Bestselling books such as Dan Ariely's Predictably Irrational and Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow have opened the world's eyes to the quirky and error-prone ways in which people make important decisions. Building on the work of those scholars and many others in the field of behavioral economics, this program prepares you to influence the behavior of customers and employees—and become a bigger contributor to your organization's success.
This program is eligible for the Certificate of Management Excellence. Learn More
Bestselling books such as Dan Ariely's Predictably Irrational and Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow have opened the world's eyes to the quirky and error-prone ways in which people make important decisions. Building on the work of those scholars and many others in the field of behavioral economics, this program prepares you to influence the behavior of customers and employees—and become a bigger contributor to your organization's success.
This program is eligible for the Certificate of Management Excellence. Learn More
Key Benefits
Behavioral economics provides fundamental insights into how people think—and how altering the decision-making context can make an impact on their choices. In this behavioral economics program, you will learn how to design and rigorously test a “choice architecture” that can help your managers make better decisions, create greater value for your customers, and improve business outcomes for your company.
Behavioral economics provides fundamental insights into how people think—and how altering the decision-making context can make an impact on their choices. In this behavioral economics program, you will learn how to design and rigorously test a “choice architecture” that can help your managers make better decisions, create greater value for your customers, and improve business outcomes for your company.
Details
Understand the actions of your customers and employees
Discover the subtle forces driving choices and become your organization's go-to problem-solver
Develop a user-oriented, outcome-driven mindset
Improve employee motivation
Design products and services that create more value for your customers
Improve decision-making and performance across your organization
Enhance organizational performance by using "choice architecture" to alter the context in which employees make decisions
Facilitate rapid cycles of idea generation
Test the potential impact of proposed actions
Expand your personal and professional network
Extend your network by living and working with accomplished executives from various backgrounds, industries, and countries across the globe
Build relationships with a diverse group of peers who can provide wide-ranging insights into your business challenges and career decisions
Who Should Attend
Executives with at least 10 years of experience who lead functional areas such as product development, human resources, talent management, marketing, advertising, business development, or sales
Individuals responsible for product design, product management, or risk management
Executives with at least 10 years of experience who lead functional areas such as product development, human resources, talent management, marketing, advertising, business development, or sales
Individuals responsible for product design, product management, or risk management
When you participate in an Executive Education program on the HBS campus, you enter an immersive experience where every aspect of the learning model has been carefully designed to facilitate your growth. Your learning will take place on your own, in your living group, and in the larger classroom, driven by the renowned HBS case method.
When you participate in an Executive Education program on the HBS campus, you enter an immersive experience where every aspect of the learning model has been carefully designed to facilitate your growth. Your learning will take place on your own, in your living group, and in the larger classroom, driven by the renowned HBS case method.
Admissions Criteria and Process
We admit candidates to specific sessions on a rolling, space-available basis, and encourage you to apply as early as possible. Although most programs have no formal educational requirements, admission is a selective process based on your professional achievement and organizational responsibilities.
Our Program Advising team can help you at any stage of the admissions process—starting with identifying the program that best addresses your learning and development goals. Contact a program advisor via email or call 1-800-427-5577 (outside the U.S., call +1-617-495-6555).
Application Submission
We recommend that you apply at least four weeks before the program start date. You may use our online form or download an application. HBS maintains all application information in strict confidentiality. We acknowledge receipt of applications via email. In the unlikely event that you do not receive an acknowledgment, please email us at exed_admissions@hbs.edu or call us at +1-617-495-6226.
Application Review
To optimize the learning experience and maximize the exchange of ideas, our Admissions Committee makes selections that balance each participant's experience, scope of current responsibilities, and type of organization. HBS seeks candidates who reflect a broad range of industries, functions, countries, and backgrounds. We review applications monthly and will contact you via email with the Admissions Committee's decision.
Fee, Payment, and Cancellations
The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals. No payment is necessary until you have been accepted. Payment is required prior to the program start date. If you need to cancel or defer participation, you must submit your request in writing more than 30 days before the start of the program to receive a full refund. Cancellations or deferrals received 14 to 30 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a fee of one-half of the program fee. Requests received within 14 days are subject to full payment.
