COURSE UNIT DESCRIPTION:

OPERATIONS RESEARCH

Degree program: Degree in Business Administration and Management

3nd Year

Academic Year: 2013-14

Course Unit Description

1. Information about the course

Name Operations Research

Subject Mathematics

Module Quantitative Methods for Business

Code 510109010

Degree awarded Degree in Business Administration and Management

Study plan 2009

School Business Sciences Faculty

Type Optional

Academic term Second term Year 3rd

Language Spanish and English

ECTS 4,5 Hours / ECTS 25 Total workload (hours) 112,5

Hours for theoretical classes

To be established Classroom To be established

Schedule for practical classes

To be established Location To be established

2. Information about instructors

Instructor Roberto J. Cañavate Bernal & Belén Cobacho Tornel

Department Quantitative and Computer Methods

Area of knowledge Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics

Office location 3rd floor

Tel: R. Cañavate: 968325783

B. Cobacho: 968325402 Fax +34 968325745

E-mail: r.canavate@upct.es

belen.cobacho@upct.es

URL / WEB http://metodos.upct.es/

Office hours / Tutorials To be announced

Location during tutorials Offices number 325 and 328

3. Description of the course

3.1. Presentation

This course is presented as an optional subject to go deeper in formulating mathematical models, methods and techniques related to Decision Making and Operations Research related to Business and Economy.

3.2. Location on the study plan

It is offered during the second semester in the third year of the Degree program in Business Administration and Management.

3.3. Description of the course. Adaptation to the professional profile

The Operations Research course is to provide students with the knowledge of multiple decision-making situations in the economic and business world that resemble real situations related to the optimization of resources. It is a practical course that explores mathematical modeling techniques and interpretation of results which, in many cases, are obtained by the use of specific software for this type of models.

3.4. Relación con otras asignaturas. Prerrequisitos y recomendaciones

The course Mathematics for Business II is part of the block Mathematics, which is moreover formed by the courses Mathematics for Business I (1st year, 6 ECTS, 1st Semester, mandatory) and Mathematics for Business II (2nd year, 4.5 ECTS, 1st Semester, mandatory). Some previous knowledge in Basic Algebra, Calculus and Optimization provided in Mathematics for Business I and II is needed.

3.5. Medidas especiales previstas

Short seminars on handling specific mathematics software could be given if necessary.

4. Skills

4.1. Specific skills to be gained through the course

Ability for logical and abstract reasoningAbility to analyze quantitative, business and economic information Ability to choose appropriate quantitative treatment Ability to apply quantitative and computing methods in Business Ability to mathematical modeling for decision making situations with linear functions Ability to interpret results and decision making in simple simulated situations measured with linear functions Ability to deal with optimization and decision making concepts, both by written and spoken English.

4.2. General / Transversal Skills

PRACTICAL CROSS-CURRICULAR SKILLS

ation from different sources

INTERPERSONAL CROSS-CURRICULAR SKILLS

t

-critique

SYSTEMIC CROSS-CURRICULAR SKILLS

SKILLS FOR APPLICABILITY

4.3. Specific skills related to the degree

E01 Gestionar y administrar una empresa u organización de pequeño tamaño, entendiendo su ubicación competitiva e institucional e identificando sus fortalezas y debilidades E02 Integrarse en cualquier área funcional de una empresa u organización mediana o grande y desempeñar con soltura cualquier labor de gestión en ella encomendada E03 Valorar a partir de los registros relevantes de información la situación y previsible evolución de una empresa E04 Emitir informes de asesoramiento sobre situaciones concretas de empresas y mercados E05 Redactar proyectos de gestión global o de áreas funcionales de la empresa E06 Identificar las fuentes de información económica relevante y su contenido para analizar y conocer el entorno económico relevante para la empresa E07 Entender las instituciones económicas como resultado y aplicación de representaciones teóricas o formales acerca de cómo funciona la economía E08 Derivar de los datos información relevante imposible de conocer por no profesionales E09 Usar habitualmente la tecnología de la información y las comunicaciones en todo su desempeño profesional E10 Leer y comunicarse en más de un idioma, en especial en inglés E11 Aplicar al análisis de los problemas criterios profesionales basados en el manejo de instrumentos técnicos E12 Comunicarse con fluidez en su entorno y trabajar en equipo

