BA 409

Operations Research

Mark Parker

MWF, 1:00 - 1:50

SH 212 or SH 146 (Computer Lab)

Introduction

Operations Research is the study of quantitative techniques to help management make informed decisions about the daily operations of their organization. To maintain a competitive edge in a global economy, companies in diverse industries are investing in Operations Research, Management Science, and Decision Analysis. The goal of the course is to provide an introduction to the quantitative methods available for performing analyses and providing input to business decisions. Specifically, my goals are for you to learn to:

1. recognize specific types of decision problems and modeling approaches to aid in their resolution,
2. objectively evaluate quantitative models that you will be expected to interpret in the future,
3. be able to construct and use basic models, and
4. understand the strengths and weaknesses of these modeling approaches.

We'll attain these goals with a "hands-on" approach via Excel spreadsheet modeling, which is the tool of choice in the modern work environment. No prior knowledge of Excel is required; you will be taught the skills from class and the text, and gain proficiency by doing the homework problems.

Text

Spreadsheet Modeling and Applications, First Edition

Albright and Winston

Thomson Publishing

Schedule

Grading

Your grade will translate to a letter grade as follows :

• A 90% or better
• B 80% or better
• C 70% or better
• D 60% or better
• F otherwise