Behavioural Operations

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The central role of decision making under genuine uncertainty.
• The necessity for an art of choosing the right method for each problem.
• The conceptual differences between heuristic/simulation and optimisation methods.

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Communicate clearly, and in a transparent way, the strengths and weaknesses of said methods to the relevant stakeholders.
• Apply correctly a repertoire of heuristic/simulation and optimisation decision methods; empirically evaluate the performance of said methods.
• Support stakeholders in making an informed choice of method for each problem.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Be aware, and explain convincingly to others, the importance of addressing behaviour issues in operations.

• The conceptual distinction between risk and uncertainty a la Knight
• Introduction to Behavioural OR: The taxonomy of behaviour “in”, “with” and “beyond” models
• Multiple-criteria decision making tools: Optimisation and heuristics
• Simulation methods for behavioural modelling
• Introduction to Behavioural OM: Models and behaviour in the newsvendor problem
• Operations management frameworks and methods
• Critical appraisal of behavioural analytics, especially using big data
• Synthesis of Behavioural OR and Behavioural OM: The need for algorithmic transparency

The module is delivered through pre-course reading and lectures. The various concepts will be illustrated using real-world operational problems and data. In addition there will be in-class independent learning, through group exercises and student-response-system-based quizzes. We will also try to invite academia and industry leaders as guest lecturers.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Feedback

• Assessment Type: Formative
• Feedback: Formative group feedback on students’ performance in in-lecture exercises will be provided verbally immediately after the exercises. If possible, students will use technological tools to answer questions in the exercises.
• Final Assessment: No
• Group Work: No

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.