4.4. Results expected from the learning

El desarrollo de la asignatura permitirá que el alumno sea capaz de: - Utilizar el razonamiento matemático en la ciencia económico-empresarial y dar a conocer sus aplicaciones en la Empresa. - Modelizar mediante funciones matemáticas situaciones de toma de decisiones con optimización de recursos. - Interpretar resultados cuantitativos y tomar decisiones económicas y de gestión a partir de ellos. - Manejar programas informáticos de cálculo matemático y toma de decisiones.

5. Contents

5.1. Content according to the study plan

This course aims to consolidate and extend concepts and techniques in Optimization and Decision Making, focusing on general education needs in this area for professionals of Business. It seeks to enhance the capacities of reasoning, analysis, deduction, quantitative business modeling and problem-solving, interpretation of results and, from these data, to make decisions.

5.2. Programa de teoría: bloques y unidades didácticas

1. Formulating Linear Programming Models

2. Simplex method and post optimality analysis

3. Integer Programming. Transportation problem. Assignment problem

4. Network models

5.3. Program of practical application

Exercises for modeling and solving simulated situations related to the concepts studied during the course.

These practical activities will take place on and off-campus once per week, individually and/or by groups. Some of them will be carried out in the computers classroom to use specific software for Operations Research as a tool for the computations.

6. Teaching methodology

6.1. Training activities

Activity Teacher work Student work ECTS

Theory lesson Presentation lesson taught using the lecture method. Answering questions raised by the students.

On-campus: Taking notes, asking questions 0.8

Off-campus: Study of the subject 0.7

Solving problems

Problems are raised and solved. Participation by the students is strengthened through group and cooperative learning. Occasionally, problems will be solved by using computers.

On-campus: Active participation, problem solving, asking questions. Off-campus: Study of the subject, solving of problems raised by the professor

1

Practical sessions.

Computer room

sessions

Solving practical problems with specific software for Operations Research as a tool for the computations.

On-campus: Solving problems with specific software for Operations Research, asking questions. Off-campus: Training with the computer software, solving of problems raised by the professor

1

Assignments and

partial written tests

Some assignments and written tests will be proposed to analyze the progression of the students. Some of them will be able to be done by groups and/or by using computers.

Off-campus: Preparing assignments and tests On-campus: Presenting results and doing tests

0.5

Tutorships

Proposing and answering questions about contents, solving problems and assignments (in the classroom, lecture’s office and on-line through the web page).

On-campus: Asking of questions during the tutorship hours. Off-campus: Asking questions by e-mail and forum participation.

0.2

Exams Written evaluation with computer (official exam), and grading of the contents.

Off-campus: preparing for the exams On-campus: doing the exams

0.3

4,5

7. Assessment

7.1. Assessment techniques

Instruments Completion / Criteria Weight General skills (4.2) assessed

Resultas (4.4) assessed

Assignments

The student will be asked to do assignments proposed by the lecturer, individually and/or by groups. These activities could be proposed on-campus. General attitude, regular attendance and participation during the course will be able to be considered as well in this section’s mark.

Up to 50% (only for June

session)

3,4,6,7,8,9,12,14,19,24,27

- Making use of mathematical reasoning in economic and business situations.

- Interpreting quantitative results and managing decision making based on them.

- Understanding and expressing by English spoken and written language concepts related to the course. - Using specific software for Operations Research.

Partial written tests

Theoretical and practical written tests (in English) about some units in the general programme. Some of the questions could be asked to do in groups and by using mathematical software.

