Introduction to the Computer as an Analysis Tool

1
Introduction to the Computeras an Analysis Tool

• OPIM 101

2
Overview

• Staff
• Syllabus and organization of the course
• Problem solving with computers
• ToDo

3
Staff

• Instructors
• Jan W. Buzydlowski (Sections 01 02)
• Panos Markopoulos (Sections 03 04)
• Course Coordinator
• Steven O. Kimbrough
• Head Teaching Assistant
• Karthik Balasubramaniam
• Teaching Assistants (TAs)
• Undergraduate Assistants
• Graders
• Ph.D. Students

4
Texts

• Free
• Kimbrough (2003). Information and Decision
  Technology An Introduction to Computer-Based
  Modeling and Analysis
• IDT Book On-line in PDF from course homepage
• Non-Programmers Tutorial for Python by Josh
  Cogliati.
• EasyTut On-line at Course Homepage
• Course Pack
• available on-line from the course homepage

5
Texts

• Not free
• Moore, Weatherford, et al (2000). Decision
  Modeling with Microsoft Excel
• MOUS Essentials Excel 2000
• PIN Codes

6
Course Requirements

• Graded
• Cases
• Internet 5
• Excel 10
• Database 15
• Exams
• Multiple choice and short answer
• Mid-term 30
• Final 30
• MOUS Exam
• Excel 10

7
Grading Policies

• Grades curved per Wharton core-course guidelines
  - approximately
• 25 As
• 45 Bs
• 30 Cs
• Ds and Fs (if earned)

8
Tips

• Learning is not a spectator sport!
• Hands-on essential to learning
• Do assigned work on time
• Do assignments and attend class
• Catching up in OPIM 101 is difficult
• Case and tutorials take time -- plan ahead
• Get help when you need it
• RTFM read the manual
• online help (e.g. Office Assistant)
• e-mail opim101_at_opim.wharton.upenn.edu
• office hours (TAs, Graders, Faculty)
• for info re private tutor for any Wharton course,
  contact Anita Henderson (215.898.7608)
• Check course homepage regularly!!!

9
Working with the Staff Etiquette

• OPIM 101 is demanding for the staff also, so
  please be thoughtful.
• All questions about the grading of the case
  should be directed to the grader for the case,
  not the TAs.
• Please prepare before coming to office hours to
  use TAs efficiently
• If your questions will require access to your
  file, please upload it to your futures account
  for downloading during office hours.
• Maintain high standards of civility / protocol.

10
Academic Integrity

• We strongly endorse the University of
  Pennsylvanias Academic Code of Integrity and
  will report any violation for official action.
• Each student must work independently on Case 1
  Internet. Work in groups of 2-3 for Case 2 Case
  3.
• Otherwise, we encourage you to
• discuss with other students the course materials
  readings, tutorials, and homework exercises
• create an effective study group
• form a project group for Cases 2 3 (now!)

11
Course Objectives

• Develop analytical, quantitative,
  problem-solving skills for
• using computer to model, analyze, and solve
  management problems
• communicating analyses, conclusions, and
  recommendations for managerial action
• Useful for
• other courses
• summer jobs
• professional career after college

12
Management Problem Solving

• Develop a concept (model) for representing and
  solving the problem (Abstraction)
• How shall we think of solving the problem? What
  is our solution concept?
• Spreadsheet modeling, LP, decision analysis, etc.
  
• Model the solution
• How can we actually solve the problem by gaining
  effective access to the data, models, documents,
  etc. needed to implement our solution concept?
• Programming, database
• Analyze, interpret, and communicate the solution
  results
• How good is our solution? Metrics? What exactly
  does it mean? Are the findings stable or do they
  rest on precarious assumptions?
• Sensitivity Analysis

13
THE MODELING PROCESS
Model
Results
Analysis
Symbolic World
Abstraction
Interpretation
Real World
Management Situation
Decisions
Intuition
14
Example

• The problem to understand what is actually going
  on in a business and competing companies and to
  take actions that improve the profitability of
  the firm.
• Problem representation or model
• Solution concept The records of the firms
  business transactions contain a great deal of
  useful information on how and how well the firm
  is conducting its business. Explore those
  records.
• Solution implementation
• Implementation in Access. Gather data from the
  Web. Organize the transaction records in a
  well-designed relational database. Use the
  database query facilities, especially SQL and
  QBE, to make the calculations needed to reveal
  the essential business patterns needed to
  understand what is going on.
• Solution interpretation
• Interpretation Use the query facilities to
  explore beyond a fixed set of reports. Perform
  what-if queries, plot data, etc.

15
Courses Main Topics

• Modeling with Excel
• Deterministic Models
• Probabilistic Models
• Scripting
• Database Management Systems
• Internet
• "To be able to implement a well-built and
  organized model in Excel and to populate the
  model with required data extracted from a variety
  of sources"

16
Courses Homepage

• http//opim-sun.wharton.upenn.edu/opim101/spring0
  3/

17
ToDo

• Read
• IDT book
• Chapter 1 "Introduction and Overview"
• MW book
• Chapter 1 "Introduction to Modeling"
• Download Today's Lecture