Course Syllabus

Fall 2022-23
BUS 201.B
Business Decision Modeling
Wednesday 8:40-11:30
AB1 #231

INSTRUCTOR
Name Nagihan Çömez Dolgan
E-mail nagihan.comez@ozyegin.edu.tr
Phone Number 0 (216) 564 9025
Office Number AB2 #241
Office Hours Wednesday 13:00-15:00
AND by appointment through email
Research/Teaching Barlas Armatlı -Barlas.armatli@ozyegin.edu.tr
Assistants

COURSE TYPE COURSE DELIVERY AND EXAM ADMINISTRATION

Face-to-Face  This course can only be taken in-person, on campus.
 This course is not synchronously video streamed nor is it recorded.
 In-person class attendance may be required throughout the
semester.
 Final and midterm exams are administered in-person, on campus
only.

COURSE ORGANIZATION
Interaction Face-to-face and through email.
Methods .
Technology Used MS Excel and MS PowerPoint for lectures and exams.
by the Instructor
Technology A computer/tablet with MS Excel and MS PowerPoint software installed
Requirements for in order to participate in the course and assessments. Students should
Students bring their laptops to class when informed by the instructor in advance.

COURSE ORGANIZATION
Educational To provide students basic skills in quantitative modeling for making
objective informed business decisions, which includes the critical steps of
quantitative model construction, use of software to solve and test the
model, and interpretation of the results to derive recommendations.
Course Description This course introduces management science methods for making
effective decisions to improve business performance and
competitiveness. These methods help managers to structure complex
business problems of a wide range of business areas such as marketing,
finance, and operations. The course focuses on the construction of
quantitative models, the procedures to solve and interpret these models,
and what-if analysis of the solution. Methodologies covered include
linear, integer, nonlinear and multi-objective programming, decision
making under uncertainty, utility theory and risk, and simulation
modeling. Students learn to use the underlying tools within a
spreadsheet environment to solve problems depicting real-world
business issues.
Learning outcomes
LO 1 Describe the principles, process, and components of quantitative
decision modeling.
LO 2 Structure the information provided on the decision environment to build
a quantitative decision model.
LO 3 Build a spreadsheet model using the information provided on the
decision environment.
LO 4 Apply the proper procedure to solve a given quantitative model for
decision making.
LO 5 Evaluate the solution of a quantitative model by integrating various
domain-level business knowledge and perspectives.
LO 6 Analyze the solution of a quantitative model by applying sensitivity
analysis techniques to make business decisions.

COURSE MATERIALS
Required Books The instructor will be mainly following the following book. Purchasing
the book is not mandatory, but strongly recommended for following the
course material in a structured way.

Managerial Decision Modeling with Spreadsheets 3e: N.

Balakrishnan, B. Render, and R.M. Stair. Pearson. Print and e-text
versions are available.
Recommended  Introduction to Management Science. Bernard W. Taylor. Pearson.
Books  An Introduction to Management Science, Quantitative Approaches to
Decision Making, Anderson/Sweeney/Williams/Martin. Thomson,
South Western
Other Materials A computer/tablet with MS Excel and MS PowerPoint software installed
in order to participate in the course and assessments. Students should
bring their laptops to class when informed by the instructor in advance.

A collection of additional readings will be uploaded on LMS.

WEEKLY SUBJECTS (TENTATIVE)

Week Date Subject
1 26-30.09.2022 Introduction to business decision making modeling
2 03-07.10.2022 Linear programming: Model formulation and graphical
solution
3 10-14.10.2022 Linear programming: Spreadsheet solution
4 17-21.10.2022 Linear programming: Sensitivity Analysis
5 24-28.10.2022 Transportation, assignment, and network models
6 31.10-04.11.2022 Integer Programming
7 07-11.11.2022 Multi-criteria modeling
8 14-18.11.2022
(Withdrawal Week)
Midterm Exam
9 21-25.11.2022 Modeling non-linear problems
10 28.11-02.12.2022 Decision making with probabilistic models
11 05-09-12.2022 Decision making under uncertainty
12 12-16.12.2022 Simulation modeling
13 19-23.12.2022 Simulation modeling of various business decisions
14 26-30.12.2022 Project Presentations

ASSESSMENT METHODS, WEIGHTS AND RULES

Type Weight Implementation Rule Makeup Rule
Final Exam 30% BÜT (compulsory) exam will
All the exams will be face-to-face (i.e., in
serve as the makeup for the
person, on campus). They will be
final exam.
closed-books / closed-notes. Each exam
Midterm Exam 30%
will consist of both qualitative questions,
Make-up exam may only be
given in the case of excused
which will be in short essay form, and
absences (for health reasons,
quantitative problems. There will not be
etc.), which must be
any multiple choice questions. Any
documented. As per University
concern regarding the grading of exams
rules, you will be able to
should be addressed directly to the
submit only one medical
 instructor, no later than one week after report for each course you
the exam grade is posted. are taking. A second medical
report submitted for the same
course will not be accepted.