Up to 50% (only for June

session)

1,2,3,4,5,7,24, 27

- Making use of mathematical reasoning in economic and business situations.

- Interpreting quantitative results and managing decision making based on them.

- Using specific software for Operations Research.

- Understanding and expressing by English spoken and written language concepts related to the course.

Global exam

Individual final exam (in English) about the contents of the course and their applications to economic and business situations. Some of the questions could be asked to do in groups and by using mathematical software.

June session: Up to 50%.

September

and Febreuary sessions:

100%

1,2,3,4,5,7,24, 27

- Making use of mathematical reasoning in economic and business situations.

- Interpreting quantitative results and managing decision making based on them.

- Using specific software for Operations Research.

- Understanding and expressing by English spoken and written language concepts related to the course.

7.2. Mechanisms for control and tracking progress

The learning track will be made through the following activities:

- Participation of the student in both theoretical and practical lessons.

- Assignments proposed by the teacher.

- One or more partial tests will be done on the contents covered during the course which will include theoretical and practical questions and problems to be solved. The characteristics of the exams, as well as the date, time and location will be indicated on the announcement. These tests (exams, classroom participation, solving practical cases, etc) enable detecting possible gaps and make it possible to consolidate the most important concepts of the course.

All the assessed activities will be asked to be done in English.

9. Resources and bibliography

9.1. Basic bibliography

TEXTBOOKS (alphabetic order)

Ríos Insua, S. Investigación operativa. Programación lineal y aplicaciones. Centro de Estudios Ramón Areces.

Ríos Insua, S., Ríos Insua, D., Mateos Caballero, A., Marín Jiménez, J. Programación lineal y aplicaciones. Ejercicios resueltos. RA-MA Editorial.

Ríos Insua, S., Ríos Insua, D., Mateos Caballero, A., Marín Jiménez, J., Jiménez Martín, A. Problemas de Investigación Operativa. Programación lineal y Extensiones. RA-MA Editorial.

9.2. Bibliografía complementaria

Alonso Gomollón, F. Ejercicios de investigación de operaciones. ESIC Editorial.

Chang, Y., Desai, K. WinQSB version 2.0: decision support software for MS-OM. John Wiley \& Sons.

Kasana, H. S., Kumar, K. D. Optimization in Operations Research. Springer.

Martín Martín, Q., Santos Martín, M. T., de Paz Santana, Y. R. Investigación Operativa. Problemas y ejercicios resueltos. Prentice Hall.

Rardin, R. L. Optimization in Operations Research. Prentice Hall.

Taha, H.A. Operations Research: an introduction. Prentice Hall.

9.3. Recursos en red y otros recursos

Apuntes y recursos de la asignatura Matemáticas para la Empresa II http://moodle.upct.es/

Cañavate, R. Canal en YouTube. http://es.youtube.com/robertocanavate.

Quesada Ibarguen, V.M., Vergara Schmalbach, J.C. Análisis Cuantitativo con WINQSB.

http://www.eumed.net/libros/2006c/216/index.htm

Some mathematical terms: http://www.speakenglish.co.uk/vocab/shapes_and_mathematical_terms?lang=es

Pronunciation of mathematical expressions in English: http://sigloxxi.fcie.uam.es/informatica/media/math-pronunciation.pdf

Mathematical expressions and terms Spanish-English-Spanish: http://esl.proz.com/glossary-translations/spanish-to-english-translations/89/

Business dictionaries

Alcaraz, E., B. Hughes. Diccionario de términos económicos, financieros y comerciales. Ariel Economía. [Inglés-Español Spanish-English dictionary].

http://www.businessdictionary.com/ http://www.prenhall.com/glossary/a.html http://www.ats-group.net/dictionaries/dictionary-business-english-spanish.html

Pronunciation dictionaries

http://www.howjsay.com

http://www.acapela-group.com/text-to-speech-interactive-demo.html

International unit converter

http://www.easyunitconverter.com/

General English www.englishpage.com www.oup.com/elt/englishfile