct, Engineering Design Process, Business Ethics, Engineering Practices, Research, Conceptual Design, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Risk Management Framework, Mediation

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      811 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • U

      University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

      Global Impact: Business Ethics

      Skills you'll gain: Business Ethics, Ethical Standards And Conduct, Corporate Sustainability, Stakeholder Management, Cultural Sensitivity, Global Marketing, Decision Making, Cultural Diversity, International Relations, Corporate Strategy, Socioeconomics

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      493 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

      Toma de decisiones financieras

      Skills you'll gain: Fixed Asset, Business Valuation, Financial Management, Corporate Finance, Financial Modeling, Capital Budgeting, Business Mathematics, Financial Analysis, Capital Expenditure, Financial Statements, Investment Management, Asset Management, Return On Investment, Cash Flows, Balance Sheet, Decision Making

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      227 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

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

    • EU policy and implementation: making Europe work! : Universiteit Leiden
    • Negotiation skills: Negotiate and resolve conflict: Macquarie University
    • Linux for Developers: The Linux Foundation
    • Maximize Productivity With AI Tools: Google
    • Customer Relationship Management: Starweaver
    • Bridging the Gap between Strategy Design and Delivery: Brightline Initiative
    • Renewable Energy Technology Fundamentals: University of Colorado Boulder
    • Cost Accounting: Technical University of Munich (TUM)
    • Business Applications of Hypothesis Testing and Confidence Interval Estimation : Rice University
    • Ethics, Technology and Engineering : Eindhoven University of Technology

    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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