Teaching Note—Learning Outcome Assessment Using an Integrative Assignment on Location Decision Making

Driven by the need to develop an integrative tool to assess learning outcomes for an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited MBA program, this teaching note presents a unique assignment that requires students to identify appropriate decision modeling tools for the multi-step analysis to support a location decision. The specific value of this assignment is that although the business scenario is simple but nevertheless realistic, developing the supporting analysis requires application and integration of several decision making models. Students need to exhibit the capability to choose appropriate models, to apply them correctly, and to link the results together to support the final, integrative decision. The assignment therefore allows instructors to evaluate two aspects: (1) proficiency with individual modeling tools and (2) the ability to combine such tools for a comprehensive analysis of a realistic business scenario. The assignment is applicable to learning outcomes assessment for learning objectives such as technological and quantitative skills or critical thinking.