Mar­ket In­formed De­cisions

Course content

Managers are confronted with wicked market challenges daily. A wicked problem has innumerable causes, is tough to describe, and doesn’t have a right answer. Environmental degradation, climate change, and inequality are classic examples of wicked problems. Managers face wicked challenges related to strategy shaping, new product diffusion, and customer engagement.

This course aims to develop students’ abilities to make informed decisions on how to deal with wicked market challenges. By combining economic theory (e.g., market structure, demand elasticities, economic performance, customer behavior, ecosystem management) with simulation techniques (e.g., agent-based modelling, system dynamics), students will develop the skills, capabilities, and knowledge to (a) identify and frame a company’s market challenge (What is the challenge?), (b) diagnose the market context (What do we know, and what not?), (c) utilize available market information to provide solutions for the challenge (How can we (re-)shape the market?), and (d) explain ways to implement and evaluate the suggested solution (What is the impact of the chosen solution?).

As such, this course provides students with the capabilities to effectively deal with complex markets, help companies develop market agility, utilize market intelligence, and, finally, improve customer success management.