If you cannot attend midterm

exam on the given date
because of a health problem,
the make-up exam will be
given during the final exam
period, which will cover all the
material covered throughout
the semester (cumulative
exam).
Quiz 20% To help developing your understanding No make-up will be given.
of the material, six homework When computing the average
assignments will be given that will not be grade of assignments, the one
submitted. with the lowest grade will be
Six short quizzes based on assigned dropped.
homework assignments will be given
during the class time for the students
who are physically present in class.
Group Project 15% Students will work in groups of three to There will be no make-up for
four people. There will be a spreadsheet the group project. Students
application to solve a business problem, submitting spreadsheets that
which is also user friendly, and a 10- are not unique will receive a
minutes presentation video to introduce zero grade for the project.
the business problem, the mathematical
model used, and spreadsheet solution to
classmates. Students will submit their
spreadsheet and their 10-min
presentation video through LMS. The
video will be shown in class and the
audience will be asked to assess the
presentations. Part of the criteria will
include a “coolness” or “wow” factor.
An example of such a problem could be
which marketing plan you should choose
in light of their premiums, benefits, and
available resources. Another example
can be to support decisions for which
products to carry in your retail
assortment. It is not absolutely
necessary to have actual data for the
problem, realistic values for model input
parameters can be determined based on
qualitative research results.
With successful projects, students can
be able to include the finished products
in their electronic portfolios as evidence
to potential future employers about their
Excel skills.
Attendance/ 5% Attendance is mandatory. A student There will be no make-up for
Class Work missing more than 30% of this course attendance unless you have a
receives a letter grade of “F” valid excuse with an official
automatically. report to miss a class.
Attendance will be taken in the form of in-
class exercises and short quizzes at any
time during the lecture hours every week.

Total 100%

ASSESSMENT(S) BEFORE THE WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE

Type of Assessment(s) Weight(s) Date by When the Score of the
Assessment is to be Announced
Midterm Exam 30% 16.11.2022
Quiz 15% 16.11.2022
 DETERMINING LETTER GRADE
 According to University regulations, in order to be eligible to take the Final Exam in this
course, the student:
o Must participate in at least 70% of the lectures.

 Being ineligible to take the Final Exam also means being ineligible to take the Composite
Exam, which in turn means a letter grade of “F” automatically.

 For the final letter grade, I look for natural breakpoints among total weighted scores. The
particular grade depends on respective class performance.

EXPECTED STUDENT SEMESTER WORKLOAD

Activities Carried Out in The Presence of An Instructor Total Hours in Semester
Lecture (Including Discussion Sessions) 14 x 3 hrs = 42 hrs
Recitation/Practice 2x 3 hrs = 6 hrs
Activities Carried Out by The Learner Him/Herself Total Hours in Semester
Working on Assignments 6 x 4 hrs = 24 hrs
Quizzes 6 x 4 hrs = 24 hrs
Pre-class Learning of Course Material 13 x 2 hrs = 26 hrs
Review of Course Material for Exam Preparation 2 x 15 hrs = 30 hrs
Overall Total Hours in Semester 152 hrs

OTHER RULES AND INFORMATION

Health The mode of instruction is subject to change in case of pandemic or other similar
unavoidable reasons in line with the directives of the authorized public bodies. In
such a case, the necessary revisions will be binding for all members of the OzU
community, and will be announced by the relevant units, in particular Student
Services.
Safety Announced safety procedures must be strictly followed during any laboratory and
similar work. Please refer to the safety guidelines posted in the laboratories. In
case of emergencies, call 9911 (216 564 9911).
Accessibility Reasonable accommodations will be provided for students with verifiable
disabilities. Please inform your instructor if you need any assistance.
Academic and Students can get help from the Writing Center, Solution Center and IT in case
Technical Support they need academic and/or technical support with their classes.
Objections to Students who object to their exam results and cannot resolve their objections
Examination with the instructor of the course, may file a written petition for a review of their
Results exam papers at their Dean’s/Director’s Office within five business days from the
announcement their exam results.
Academic Integrity Students are assumed to abide by scholastic honesty and uphold the Honor
and Honor Code Code. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to cheating, attempting to
cheat, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of
dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations,
submitting the work of another person, or tampering with the academic work of
other students. Any form of scholastic dishonesty is a serious academic violation
and will result in a disciplinary action and also may result in student getting a 0
grade in the related assessment.
Unauthorized Recording/sharing of synchronous/asynchronous lectures or copying of lecture
Recording/Sharing recordings are prohibited without the permission of the instructor. Actions such
of Lectures as unauthorized recording, giving the recording to someone else, taking it, using
it or sharing it in physical or virtual media are prohibited and/or are offenses
according to the relevant legislation. In such cases, legal procedures will be
initiated in addition to starting disciplinary actions against those involved.
Flexibility Circumstances may arise during the course that prevents the instructor from
fulfilling each and every component of this syllabus; therefore, the syllabus is
subject to change. Students will be notified prior to any changes.
 PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSED IN THIS COURSE
Program outcome This course is used to assess the Program Learning outcomes listed
below for the Business Administration undergraduate programs.
6 Analytical Our students will analyze business problems and opportunities
Thinking (Bloom
Analyze)
7 Problem Solving Our students will construct solutions to business problems
(Bloom Evaluate)
BUS1 Advanced Our students will assess a business situation by integrating various
Business domain-level business knowledge and perspectives
Integration (Bloom
Evaluate)
BUS2 Decision Our students will recommend business decisions based on rigorous
Making (Bloom process, state-of-the-art technology, and knowledge and approaches
Evaluate) appropriate for the task at hand