Not available in 2023/24
PB4D5     
Corporate Behaviour and Decision Making - Dissertation

This information is for the 2023/24 session.

Teacher responsible

TBC

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Behavioural Science. This course is not available as an outside option.

Course content

The course provides the opportunity for students to learn how the tools of behavioural science can help to improve the outcomes of the firm. Specifically, behavioural science lessons for search and hiring, diversity and inclusion, firm culture, conduct, and high stakes decision making are covered.

Each topic starts with equipping students with the predictions from traditional economic models. We then proceed to consider the individual biases which distort the decision making process, and how this distorts outcomes. We consider interventions and solutions to these problems with a specific emphasis on : 1. is there a problem, 2. menu of solutions for the problem 3. quantifying if the solutions worked.

Teaching

10 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the WT.

Indicative reading

Bertrand Marrianne and Duflo Ester. Field Experiments on Discrimination. in Handbook of Economics Field Experiments. Volume 1, pages 309 - 393 2017.

MLA: Gneezy, Uri, Kenneth L. Leonard, and John A. List. "Gender differences in competition: Evidence from a matrilineal and a patriarchal society." Econometrica 77.5 (2009): 1637-1664.

Johnston, David W. and Lordan, Grace (2016) Racial prejudice and labour market penalties during economic downturns European Economic Review, 84. 57-75

Lordan, Grace and Pischke, Jorn-Steffen (2016) Does Rosie like riveting? Male and female occupational choices NBER working paper, 22495. National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, USA.

Kandasamy, Narayanan, et al. "Cortisol shifts financial risk preferences." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111.9 (2014): 3608-3613.

Shiller, Robert J. Finance and the Good Society, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2012.

Fama, Eugene, “Market Efficiency, Long-Term Returns, and Behavioral Finance,” Journal of Financial Economics.

Assessment

Dissertation (100%, 10000 words) in the post-spring term.

You are required to write a 10,000 word dissertation (replacing the essay). You are expected to attend the course teaching on the half-unit that you chose to write your dissertation on.

Key facts

Department: Psychological and Behavioural Science

Total students 2022/23: Unavailable

Average class size 2022/23: Unavailable

Controlled access 2022/23: No

Value: One Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Leadership
  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Communication
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Specialist skills