rutgers university school of businesscrab.rutgers.edu/~sbc/aacsb-syllabus/mba/53 135 502... ·...

53:135:502:90 Quantitative Skills

Fall 2015 (Online Course)

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY

School of Business

MADJID TAVANA, PH.D. Professor and Distinguished Chair of Business Analytics

Chairman of the Business Systems and Analytics Department

La Salle University ● Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19141 ● U.S.A.

Editor-in-Chief, Decision Analytics

Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Applied Decision Sciences

Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Management and Decision Making

Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Strategic Decision Sciences

Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Enterprise Information Systems

Phone: (215) 951-1129 ● Fax: (267) 295-2854 ● Skype: madjidtavana

Email: [email protected] ● Web: http://tavana.us

http://www.decisionanalyticsjournal.com/

http://www.inderscience.com/ijads

http://www.inderscience.com/ijmdm

http://www.igi-global.com/ijsds

http://www.igi-global.com/ijeis

mailto:[email protected]

http://tavana.us/

2

1. COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course provides mathematical and statistical modeling foundation that will help students

understand and experience decision making and problem solving in different functional areas

such as finance, accounting, marketing and management. The focus is on the manager's

responsibilities for problem solving and decision making, and those areas in which business

analytics can be used to gain the insight needed to support selection of decision alternatives. The

course focuses on data, information, and knowledge by utilizing decision support and expert

systems in support of the decision making and problem solving processes. The course also

includes the use of various business analytics and modeling software programs.

2. COURSE OBJECTIVES:

The objective of this course is to familiarize students with business analytics methods, techniques

and software applications for use in management decision making to improve business. After

completing this course, students should have a good basic understanding of fundamental business

analytics and modeling as applied to business with particular focus on descriptive, predictive and

prescriptive analytics.

3. INSTRUCTOR:

Madjid Tavana is Professor and Distinguished Chair of Business Analytics at La Salle

University, where he serves as Chairman of the Business Systems and Analytics Department. He

is Distinguished Research Fellow at Kennedy Space Center, Johnson Space Center, Naval

Research Laboratory at Stennis Space Center, and Air Force Research Laboratory. He was

recently honored with the prestigious Space Act Award by NASA. He holds a MBA, PMIS, and

PhD in Management Information Systems and received his Post-Doctoral Diploma in Strategic

Information Systems from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the

Editor-in-Chief of Decision Analytics, International Journal of Applied Decision Sciences,

International Journal of Management and Decision Making, International Journal of Knowledge

Engineering and Data Mining, International Journal of Strategic Decision Sciences, and

International Journal of Enterprise Information Systems. He has published 10 books and over 200

research papers in scholarly academic journals.

4. COURSE TOPICS:

Decision Support Systems and Spreadsheets

Lecture Note: Decision Support Systems and EXCEL (DS-EXL-H)

Video: http://tavana.us/XLS/XLS.mp4

Cases:

American Appliances

The Heinrich Company

Francois Stealth

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/DS-EXL-H.pdf

http://tavana.us/XLS/XLS.mp4

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Titanic Cruise Company

Planters Nut Company

Built-4-U

Golden Palace Casino

Impulse Shopping Network

Decision Support Systems and Natural Language Programming (Visit D-code.us)

Lecture Note: Natural Language Programming: D-code (DS-COL-H)

Lecture Note: Building DSS with D-code (DS-COP-H)

Video: http://tavana.us/NLP/NLP.mp4

Cases:

Keystone Corporation

The Prolog Corporation

Starship Technologies

Dr. Warped

Jungle Jim

Decision Support Systems and Influence Diagramming (Visit D-cide.us)

Lecture Note: Influence Diagramming and D-cide (DS-DCD-H)

Video: http://tavana.us/MOD/MOD.mp4

Cases:

The Procom Corporation

Thrills R Us

Parrot Club

Southwest Airline

Pick Your Own

Jungle Jim

Knowledge-Based Systems (Visit B-wise.us)

Lecture Note: Knowledge Engineering with B-wise (DS-BWL-H)

Lecture Note: Building Expert Systems with B-wise (DS-BWP-H)

