Course 2012-2013 a.y.

Course Objectives

The solution of managerial problems as the evaluation of management strategies, investment alternatives and the forecast of the future behavior of systems and markets requires the creation and implementation of specific models. The course provides the fundamental techniques that allow students to acquire familiarity with the most commonly used quantitative methods for the solution of management problems. The course approach is application-oriented. The different models and techniques are motivated by illustrating a number of case studies. Special attention is devoted to the practical implementation of the proposed methodologies by means of software packages in use in the business practice (Excel).

Course Content Summary

• Data sources and review of basic statistics
• Regression with managerial applications
• Introductory time series analysis
• Decision Analysis Problems and Models
• Trade-off Problems: Linear Programming

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

The exam is written, with students taking the exam using the calculator in computer rooms. The exam shall last 1 hour and 30 minutes. There are problems covering the entire course material for a total of 16 questions for a maximum of 32 points. Each question shall be graded 0, 1 or 2 points: 0 points for a conceptual error or for an empty answer, 1 point for numerical imprecisions and 2 points for a fully correct answer.

Textbooks

• P. Klibanoff, A. Sandroni, B. Moselle et al., Statistica per manager, Egea, 2010
• G.E. Monahan, Management Decision Making, Cambridge University Press, 2000
• Notes provided by the teachers

Course Objectives

This course is designed to develop students' knowledge and skills as users of quantitative data to support management decision making. After completing the course, students are able to prepare accurate and informative data summaries for inclusion in management reports; contribute to the commissioning and interpretation of reports of business research, including experiments, surveys, market research and programme evaluations; and be aware of some of the statistical techniques that can be used to support management decision making.

The course takes a user-oriented, applied approach to using publicly available data, surveys, and statistical methods, to improve understanding of management issues, and to plan and evaluate events, activities and programmes. Students have the opportunity to design and participate in a project that applies the techniques covered in the course to a management issue. Calculations are performed using software such as Excel and SPSS, with an emphasis on effective use of the software and interpretation of results.

Course Content Summary

• Business research processes and research design
• Data collection: different approaches, measurement, design, sampling. Examples
• Data analysis: basic ideas, representations, regression
• How to report research results
• Data analysis: applied multivariate techniques

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Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

Project (9 marks) and Final exam (21 marks).

Textbooks

• R. TARLING, Statistical Modelling for Social Researchers. Principles and practice, London and New York, Routledge, 2009 

Obiettivi formativi del corso

La soluzione di problemi manageriali come ad esempio la valutazione di strategie di management, di alternative di investimenti, la previsione del comportamento futuro di sistemi e/o mercati, richiedono la creazione e l'utilizzo di modelli dedicati. Il corso fornisce le tecniche fondamentali che consentono agli studenti di acquisire familiarità con i metodi quantitativi che sono maggiormente utilizzati nella soluzione di problemi di management. Il corso adotta un approccio orientato alle applicazioni. Modelli e tecniche sono illustrati attraverso la soluzione di casi. Un'attenzione specifica è dedicata all'implementazione pratica delle metodologie proposte attraverso pacchetti software di comune utilizzo nella pratica aziendale (Excel).

Programma sintetico del corso

• Fonti di dati e revisione di alcuni concetti di base di statistica
• Regressione con applicazioni al management
• Introduzione all'analisi delle serie storiche
• Problemi e modelli di Decision Analysis
• Problemi di Trade-Off: Programmazione Lineare

Descrizione dettagliata delle modalità d'esame

La prova d’esame è scritta, con svolgimento in aula informatica mediante l’utilizzo del calcolatore. La durata della prova è di 1 ora e 30 minuti, con esercizi su tutto il programma per un totale di 16 domande da due punti ciascuna, per un massimo di 32 punti. Ad ogni domanda possono essere assegnati 0, 1 o 2 punti: 2 punti se completamente esatta, 0 punti per errore concettuale o mancata risposta, 1 punto per imprecisione numerica.

Testi d'esame

• P. Klibanoff, A. Sandroni, B. Moselle et al., Statistica per manager, Egea, 2010
• G.E. Monahan, Management Decision Making, Cambridge University Press, 2000
• Note a cura dei docenti