Southern New Hampshire University

MGT-600: Resource Planning and Decision Making

A study guide to SNHU's MGT-600, a graduate course on strategic planning and resource management in ill-structured situations.

Updated October 2026 · 5 min read

MGT-600 is described in the SNHU catalog as an advanced exploration into ill-structured situations requiring strategic plans and effective resource management. Students are asked to develop strategies around personnel management, budget allocation, performance metrics and goal setting.

The catalog adds that the course prepares students for the advanced concentration courses in their area and serves as a precursor to the integrated capstone experience. The listed prerequisite is QSO500, Business Research. The difficulty is that ill-structured problems have no single correct answer, so marks come from reasoning and justification.

Course at a Glance

ItemDetails
UniversitySouthern New Hampshire University
Course codeMGT-600
Credits3
LevelGraduate
PrerequisitesQSO500 (Business Research)
Format and gradingGraduate course at SNHU
Typical workCase analyses, strategic and resource plans, budget and performance-metric proposals

What MGT-600 Covers

TopicIn plain language
Ill-structured situationsProblems with unclear boundaries, missing information and competing goals
Strategic plansSetting direction and choosing actions that fit the organization's aims
Personnel managementMatching people, roles and capacity to the plan
Budget allocationDeciding where limited money goes and defending the choice
Performance metricsMeasures that show whether the plan is working
Goal settingDefining objectives that are clear, achievable and linked to strategy

Key Concepts Explained

Working with Ill-Structured Problems

Start by defining the problem. State what you know, what you do not, and the assumptions you will make. Then explain how your recommendation would change if an assumption were wrong.

Invented illustration: a fictional firm must cut costs while keeping service quality. A strong response lists the facts available, states assumptions about demand and staffing, compares two or three options and recommends one with reasons.

Linking Resources to Goals

Every budget line or staffing decision should trace back to a goal. A simple table of goal, resource, measure and owner makes the link visible.

Metrics That Match the Goal

A measure should show progress on the goal it is attached to. Vanity metrics or measures that are easy to count but unrelated to the goal weaken a plan.

Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them

SNHU's catalog does not list assignments, so check your course for the real ones. Graduate management courses like this typically ask you to do the following.

Assignment typeWhat it testsHow to approach it
Case analysisStructuring an ill-structured problemState the problem, assumptions, options and a justified recommendation
Resource planLinking people and money to goalsUse a table of goals, resources, measures and owners
Performance metrics proposalChoosing useful measuresMatch each metric to a goal and say how data will be collected
Reflection or discussionApplying ideas to experienceUse a real or realistic example and name the lesson

Where Students Get Stuck

Searching for the One Right Answer

Instead, show your reasoning. Compare options on stated criteria and explain why you rank them as you do.

Recommendations Without a Budget

Say how much a plan costs, where the money comes from and what you would give up.

Metrics with No Baseline

Say where you start, the target and how often you will measure.

Study Tips for MGT-600

A Worked Outline for an Ill-Structured Case

Start with a one-paragraph problem definition. List three assumptions. Present two or three options, each with a short budget, a staffing implication and a likely metric. Compare them in a small table against stated criteria, then recommend one. Add a section on risks and what you would monitor in the first three months.

Before You Submit

A Decision Framework for Ill-Structured Cases

A repeatable framework keeps open-ended cases under control. Use this layout for any scenario in the course, adjusting headings to the assignment.

StepWhat to writeCheck
1. DefineState the problem and what success looks likeIs the scope clear?
2. AssumeList what you know, do not know and will assumeWould the answer change if an assumption failed?
3. OptionsDescribe two or three realistic courses of actionAre they genuinely different?
4. CompareScore options on named criteria such as cost, risk and fit with goalsAre criteria stated before scoring?
5. RecommendChoose, justify and show resource needsDoes it link to goals, people, budget and metrics?
6. MeasureState metrics, targets and review pointsIs there a baseline?

End by naming the biggest risk to the plan and how you would respond if it appeared.

How We Help with MGT-600

Send the assignment instructions, the rubric and any required readings, plus your draft or figures if you have them. A business writer can help you structure the analysis, test assumptions and check that metrics match goals. You receive model work or editing feedback for study.

GradeEssays is independent and not affiliated with Southern New Hampshire University. Model work is for study and reference, and your submitted work must be your own under the university's academic integrity policy. Orders are written from scratch, plagiarism-checked, and include free revisions within the scope of your original request.

Make Sense of Your MGT-600 Work

Share the case, rubric and your draft. A business writer prepares custom analysis or detailed feedback.

Start My MGT-600 Help

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does MGT-600 cover?

Ill-structured situations requiring strategic plans and effective resource management, including personnel management, budget allocation, performance metrics and goal setting.

What is the prerequisite?

QSO500 in the SNHU catalog.

How many credits?

3 credits.

Where does it fit in the program?

The catalog says it prepares students for advanced concentration courses and is a precursor to the integrated capstone.

What is an ill-structured problem?

One without a single obvious answer, where information is incomplete and goals may conflict.

Can you write my assignment to submit?

No. We provide tutoring, custom analysis and feedback. Work you submit must be your own.