Video: http://tavana.us/KBS/KBS.mp4

Check Cashing Problem

College Hill Tavern

Police Academy

Corleone Family

La Boutique

Gateway Computers

http://d-code.us/

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/DS-COL-H.pdf

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/DS-COP-H.pdf

http://tavana.us/NLP/NLP.mp4

http://d-cide.us/

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/DS-DCD-H.pdf

http://tavana.us/MOD/MOD.mp4

http://b-wise.us/

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/DS-BWL-H.pdf

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/DS-BWP-H.pdf

http://tavana.us/KBS/KBS.mp4

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5. COURSE SCHEDULE:

Week of January 19

Topic: Prescriptive Modeling with Excel

Familiarize yourself with Prescriptive Modeling with Excel

Use the following PowerPoint Slideshow:


Watch the following Video:


username: tavana

password: spacewalk

Run Microsoft Excel (Install SOLVER add-in)

PRACTICE:

American Appliances

Assignment: None

Case Study: None

Week of January 25


Assignment:



username: tavana

password: spacewalk

1. The Heinrich Company

2. Francois Stealth

All assignments are due by 11:59 PM on Sundays in a given week. Note that assignments are NOT

graded but if you do not submit them or submit them late, you will be penalized (see the professionalism

section of the course syllabus for more details). Please submit your assignment (Excel files) through the

following link:

http://www.tavana.us/forms/assignment/assignment.php

Make sure to fill out this form completely. Use the email address you want me to send you the correct

solution. Once you receive the link for the correct solution, compare your solution and the correct one to

see what you have done wrong.

Case Study: None

Week of February 1


Assignment:








5

username: tavana

password: spacewalk

1. Titanic Cruise company

2. Planters nut Company




following link:





Case Study: None

Video Discussion:

The best stats you've ever seen - Hans Rosling

You've never seen data presented like this. With the drama and urgency of a sportscaster, statistics guru

Hans Rosling debunks myths about the so-called “developing world.”

Week of February 8


Assignment:



username: tavana

password: spacewalk

1. Built-4-U

2. Golden Palace Casino




following link:





Case Study: None

Video Discussion:

Hans Rosling's 200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes - The Joy of Stats - BBC Four

Hans Rosling's famous lectures combine enormous quantities of public data with a sport's commentator's

style to reveal the story of the world's past, present and future development. Now he explores stats in a

way he has never done before - using augmented reality animation. In this spectacular section of 'The Joy

of Stats' he tells the story of the world in 200 countries over 200 years using 120,000 numbers - in just

four minutes. Plotting life expectancy against income for every country since 1810, Hans shows how the

world we live in is radically different from the world most of us imagine.




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Week of February 15


Assignment:



username: tavana

password: spacewalk

1. Impulse Shopping Network




following link:





Case Study: None

Video Discussion:

The beauty of data visualization - David McCandless

David McCandless turns complex data sets, like worldwide military spending, media buzz, and Facebook

status updates, into beautiful, simple diagrams that tease out unseen patterns and connections. Good

design, he suggests, is the best way to navigate information glut -- and it may just change the way we see

the world.

Week of February 22

Topic: Predictive Modeling with Natural Language Programming

Familiarize yourself with Predictive Modeling and Natural Language Programming with D-code

Use the following PowerPoint Slideshows:





username: tavana

password: spacewalk

Run D-code Program (Windows Operating system) by visiting http://d-code.us/ or at:

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/D-code.exe

PRACTICE:

1. Keystone Corporation

2. The Prolog Corporation

Assignment: None

Case Study:






http://d-code.us/

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/D-code.exe

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/D-code.exePRACTICE:

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/D-code.exePRACTICE:

7

Excel Case Report

Case reports are problems created by you and solved by you. They could be interesting real-life or

hypothetical problems. All case reports are evaluated according to the following five criteria (see sample

cases):

Originality/creativity: How creative you are and how interesting your problem is?

Presentation: How clean and professional looking your PowerPoint slideshow is?

Problem description: How well you have descried your problem and how much detail is provided?

Complexity: How complex your problem is? Is it a straight-forward problem or difficult problem to

solve?

Solution: Is your solutions correct and how well you are presenting your solution?

