Chances Are? Course Selection at HBS and at Kellogg

Abstract

The case describes two alternative elective course assignment procedures: Harvard Business School's lottery-based system and Kellogg Graduate School of Management's bidding-based system. The case has been designed to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each system and their desirability (or lack thereof) depending on the context (the broader business system) within which they are implemented. The case also describes the draft used by the NBA to assign new players to teams. This allows for a discussion of whether a similar system may be preferable to lottery-based or bidding-based procedures to assign students to courses in business schools.

Learning Objective: The case allows for comparing and contrasting different matching systems: two systems in the context of course assignment process (at HBS and at Kellogg), as well as NBA draft matching basketball teams with prospective players.