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course syllabus

Syllabus Operations Management MSIS 33:623:386:01&02

Spring 2012 Farid Alizadeh Last updated 1/16/2012

Text books Required: Jonathan Eckstein, Operations Management, 2011 Edition, University Publishing Solutions. Bring the book to all class sessions. Optional: Winston, and Albright, Practical Operations Management, 1997 (or any other edition). Course Web Site We will use the Sakai system on Rutgers. To access the course web site go to https://sakai.rutgers.edu. Use your university netID and password to log in. (Your university netID is usually the same as your eden user id.) Once you have logged in you will see a list of courses you are eligible to navigate, in particular you should see the Operations Management course link. Click on it and you are in the course web site.

Discussion board and Private Message and chat room One of the features of Sakai site is the discussion board and private messaging facilities. When you have questions/comments/suggestions that are not of private nature and can be useful to other students, post them on the discussion board area. I strongly encourage you to respond to questions posted by other students if you know the answers. If you have issues that you need to discuss with me and you feel they are of private nature or not of interest to other students then use the private message facility to contact me. Please do not send me e-mail! I have also added a chat room for live discussion online. However this is strictly for communication among students. I will rarely participate. Office hours and on-line hours
TO BE ANNOUNCED WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR SO

Prerequisites School of Business Major

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Basic knowledge of Excel Spreadsheet (this is an essential requirement!) Proficiency in basic algebra and ability to think logically Course Overview: The core of this course is to learn tools of approaching planning and decision-making problems that arise frequently in certain business contexts. This mindset is called Management Science (MS) or Operations Research (OR). Basically, the MS/OR approach involves forming (imperfect) mathematical models of business situations, analyzing these models, and then deciding on some optimal course of action. A key concept in this approach is to separate the analysis of a decision problem into two steps, first mathematical modeling, and then solution of the resulting abstract model. In this class, we will leave solution of the model up to existing computer software. MS/OR is most helpful in situations where quantitative information is plentiful and there are relatively few intangible or psychological considerations, making it easier to produce accurate mathematical models. It is also particularly beneficial when the decision or planning situation is complex, making it hard for managers to simply eyeball the decision or fly by the seat of their pants. Such situations arise most often at the operational level of the management hierarchy, and progressively less often at the higher levels (tactical and strategic). Hence the application to operations management. Operations management courses at some other schools may deal more with qualitative generalities of managing business operations; this course basically focuses on the quantitative tools needed for such management. Required work: Home works, Exams and Grading Policy 1. Homeworks: I am planning on giving homework assignments almost every week. Typically, homework assignments will be posted on the course web page and will be due a week later. There is zero credit for late homework after answers are posted (although I may make exceptions in documented cases of genuine medical or family emergency). Almost all of your homework problems will involve computer work. You will submit all your homeworks through the assignment page. Important: If a student fails to hand in more than two homework assignments, he/she cannot pass the course, regardless of grades in exams and other homeworks. 2. Exams: There will be One or two mid term and a final exam. The first one is a midterm exam worth 35% of your grade. The final exam will be cumulative and worth 40% of your grade. The homeworks will constitute the remaining 25% The date and time for the mid term exam to be announced. The final exam: To be announced
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I will be open to reschedule the times for valid reasons such as having more than two exams in a day, and legitimate medical and family issues. Contact me about two weeks before the final. Tentative list of topics: Topic 1 Introduction to linear programming: The concept of linear programming (LP), algebraic formulation, modeling LP in Excel using the Solver add-in, Two simple examples: BAGS and diet problems Topic 2 Product mix models: Definition of the model, tabular input/output setup, spreadsheet modeling, some examples Topic 3 Multiperiod decision making: Definition of the model, spreadsheet modeling, some examples Topic 4 Transportation and blending models: Definition of the model, spreadsheet modeling, some examples Topic 5 Network flow models: Definitions, node-node and arc-node formulation, spreadsheet modeling, balanced demand and supply, currency arbitrage example, Topic 6 Project scheduling and crash problems: Two alternate dual formulations, critical path and time-to completion models, spreadsheet modeling and examples Topic 7 Integer, mixed and binary models: Introduction to integer, mixed integer and logical programming, modeling decision making by 0-1 programming, spreadsheet modeling and case studies Topic 8 Quick review of probability and statistics: notions of random variables, distribution function, some common distributions such as normal, exponential, Poisson, uniform, binomial, how to install and work with Sakai software Simple examples such as 3-door puzzle Topic 9 Inventory models and guessing demand: Introduction to inventory theory, the newsboy problem, airline overbook problems Topic 10 Queuing theory and dynamic models: Introduction to dynamic and multiperiod stochastic models, Introduction to queues, simulation of queues, repair shop, option pricing and other examples solved using simulation and Sakai,

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