Filling a void for a balanced approach to spreadsheet based decision modeling, this volume builds on the traditions and strengths of Render and Stair's Quantitative Methods for Management, a recognized and proven leader in teaching decision modeling. In addition to using spreadsheets as a tool to quickly set up and solve decision models, the authors teach how and why the methods work and combine the user's power to logically model and analyze diverse decision-making scenarios with software-based solutions. The book discusses the fundamental concepts, assumptions and limitations behind each decision modeling technique, shows how each decision model works and illustrates the real-world usefulness of each technique with many applications from both profit and nonprofit organizations.
The authors provide an introduction to managerial decision modeling, linear programming models, modeling applications and sensitivity analysis, transportation, assignment, and network models, integer, goal, and nonlinear programming models, project management, decision theory, queuing models, simulation modeling, forecasting models and inventory control models.
For anyone looking for a balanced approach to spreadsheet based decision modeling.
Nagraj (Raju) Balakrishnan is Professor and Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Management at Clemson University. He holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Madras (India) and the University of Kentucky respectively, and a Ph.D. in Management from Purdue University. He previously taught at Tulane University.
Dr. Balakrishnan teaches courses in spreadsheet-based Decision Modeling, Business Statistics, Production and Operations Management, and Project Management. He has won several awards for teaching excellence both at Clemson and at Tulane. At Clemson, these include the MBA Professor of the Year award and the College of Business Graduate Teaching Excellence award (twice). He has also taught in Tulane University’s Executive MBA program.
Dr. Balakrishnan’s current research focuses on production scheduling, capacity allocation models, and problems related to configurations of supply chains. His articles have been published in leading academic journals such as Decision Sciences, Production and Operations Management, European Journal of Operational Research, Naval Research Logistics, IIE Transactions, Networks, and Computers & Operations Research. He serves as a Senior Departmental Editor of Production and Operations Management, Online Editor for the Production and Operations Management Society, and is the recipient of several awards for his research publications including Best Paper awards from the Decision Sciences Institute and the Institute of Industrial Engineers, the Clemson Department of Management Award for Scholarly Achievement, and the Clemson Board of Trustees Award for Faculty Excellence.
Dr. Balakrishnan is very active in writing proposals and has authored or co-authored successful grant proposals totaling over $400,000 from the National Science Foundation and other funding agencies. Several of these have been in collaboration with faculty from the College of Engineering and Sciences at Clemson University.
Dr. Balakrishnan lives in Clemson, SC with his wife Meena, son Nitin, and daughter Nandita. He enjoys traveling and Indian light music, and is an avid racquetball player.
