• University of Michigan logo

Making Successful Decisions through the Strategy, Law & Ethics Model

Get to grips with the processes behind effective business, personal and leadership decisions with this eight-week course.

2,001 enrolled on this course

A headshot of a professional woman
  • Duration

    9 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours

Learn how to make effective decisions using the strategy, law and ethics model

Effective decision making is based on the three key pillars of strategy, law, and ethics. This practical, framework-based course from the University of Michigan will show you how to combine these three pillars and ultimately make successful business, personal and leadership decisions.

Discover how the three elements of strategy, law and ethics can be combined as a decision making model

You’ll start the course with an example of a leadership decision; ex-president Barack Obama’s strategic decision to kill Osama Bin Laden, the founder of the terrorist organisation Al Qaeda.

Using a global perspective, you’ll then be shown how the three elements of strategy, law and ethics can be combined and used to prevent a tragedy.

Understand how to make successful business decisions through the model

The rest of the eight-week course will focus on showing you how to make successful business decisions through the strategy, law and ethics model. This concerns creating value (strategy) and managing risk (law) in an effective manner (ethics).

Using practical legal briefings and many case studies, you’ll be shown how to attract the best employees to a business, develop successful products, create new business models, protect intellectual property, create contracts that achieve business goals and use dispute resolution processes to improve business relationships.

Learn from experts in the decision-making field at the University of Michigan

As the number one ranking public research university within the United States, the University of Michigan has been a leader in research, learning, and teaching for more than 200 years.

You’ll be guided throughout by experts in the field, and will cover both US and international decision making strategies.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    Welcome to Making Successful Decisions through the Strategy, Law & Ethics Model!

    • Introduction and Overview

      This week you have an opportunity to get to know about the faculty, university and the course.

  • Week 2

    Use the Three Pillar Model for Personal, Leadership and Business Decisions

    • Course Materials

      In this activity, you will get a glance at what's going to be covered this week, with an optional reading. There is also an ungraded quiz to test your knowledge before you begin this week.

    • Use the Three Pillars for Personal and Leadership Decisions

      This part focuses on the Three Pillars as it relates to Personal and Leadership Decisions

    • Use the Three Pillars for Business Decisions

      This part focuses on the Three Pillars as it related to Business Decisions

    • Course Organization and a Practical Decision-Making Tool

      Course Organization and a Practical Decision-Making Tool

    • Understand the Global World of Business

      This part focuses on understanding the World of Business from a global perspective

    • Wrap up

      This activity consists of a discussion post and a test.

  • Week 3

    Use Employment Law to Attract and Retain the Best Business Talent

    • Course Materials

      This part focuses on what is being covered this week. You are also provided an optional reading. There is also an ungraded quiz, testing your knowledge of what you already know.

    • Employee Legal Rights: The Big Picture

      This activity provides you a chance to understand and blue sky an employee's legal rights.

    • Legal Briefing: Understand Wrongful Discharge in the US and Elsewhere

      This activity focuses on legal briefings. This will help you understand wrongful discharge in the US and elsewhere

    • Risk Management: Manage Wrongful Discharge Risks

      In this activity, you will learn about Risk Management. specifically on how to Manage Wrongful Discharge Risks

    • Legal Briefing: Understand Anti-Discrimination Laws and Sexual Harassment

      In this activity you will learn about Legal Briefing:Understand Anti-Discrimination Laws and Sexual Harassment

    • Risk Management: Manage Sex Discrimination Risks (A Case Study)

      Risk Management: Manage Sex Discrimination Risks (A Case Study)

    • Value Creation: Attract and Retain the Best Talent

      In this activity, you will learn about Value Creation: and how to Attract and Retain the Best Talent

    • Wrap up

      This activity consists of a discussion post and a test.

  • Week 4

    Meet Your Customers’ Needs: Transform Product Liability into Product Innovation

    • Course Materials

      In this activity, you will get a glance at what's going to be covered this week, with an optional reading. There is also an ungraded quiz to test your knowledge before you begin this week.

    • Legal Briefing: The Tort Law Fundamentals that Everyone Should Understand

      In this activity, you will learn about Legal Briefing: The Tort Law Fundamentals that Everyone Should Understand

    • Manage Risks Caused by Employee Torts: A Cell Phone Example

      Manage Risks Caused by Employee Torts: A Cell Phone Example

    • Legal Briefing: The “Two Hats” You Wear When Dealing with Product Liability

      In this activity you will learn about Legal Briefing: The “Two Hats” You Wear When Dealing with Product Liability

    • Manage the Liability Risks that You Create Through Your Contracts

      In this activity, you will learn about, how to Manage the Liability Risks that You Create Through Your Contracts

    • Understand the Dramatic Impact of Strict Liability on Your Business

      In this activity, you will learn about and Understand the Dramatic Impact of Strict Liability on Your Business

    • Manage Your Tort Risks From Making or Selling Products

      In this activity you will learn how to Manage Your Tort Risks From Making or Selling Products

    • Use Your Product Liability Process to Create Value Through New Product Development

      Use Your Product Liability Process to Create Value Through New Product Development

    • Wrap up

      This activity consists of a discussion post and a test.

  • Week 5

    Create Business Opportunities Through Government Regulation

    • Course Materials

      In this activity, you will get a glance at what's going to be covered this week, with an optional reading. There is also an ungraded quiz to test your knowledge before you begin this week.

