Faculty Contact Information:
William G. Stewart, Ph.D.
email: bstewart@faculty.ed.umuc.edu
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Consultation:
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Email consultations: I attempt to respond to queries within a day, Mondays through Fridays.
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Required Texts and Readings:
TEXT
Anderson, D.R., Sweeney, D.J., & Williams, T.A. 2004. Quantitative methods for business, (9th ed.), with Management Scientist, 6.0. U.S.A.: Thompson Learning.
READINGS
American Psychological Association. 2001. Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, (5th ed.). Washington DC: Author
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Supplementary Readings:
All graduate students should be prepared to utilize the UMUC online library at http://www.umuc.edu/library/. The library contains a large number of full text academic journals that are free of charge and immediately available. The library homepage also contains a number of links related to improving students' research and writing skills.
USEFUL WEBSITE: http://quant.swcollege.com
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Recommended Journals:
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Course Description:
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Prerequisites: College algebra and either undergraduate statistics or the permission of the Program Director. Acquaints students with the quantitative techniques commonly used in the decision-making process. Sample topics include concepts of decision making and decision analysis, linear programming, sensitivity analysis, transportation and assignments problems, forecasting and time series analysis, inventory concepts, PERT, and mathematical simulation.
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Course Goals:
As a required course in the policy track of the MPA and an elective in the M.S. in Management Information Systems, this course develops analytical skills necessary to the quantitative analysis of policy proposals and executive decisions. Upon completion of this course, participants should have an understanding of:
- The reasons for applying Quantitative decision making in the Public Sector.
- Problems in modern decision systems.
- Quantitative methods for data presentation.
- Quantitative methods of data extraction.
- The mathematical basis of forecasting theory.
- Models for risk and payoff prediction.
- Methods of problem assessment and categorization.
- Alternative methods to traditional decision making systems.
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Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Analyze management policy for decision-making purposes.
- Investigate problem identification and definition as a part of problem solving and decision making.
- Generate relevant statistical charts, graphs and models.
- Interpret relevant statistical charts, graphs and models.
- Review elements of statistical probability requisite for management science.
- Examine data for cyclical trends.
- Apply risk assessment models.
- Create a PERT chart.
- Manage inventory on a cyclical or non-cyclical basis.
- Generate Waiting Line models.
- Manage the process of product trans-shipment.
- Apply linear programming models.
- Determine utility factors relevant to policy success.
- Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant sources of decision data.
- Execute a multiple regression table, and analyze it.
- Apply multicriteria (quantitative and qualitative) methods of decision-making.
- Organize, present and explain decision systems to others more effectively.
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Grading Information:
Grades for this course will be assigned as follows:
A 90% and above
B 80 up to 90%
C 70 up to 80%
F Below 70%
Please note that Bowie State University does not use "D" for graduate students. The grade F is used to designate academic failure. F(n) is used to designate failure for non-completion. Grades of Incomplete or Withdrawal are governed by UMUC-Europe policies. For further details, please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog. Hard copies of the catalog are available in your local Education Center.
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Course Requirements:
Graduate school at the masters level focuses on helping students obtain the education needed for success as professionals in their chosen fields. Thus, UMUC-Europe Graduate Programs and Bowie State University share the common goals of promoting excellence in academic scholarship through thoughtful inquiry and the skillful application of knowledge and theory for the betterment of society. In order to maximize your graduate educational experience in general and this course in particular, you are required to:
Participate in weekly discussions - 10%
Submit problem sets and case studies as homework - 30%
Complete a midterm exam - 30%
Complete a final exam - 30%
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Description of Course Requirements:
Participate in classroom discussions:
You are expected to engage in all Web Tycho discussions in a professional and informed manner.
Problem sets:
Problems from the text will be assigned from each topic and chapter. Students may need to use a handheld calculator or a personal computer with Excel software to solve the problems. Assignment submissions may be made with computer-generated files. Grade penalties will result from poorly organized submissions and work that is difficult to read.
