The course Modeling Managerial Decisions, part of the first-year integrated core curriculum for all MBA students, takes a unique approach to the decision-making process. Co-taught by Anjani Jain, deputy dean for academic programs and professor in the practice of management, and Nathan Novemsky, professor of marketing, the course teaches students to consider multiple perspectives when they are making complex decisions.

Jain, an expert in operations research, focuses on creating analytical models to help guide managers to a decision, especially when faced with multiple constraints and uncertainty. Novemsky, trained in psychology, covers the human angle, using behavioral science to help students understand the various habits, biases, and motivations that influence how people make decisions. “It’s the combination of these two and the skills that you develop from both of them that allow you to succeed,” says David Cotton ’21.