    • Legal Briefing: Government Regulation Fundamentals that Everyone Should Understand

      In this activity, you will learn about Legal Briefing: Government Regulation Fundamentals that Everyone Should Understand

    • Government Regulation Risk Management

      In this activity you will learn about: Government Regulation Risk Management

    • Value Creation: Use the Regulatory Frontier Strategy and the Regulatory Gap Strategy to Develop New Products and New Business Models

      In this activity you will learn about: Value Creation: Use the Regulatory Frontier Strategy and the Regulatory Gap Strategy to Develop New Products and New Business Models

    • Wrap up

      This activity consists of a discussion post and a test.

  • Week 6

    Use Your Intellectual Property to Create Shareholder Value

    • Course Materials

      In this activity, you will get a glance at what's going to be covered this week, with an optional reading. There is also an ungraded quiz to test your knowledge before you begin this week.

    • Understand the Value of Intellectual Property in Your Business

      This activity focuses on the Value of Intellectual Property in Your Business

    • Create, Protect and Use Your Trademarks

      This activity focuses on how to Create, Protect and Use Your Trademarks

    • Create, Protect and Use Copyrighted Works

      This activity focuses on Create, Protect and Use Copyrighted Works

    • Create, Protect and Use Your Trade Secrets

      This activity focuses on how to Create, Protect and Use Your Trade Secrets

    • Create, Protect and Use Your Patent Rights

      This activity focuses on how to Create, Protect and Use Your Patent Rights

    • Wrap up

      This activity consists of a discussion post and a test.

  • Week 7

    Develop Contracts that Create Value for Both Sides

    • Course Materials

      In this activity, you will get a glance at what's going to be covered this week, with an optional reading. There is also an ungraded quiz to test your knowledge before you begin this week.

    • International, Business, and Personal Perspectives on Contracting

      This activity focuses on International, Business, and Personal Perspectives on Contracting

    • Know the Sources of Contract Law

      This activity focuses on knowing the Sources of Contract Law

    • Create Enforceable Contracts

      This activity focuses on Enforceable Contracts

    • Focus Your Contracts on Business Objectives for Value Creation

      This activity Focuses on Your Contracts on Business Objectives for Value Creation

    • Wrap up

      This activity consists of a discussion post and a test.

  • Week 8

    Use Dispute Resolution Processes for Value Creation

    • Course Materials

      In this activity, you will get a glance at what's going to be covered this week, with an optional reading. There is also an ungraded quiz to test your knowledge before you begin this week.

    • Understand Why Dispute Resolution Is Important to Business Success

      This activity focuses on understanding Why Dispute Resolution Is Important to Business Success

    • Prevent Business Disputes

      Prevent Business Disputes

    • Understand and Use ADR Concepts and Tools

      Understand and Use ADR Concepts and Tools

    • Use Arbitration to Resolve Your Business Disputes (A Videotaped Demonstration)

      This activity focuses on how to Use Arbitration to Resolve Your Business Disputes and a Videotaped Demonstration

    • Use Mediation to Resolve Your Business Disputes (A Videotaped Demonstration)

      This activity focuses on hoe to Use Mediation to Resolve Your Business Disputes and a Videotaped Demonstration

    • Create Value and Build Relationships Through the Power of Apology and a Life Goals Analysis

      This activity focuses on how to Create Value and Build Relationships Through the Power of Apology and a Life Goals Analysis

    • Wrap up

      This activity consists of a discussion post and a test.

  • Week 9

    Create and Lead an Ethical Business

    • Course Materials

      In this activity, you will get a glance at what's going to be covered this week, with an optional reading. There is also an ungraded quiz to test your knowledge before you begin this week.

    • Do Your Ethical Decisions Depend on Your Situation or on Character?

      This activity focuses on: Do Your Ethical Decisions Depend on Your Situation or on Character?

    • Use This Process When Making Ethical Decisions

      This activity focuses on the Process for Making Ethical Decisions

    • Consider This Checklist of Guidelines When You Face Ethical Dilemmas

      This activity provides a Checklist of Guidelines When You Face Ethical Dilemmas

    • “Walk the Talk”: How to Lead an Ethical Organization

      This activity focuses on: How to Lead an Ethical Organization

    • Wrap up

      Congratulations on completing the course. This activity consists of a discussion post and a test.

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explore the three pillars (strategy, law and ethics) required for successful decision making
  • Develop the skills for making successful business decisions
  • Apply dispute resolution processes that improve business relationships
  • Explore how to attract the best employees
  • Explore how to create contracts that achieve business goals
  • Understand how to develop successful products
  • Understand how to create new business models
  • Understand how to protect intellectual property

Who is the course for?

This course is suited for learners who are looking to understand how to make successful business decisions (both from the US and international perspectives) using the strategy, law and ethics model.

Who will you learn with?

Cambridge-educated professor at U of Michigan. In 2018, Executive Program Professor of the Year Award from an international group of business schools and ALSB Distinguished Career Achievement Award.

Who developed the course?

University of Michigan

As the #1 public research university in the United States, U-M has been a leader in research, learning, and teaching for more than 200 years, with 102 Grad programs in the top 10 — U.S. News & World Report (2019).

  • Established

    1817
  • Location

    Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
  • World ranking

    Top 30Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

Learner reviews

Learner reviews cannot be loaded due to your cookie settings. Please and refresh the page to view this content.

Do you know someone who'd love this course? Tell them about it...