Write graduate level case studies:
During this course, a series of case problems from the text will be assigned in lieu of one larger paper. These papers will be presented formally using the academic style of the APA. Specifically, that means that student submissions will have an appropriate cover page, page margins, type face and size, page numbering, etc., all following requirements of the American Psychological Association style manual. The case problems are based on larger data sets available to the student on the CD-ROM supplied with the textbook. MS-Excel computer software is required to access the data on the CD. In each assignment, the case problem requires problem solving including calculations, analysis, and interpretation of results. The analysis is often as simple as answering three questions associated with the case problem. Even so, it is expected that the successful student will respond in complete sentences, organizing their responses, citing sources where necessary, and using correct standard English. Data, calculations, and tabular results must be presented as computer-generated output.
Complete two written examinations:
Examination questions will include problems requiring calculations as well as interpretation of computer-generated results to problems. Short essay questions will require the student to display understanding of quantitative problem solving concepts as well as critical thinking applied to quantitative analysis in management.
*Note:
A student must have access to the use of MS-Excel (or Corel-Quattrpro)spreadsheet software to solve problems, perform case studies, and submit homework. Such spreadsheet software is available at UMUC computer labs, is often pre-installed on privately purchased PCs, and may possibly be available on work PCs with a supervisor's permission.
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Course Schedule:
Week: Assignment/Activity
1: Course Intro Activities, Chapter 1: Introduction
2: Chapters 2& 3: Probability, Probability Distributions
3: Chapter 4: Decision Analysis, Case Study 1
4: Chapter 5: Utility and Decision Making
5: Chapter 6: Forecasting
6: Chapter 7: Introduction to Linear Programming,
Case Study 2
7: Review, Midterm Examination
8: Chapter 8: Linear Programming and Sensitivity Analysis
9: Chapter 9: Linear Programming Applications
10: Chapter 10: Transportation, Assignment, and Transshipment Problems
11: Chapter 12: Project Scheduling-PERT/CPM, Case Study 3
12: Chapter 13: Inventory Models
13: Chapter 14: Waiting Line Models
14: Chapter 15: Simulation
15: Review, Final Examination
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Academic Policies:
The University has a license agreement with Turnitin.com, a service that helps prevent plagiarism from internet resources. I may be using this service in this class by either requiring students to submit their papers electronically to Turnitin.com or by submitting questionable text on behalf of a student. If you or I submit part or all of your paper, it will be stored by Turnitin.com in their database throughout the term of the University's contract with Turnitin.com. If you object to this temporary storage of your paper, you must let me know no later than two weeks after the start of this class. Please Note: If you object to the storage of your paper on Turnitin.com, I may utilize other services to check your work for plagiarism.
The official university policy on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty can be found at http://www.umuc.edu/policy/aa15025.shtml. Section I.C. states: Faculty may determine if the resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC), partially or in its entirety, is acceptable when assigning a grade on that piece of course work. Faculty must provide this information in their written syllabi. If the resubmission of course work is deemed to be unacceptable, a charge may not be brought under this Policy and will be handled as indicated in the written syllabi.
Please refer to Description of Course Requirements for specific information on how resubmissions will be treated in this course and to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog for information on the following:
Academic Integrity
Course Load
Exception to Policy
Grade Appeal Process
Make-up Examinations
Nondiscrimination
Students with Disabilities
Hard copies of the catalog are available at your local Education Center.
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Faculty Bio:
William G. Stewart , Ph.D.
Collegiate Professor of Management, Graduate Programs
Dr. Bill Stewart completed the Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership at the University of Oklahoma, writing a dissertation on perceptions of leadership and management in the Armed Forces of the United States. He received the M.B.A. from the University of South Dakota and the B.A. in International Relations and German from Brigham Young University. He joined the University of Maryland University College-Europe faculty in 1990, after retiring from the U.S. Air Force with service in ICBM operations, as a pilot, and in international politico-military affairs for Germany and the United Kingdom.
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