Operational Research

Operational Research

Course ID:

ECO_352

Semester: 6th

Year of Study:

For Erasmus Students: Όχι

Learning Outcomes

Operational Research is a quantitative course aiming at introducing students to the concept of business research and more specifically into problems related to the management and coordination of business in an organization.  The course begins with the analysis of a real problem as an example and the corresponding data collection of this problem. It continues with the construction of a mathematical model (modeling) that describes the essence of the real problem and ends with solving, drawing conclusions and controlling solutions.

By the end of this course the student will be able to:

1) Knowledge

  • Understand the mathematical theory (concepts, theorems, proofs) related to this cource.
  • Identify the theory-related mathematical formulas and describe how to solve them (e.g M-Method).

2) Skills

  • Distinguish the different cases of mathematical problems and explain their use in relation to the mathematical problem posed.
  • Evaluate key elements of the theory (e.g. solution through Simplex technique).

3) Capabilities

  • Combine mathematical theory with economic problems that fall within the subject and successfully proceed with their modeling.
  • Rebuild the financial problem (e.g. Maximize a business’s profit) and explain the solution found.
  • Be able to evaluate, compare and interpret the economic dimension of the solution in the new context given.
  • Reformat the problem based on its data and proceed to a new solution (e.g. sensitivity analysis).
  • Combine the theoretical framework with the use of a computer program (R, Lindo, Excel) and evaluate its results.

Course Contents

  1. Introduction to operational research. Deterministic & stochastic methods in operational research.
  2. The basics of linear programming (LP). Graphical solutions of LP problems. The general LP problem. Interpretation & mathematical formulation.
  3. Applications of LP to well-known operational research problems.
  4. The Simplex Method, typical form, algorithm. Problem solving using the Simplex Method.
  5. The M-method and the TWO-PHASE method.
  6. Duality, properties of dual problems and the Dual Simplex. Sensitivity analysis.
  7. Special cases of LP problems.
  8. The transportation problem.
  9. Integer and mixed LP problems.
  10. Solve LP problem using R

Teaching Activities

Lectures (3 hours per week) and Tutorials (2 hours per week)

Supplementary learning based on the material of the open course entitled “Operational Research (Applications with R Software)”: https://eclass.upatras.gr/courses/ECON1318/

Teaching Organization

Activity

Semester workload

Lectures (3  hours per week x 13 weeks)

(3×13) 39 hours

Tutorials (2 hour per week x 13 weeks) – solving of representative problems using the open source software of R

(2×13)  26 hours

Hours for private study

85 hours

Total number of hours for the Course (25 hours of work-load per ECTS credit)

150 hours (total student work-load)

Assessment

a) Written examination at the end of the semester (70%)

b) Individual assignment (30%) involving modeling, solving and developing policy proposals for problems through the use of the R program.

Use of ICT

a) Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (e.g. PowerPoint) in teaching. The lectures for each chapter are uploaded on the e-class platform in the form of ppt files, where from the enrolled students can freely download. B) Use of R program to consolidate theory and solve problems.

Teaching Hours: 5

ECTS Credits: 6

Teaching Credits: 3

Weight: 1.5

Type:

Language: Ελληνική

Teaching Method: Πρόσωπο με πρόσωπο

General Competences: Αναζήτηση, ανάλυση και σύνθεση δεδομένων και πληροφοριών, με τη χρήση και των απαραίτητων τεχνολογιών, Ομαδική εργασία, Άσκηση κριτικής και αυτοκριτικής, Προαγωγή της ελεύθερης, δημιουργικής και επαγωγικής σκέψης

Associate Professor
Κουνετάς Κωνσταντίνος - Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής

Γνωστικό Αντικείμενο: Industrial Organisation

Οργανική Μονάδα / Εργαστήριο:

Τηλέφωνο: +30 2610 962598

Ώρες γραφείου: Undergraduate students: Tuesday 11.00-13.00 and Wednesday 09:00-10:00 Postgraduate students: Wednesday 10.00-12.00

eclass URL: e-class