Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar

Quantitative Methods II (QM-II)

Course Outline for ExPGP2, Term IV, 2004-05

Course Instructor

1

K. M. Rajesh

Email:

Secretary: Ms. Seema Nayak

Email:

1

Class Schedules

July 26-28 & July 31-Aug 9 / 4.00-6.00 p.m.
July 27, Aug 2 & Aug 5 extra class / 1.30-3.30 p.m.
Venue / ExPGP Class Room

Objective

The QM-II course aims to introduce the concept of Mathematical Programming and a few other relatively new Operations Research (OR) techniques. At the end of this course, all participants are expected to understand the context and limitations for various techniques covered in the course. The course is designed to give a strong foundation of the subject by giving more emphasis on linear models.

Contents

Introduction and Motivation

Linear programming – formulation, graphical solution for two variable problems, graphical sensitivity analysis, duality, case studies

Transportation and Assignment problem

Integer Programming

Network Models

Game theory

Pedagogy

Class lectures, Case discussions, and Assignments

Evaluation

Assignments30%

Class tests30%

End term40%

Case Discussions

Cases would be used to explain the concepts covered in the course. During these discussions the students are expected to have read the case-lets well in advance and be prepared for any questions related to the case. Students are also expected to do the workings / solve the relevant OR problems in the case, using a software, before coming to the class. The instructor could randomly direct any questions to any student or any student might be asked to explain a few concepts on the board.

Assignments

Assignments would be of two types. The first type is Reading Assignment, where selected articles would be distributed to the course participants for learning. Questions from these articles would be included in the subsequent class test. The second type is Take Home Assignment, to be submitted in the last week of October 2004.

Class Tests

There would be three closed book class tests according to the following schedule.

Class test 1:Tuesday, July 27, 2004

Class test 2:Monday, August 2, 2004

Class test 3:Thursday, August 5, 2004

End term

End term would include all class lectures, case studies, selected articles and respective assignments. It would be a closed book exam, scheduled by the Dean’s (Academic) office during the last week of October 2004.

More about the course

QM-II is designed to be a beginner’s course in Operations Research. The course would include a diverse array of techniques from the basic LP models to more advanced topics. In most of the models discussed, the main emphasis will be on formulation, analysis of the solutions, and understanding the context, rather than on any specific solution techniques.

Policy on Plagiarism and Cheating

Assignments, and case write-ups (if any), are supposed to be done by the students on their own. Any incident of copying from another source would be considered as plagiarism. All such incidents would invite serious penalty. Data collection from secondary data source, proper literature survey or quoting of similar / related work done by others in the same area would not be considered as plagiarism. All submissions are expected to contain detailed references to quote such previous similar or related work. Incidences of cheating, copying from other students in the examination would also invite penalties.

References

  1. Taha H, Operations research: an introduction, Pearson Education, 7th ed., 2002.
  2. Hillier F.S and Lieberman G.J, Introduction to operations research, Tata McGraw Hill, 7th ed., 2001.
  3. Anderson D.R., Sweeney D.J., and Williams T.A., An introduction to management science: Quantitative approaches to decision making, 9th ed., South-Western College Publishing, 2000.
  4. Ronald Rardin, Optimization in Operations Research, Pearson Education, 2nd Indian Reprint, 2003.
  5. Wagner H.M., Principles of operations research with applications to managerial decisions, Prentice Hall of India, 2nd ed., 1975.
  6. Hadley G., Linear programming, Addisson Wesley, 1969.
  7. Garfinkel R.S. and Nemhauser G.L., Integer programming, John Wiley & Sons, 1972.
  8. Goldberg D.E, Genetic algorithms in search, optimization and machine learning, Pearson Education.
  9. Berry W.L., Christenson C.J. and Jammond III J.S., Management decision sciences: cases and readings, R.D. Irwin Inc., 1980.
  10. Agarwal R., and Khera I., Management science: cases and applications, Holden-Day Inc., San Francisco, 1979.
  11. Render B., Stair R. M., and Greenberg I., Cases and reading in management science, Pearson Allyn and Bacon, 2nd ed., 1990.
  12. Kornbluth S. H., and Salkin G. R., The management of corporate financial assets: applications of mathematical programming models, Academic Press, 1987
  13. Pollock S. M., and Rothkopf M. H., and Barnett A. (ed), Operational Research and the Public Sector, Handbook in OR/MS, Vol 6, North Holland, 1994.
  14. Martin and Denison, Case exercises in OR, Wiley Interscience, 1971.
Important Dates

July 26, Monday:QM-II course instruction begins

July 27, Tuesday:Class test 1

July 28, Wednesday:Distribution of articles for reading assignment to be tested along with Class test 2

July 29, Thursday:Tentative deadline for receiving corrected test 1 scripts

August 1, Sunday:Distribution of articles for reading assignment to be tested along with Class test 3

August 2, Monday:Class test 2

August 3, Tuesday:Tentative deadline for receiving corrected test 2 scripts

August 5, Thursday:Class test 3

August 7, Saturday:Tentative deadline for receiving corrected test 3 scripts

August 8, Sunday:Take Home Assignment to be distributed

October last week:End term, to be scheduled by Dean’s office

November end:Tentative deadline for receiving QM-II grades

1