For the Excel Case Report, you must submit your PowerPoint Slide Show and Excel file through:


All case reports are due by 11:59 PM on Sundays in a given week. Make sure to fill out this form

completely. Use the email address you want me to use to send you your grade.

Excel Sample Case Report (PowerPoint)

Excel Sample XLS File

username: tavana

password: spacewalk

Video Discussion:

How algorithms shape our world - Kevin Slavin

Kevin Slavin argues that we're living in a world designed for -- and increasingly controlled by --

algorithms. In this riveting talk from TEDGlobal, he shows how these complex computer programs

determine espionage tactics, stock prices, movie scripts, and architecture. Slavin also warns that we are

writing code we can't understand with implications we can't control.

Week of February 29

Topic: Predictive Modeling and Natural Language Programming with D-code

Assignment:




username: tavana

password: spacewalk

1. Starship Technologies

2. Dr. Warped



section of the course syllabus for more details). Please submit your assignment (D-code (NLP file))

through the following link:





Case Study: None


http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Excel.ppt

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Excel.xls




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Week of March 7

Topic: Predictive Modeling with Influence Diagramming

Familiarize yourself with Predictive Modeling and Influence Diagramming with D-cide





username: tavana

password: spacewalk

Run D-cide Program (Windows Operating system) by visiting http://d-cide.us/ or at:

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/D-cide.exe

PRACTICE:

1. The Procom Corporation

2. Thrills R Us

Assignment: None

Case Study:

D-code Case Report



cases):





solve?


For the D-code Case Report, you must submit your PowerPoint Slide Show and D-code (NLP) file

through:




D-code Sample Case Report (PowerPoint)

D-code Sample NLP File

username: tavana

password: spacewalk

Video Discussion:

Hans Rosling and Ola Rosling: How not to be ignorant about the world

How much do you know about the world? Hans Rosling, with his famous charts of global population,

health and income data (and an extra-extra-long pointer), demonstrates that you have a high statistical

chance of being quite wrong about what you think you know. Play along with his audience quiz — then,

from Hans’ son Ola, learn 4 ways to quickly get less ignorant.



http://d-cide.us/



http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Dcode.ppt

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Dcode.nlp

9

Week of March 14

Week of March 21

Topic: Predictive Modeling and Influence Diagramming

Familiarize yourself with Predictive Modeling and Influence Diagramming with D-cide





username: tavana

password: spacewalk

Run D-cide Program (Windows Operating system) by visiting http://d-cide.us/ or at:


PRACTICE:

1. The Procom Corporation

2. Thrills R Us

Assignment: None

Case Study: None

Video Discussion:

Lies, damned lies and statistics

In a brilliantly tongue-in-cheek analysis, Sebastian Wernicke turns the tools of statistical analysis on

TEDTalks, to come up with a metric for creating "the optimum TEDTalk" based on user ratings. How do

you rate it?

Week of March 28

Topic: Predictive Modeling and Influence Diagramming with D-cide

Assignment:



username: tavana

password: spacewalk

1. Parrot Club

2. Southwest Airline

3. Pick Your Own





http://d-cide.us/



10

section of the course syllabus for more details). Please submit your assignment (D-cide (MOD file))






Case Study: None

Video Discussion:

MythBusters' Adam Savage on Problem Solving: How I Do It

Best known as co-host of Discovery Channel's MythBusters, Adam Savage also wears hats as an artist,

actor, special effects wizard and industrial designer. In this presentation at Maker Faire Bay Area 2010,

he outlines his strategies for tackling complex problems.

Week of April 4

Topic: Knowledge Engineering

Familiarize yourself with Knowledge Engineering with B-wise






username: tavana

password: spacewalk

Run B-wise Program (Windows Operating system) by visiting http://b-wise.us/ or at:

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/B-wise.exe

PRACTICE:

1. Check Cashing Problem

2. College Hill Tavern

Assignment: None

Case Study:

D-cide Case Report



cases):





solve?


