BA 3333 Quantitative Business Analysis Fall 2011

Instructor: Prof. Alp Muharremoglu SOM 4.216 972-883-5860 alp@utdallas.edu Office hours: Tuesdays 4.30 p.m. - 6.30 p.m. Teaching Assistant: Duygu Dagli MC 1.406L dxd115020@utdallas.edu Office hours: To be announced. Days: All Mondays and Wednesdays from August 24th to December 5th, except September 5th (Labor day). Time: 5.30 p.m. to 6.45 p.m. Location: FN 2.102 (Founders North Building, second floor, room 102).

Course Description
This course is about analytical modeling and how models can support managerial decision making. A model is a simplified representation of a real situation and modeling is the process of developing, analyzing and interpreting a model in order to help make better decisions. Models can be invaluable tools in managing and understanding the complexity and risk inherent in many business problems. As a result, models have become an increasingly important part of business at all levels from daily tactical decisions to strategic decision making. We will emphasize learning by doing so that students will be expected to formulate, solve, and interpret a number of different models using Excel spreadsheets. Our emphasis is on models that are widely used in diverse industries and functional areas, including finance, operations and marketing. Applications include advertising planning, revenue management, asset-liability management, portfolio optimization and corporate risk management, among others.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

The course will provide an introduction to the craft of modeling How to translate a messy business problem into a precise, structured mathematical decision model. Students will learn how to analyze/solve and interpret the resulting decision model using spreadsheet-based optimization and simulation tools (via Microsoft Excel). Students will use these skills in the following ways. Building desktop decision models for your own use in business analysis.

 Understand decision modeling to work effectively with management science experts in larger projects (consultants/vendors/team members).

Course Materials
Notes and reading materials will be distributed in class and posted on eLearning. In addition, solutions, completed Excel files and supplementary materials will be posted on eLearning, so check the course page frequently. Students are responsible for any content covered in class, as well as any content posted on the course web site. There is no required textbook for the course. For your reference, the following book is a good resource covering many of the modeling concepts and techniques we discuss in the course. Purchasing the book is strictly optional. The course will not rely on the book. Management Science: The Art of Modeling with Spreadsheets, 3rd Edition by Stephen G. Powell, Kenneth R. Baker ISBN 978-0-470-53067-2 October 2010

Computer Software
We will use Microsoft Excel 2010 throughout the course. Course materials and in class demonstrations will use a Windows based computer, so it is strongly recommended that you use a Windows based computer with Excel 2010 as well. Students using Macintosh computers and other versions of Excel may face a slightly different user interface and/or may not have all the functionality needed in Microsoft Excel. The exams will not require computers, but the homework assignments will. If and when necessary, students can utilize UTD student computer labs, which have Windows based machines with Excel 2010 installed. For a list of student computer labs, see http://www.utdallas.edu/ir/labs/.

Course Work
There will be several homework assignments and three in class exams. Your grade will be based on the following: In class exam 1: In class exam 2: In class exam 3: Homework assignments: Classroom participation: Exam Dates: Exam 1 - September 28 Exam 2 - October 31
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Exam 3 - December 5 Exams will be closed book. Students may bring two sheets of notes (four sides of standard Letter size paper) to each exam. No makeup exams will be offered. There is no provision for extra credit. You need to submit your homework assignments on eLearning by the cutoff dates. The system will not allow you to submit the assignment after the cutoff date, and late submissions will not be accepted. I expect all class participants to arrive to class on-time and prepared, and to stay involved during class sessions. Prepared means that you are on top of the material covered so far. Poor classroom conduct will be reflected in the classroom participation grade (for example, walking into class late, leaving class while it is in session, distracting other students, etc.) I will record class attendance, but students will be responsible for any and all material covered during class. Occasionally, we will develop models in class in real time on Excel, and students can use their laptop computers to follow the steps of putting together the model. Laptop computers are allowed to be open only during such periods, and only for the purpose of putting together the model. During the session, I will let you know when you can turn on your computer, if you have one with you. Please do not use your computer for any other purpose, for example to check your e-mail, or to browse the web during the Excel demonstration periods. Such behavior will prevent you from engaging the class discussion, is highly distracting for your fellow students and will affect your classroom participation grade. The following table gives you the list of letter grades corresponding to your total score in the course (out of 100). A+: 95-100 A: 90-95 A-: 85-90 B+: 80-85 B: 75-80 B-: 70-75 C+: 65-70 C: 60-65 C-: 55-60 D+: 50-55 F: Less than 50

UT Dallas Syllabus Policies and Procedures The information contained in the following link constitutes the Universitys policies and procedures segment of the course syllabus. Please go to http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies for these policies. The descriptions and timelines contained in this syllabus are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

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