We admit candidates to specific sessions on a rolling, space-available basis, and encourage you to apply as early as possible. Although most programs have no formal educational requirements, admission is a selective process based on your professional achievement and organizational responsibilities.
Answering Your Questions
Our Program Advising team can help you at any stage of the admissions process—starting with identifying the program that best addresses your learning and development goals. Contact a program advisor via email or call 1-800-427-5577 (outside the U.S., call +1-617-495-6555).
Application Submission
We recommend that you apply at least four weeks before the program start date. You may use our online form or download an application. HBS maintains all application information in strict confidentiality. We acknowledge receipt of applications via email. In the unlikely event that you do not receive an acknowledgment, please email us at exed_admissions@hbs.edu or call us at +1-617-495-6226.
Application Review
To optimize the learning experience and maximize the exchange of ideas, our Admissions Committee makes selections that balance each participant's experience, scope of current responsibilities, and type of organization. HBS seeks candidates who reflect a broad range of industries, functions, countries, and backgrounds. We review applications monthly and will contact you via email with the Admissions Committee's decision.
Fee, Payment, and Cancellations
The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals. No payment is necessary until you have been accepted. Payment is required prior to the program start date. If you need to cancel or defer participation, you must submit your request in writing more than 30 days before the start of the program to receive a full refund. Cancellations or deferrals received 14 to 30 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a fee of one-half of the program fee. Requests received within 14 days are subject to full payment.
Your Course of Study
This program is structured to improve your analytical and decision-making skills and help you bring the principles of behavioral economics to your organization’s most pressing challenges. Through dynamic faculty presentations, case studies, role-playing, simulation exercises, and insights from guest speakers, you will discover how subtle yet powerful changes to the decision-making environment can influence outcomes.
This program is structured to improve your analytical and decision-making skills and help you bring the principles of behavioral economics to your organization’s most pressing challenges. Through dynamic faculty presentations, case studies, role-playing, simulation exercises, and insights from guest speakers, you will discover how subtle yet powerful changes to the decision-making environment can influence outcomes.
Examining the psychological biases and motivation problems that get in the way of making wise decisions
Analyzing the power of group dynamics in mitigating or exacerbating the counterproductive effects of psychological biases
Studying the behavioral limitations that make it difficult for people to pay attention to the right information at the right time
Shaping the behavior of customers and employees
Understanding why choice contexts can sometimes act as barriers to successful decision-making
Examining effective strategies for aligning customer and employee actions with your organizational goals
Applying behavioral economics in your organization
Identifying your organization's specific behavioral challenges—and exploring potential solutions
Defining the essential skills that enable a "choice architect" to influence the behavior of other organizational stakeholders
Exploring roadmaps that incorporate behavioral economics into everyday work
Behavioral Task Force Sessions
In addition to program faculty drawing examples from their diverse areas of expertise, participants will discuss and generate solutions to their own organizational challenges. To prepare for these sessions, participants are asked to spend time in advance of the program reflecting on some of the problems that their organization faces. Upon admittance, the faculty will provide guidance on which types of challenges are well-suited to behavioral economics solutions. While on campus, participants work in groups to design a solution or set of solutions to a problem using behavioral economics techniques, devise a strategy for implementing and evaluating the success of their solution, and present their proposal to the cohort on the final day of the program.
In addition to program faculty drawing examples from their diverse areas of expertise, participants will discuss and generate solutions to their own organizational challenges. To prepare for these sessions, participants are asked to spend time in advance of the program reflecting on some of the problems that their organization faces. Upon admittance, the faculty will provide guidance on which types of challenges are well-suited to behavioral economics solutions. While on campus, participants work in groups to design a solution or set of solutions to a problem using behavioral economics techniques, devise a strategy for implementing and evaluating the success of their solution, and present their proposal to the cohort on the final day of the program.
The HBS Advantage
Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe
Faculty Cochairs
John Beshears
Terrie F. and Bradley M. Bloom Associate Professor of Business Administration
Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe
Faculty Cochairs
John Beshears
Terrie F. and Bradley M. Bloom Associate Professor of Business Administration
Program content, dates, fees, and faculty are subject to change. In accordance with Harvard University policy, Harvard Business School does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities.
"The behavioral economics framework can provide us with ways of improving outcomes."