For the D-cide Case Report, you must submit your PowerPoint Slide Show and D-cide (MOD) file

through:






http://b-wise.us/

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/B-wise.exe


11



D-cide Sample Case Report (PowerPoint)

D-cide Sample MOD File

username: tavana

password: spacewalk

Week of April 11

Topic: Knowledge Engineering with B-wise

Assignment:




username: tavana

password: spacewalk

1. Police Academy

2. Corleone Family



section of the course syllabus for more details). Please submit your assignment (B-wise (KBS file))






Case Study: None

Video Discussion:

Kenneth Cukier: Big data is better data

Self-driving cars were just the start. What's the future of big data-driven technology and design? In a

thrilling science talk, Kenneth Cukier looks at what's next for machine learning - and human knowledge.

Week of April 18


Assignment:




username: tavana

password: spacewalk

1. La Boutique

2. Gateway Computers



http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Dcide.ppt

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Dcide.mod






12

section of the course syllabus for more details). Please submit your assignment (B-wise (KBS file))






Case Study: None

Week of April 25


Assignment: None

Case Study:

B-wise Case Report



cases):





solve?


For the B-wise Case Report, you must submit your PowerPoint Slide Show and B-wise (KBS) file

through:




B-wise Sample Case Report (PowerPoint)

B-wise Sample KBS File

username: tavana

password: spacewalk

6. COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Excel Case Analysis (25% of Final Grade):

A PowerPoint Presentation with Problem Description, Excel Spreadsheet, Solver

Formulation, and Optimal Solution (see sample case for more details).

SAMPLE EXCEL CASE & EXCEL FILE.



http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Bwise.ppt

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Bwise.kbs

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Excel.ppt

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Excel.xls

13

D-code Case Analysis (25% of Final Grade):

A PowerPoint Presentation with Problem Description, Influence Diagram, Planners Lab

Model, and Spreadsheet Solution (see sample case for more details).

SAMPLE D-CODE CASE & D-code FILE.

D-cide Case Analysis (25% of Final Grade):

A PowerPoint Presentation with Problem Description, Influence Diagram Screenshot,

and Spreadsheet Solution (see sample case for more details).

SAMPLE D-cide CASE & D-cide FILE.

B-wise Case Analysis (25% of Final Grade):

A PowerPoint Presentation with Problem Description, A listing of Factors and Choices,

and Decision Tree Screenshot (see sample case for more details).

SAMPLE B-wise CASE & B-wise FILE.

Professionalism: The majority of this class is engaged in full time employment or is seeking to

enhance their employment opportunities. I would like to help you enhance your career by asking

you to behave as you would in a professional setting. To encourage development of professional

habits, the following reductions will be applied to the final grade: each late Assignment (2%),

each missing assignment (4%), each late case report (2%), and sporadic participation in video

discussions (2%).

7. GRADING POLICY:

7.1 Assignments

All assignments and cases should be submitted through the following online submission system:

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Dcode.ppt

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Dcode.nlp

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Dcide.ppt

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Dcide.mod

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Bwise.ppt

http://tavana.us/downloads/programs/Bwise.kbs


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Assignments are not graded but there is a penalty associated with the late or missing assignments

(see professionalism section of the course syllabus for more details).

7.2. Case Reports

Case reports are problems created by you and solved by you. They could be interesting real-life

or hypothetical problems. All case reports are evaluated according to the following five criteria

(see sample cases):



Problem description: How well you have descried your problem and how much detail is

provided?

Complexity: How complex your problem is? Is it a straight-forward problem or difficult

problem to solve?


Grading Criteria 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Originality/Creativity

Presentation

Problem Description

Complexity

Solution

Overall score

7.2. Grading Scale

The student earns points which will be calculated on a 100 point scale. There is no extra credit.

The following are the cutoff points for each grade:

A Indicates the demonstration of an Excellent level of competency 90.0-100

B+ Indicates the demonstration of a very good level of competence 86.0-89.9

B Indicates the demonstration of a good level of competency 80.0-85.9

C+ Indicates the demonstration of an average level of competency 76.0-79.9

C Indicates the demonstration of a less than average level of competency 70.0-75.9

F Indicates failure to demonstrate a satisfactory level of competency 00.0-69.9

rutgers university school of businesscrab.rutgers.edu/~sbc/aacsb-syllabus/mba/53 135 502... ·...

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