An Introduction to Management Science [antikvár]

Preface The purpose of this sixth edition, as with previous editions, is to provide students with a sound conceptual understanding of the role that management science plays in the decisionmaking process. The focus is on the part of management science referred to as quantitative approaches to decision making. The text describes the many quantitative methods that have been developed over the years, explains how they work, and shows how they can be applied and interpreted by the decision maker. We have written this book with the needs of the nonmathematician in mind; it is applications oriented. In each chapter a problem is described in conjunction with the quantitative procedure being introduced. The development of the quantitative technique or model includes applying it to the problem in order to generate a solution or recommendation. We have found that this approach helps to motivate the student by demonstrating not only how the procedure works, but also how it can contribute to the decision-making process. Changes in the Sixth Edition In preparing the sixth edition we have been careful to maintain the overall format and approach of the previous editions. However, based upon our own classroom experience and suggestions from users of previous editions, a number of significant changes have been made to enhance the content, managerial orientation, and readability of the text. Notes and Comments Notes and comments have been added at the end of many sections of the text. In an introductory treatment of a subject such as management science it is not possible to provide a complete coverage of all managerial issues and technical details. The purpose of the notes and comments feature is to mention additional issues we think students should be aware of and/or to note a technical detail that could cause some difficulty in applying the material. Linear Programming Applications A new section on data envelopment analysis has been added to Chapter 4. Data envelopment analysis is a linear programming based techique that is rapidly gaining in popularity for evaluating the efficiency of comparable organizations. It has been used extensively in franchise operations and in the not-for-profit sector. We believe the number of applications have reached the point where students can XIX