Management Science: The Art of Modeling with Spreadsheets, 4th Edition

  Table of Contents

PREFACE

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Models and Modeling

1.1.1 Why Study Modeling?

1.1.2 Models in Business

1.1.3 Models in Business Education

1.1.4 Benefits of Business Models

1.2 The Role of Spreadsheets

1.2.1 Risks of Spreadsheet Use

1.2.2 Challenges for Spreadsheet Users

1.2.3 Background Knowledge for Spreadsheet Modeling

1.3 The Real World and the Model World

1.4 Lessons from Expert and Novice Modelers

1.4.1 Expert Modelers

1.4.2 Novice Modelers

1.5 Organization of the Book

1.6 Summary

Suggested Readings

CHAPTER 2 MODELING IN A PROBLEM-SOLVING FRAMEWORK

2.1 Introduction

2.2 The Problem-Solving Process

2.2.1 Some Key Terms

2.2.2 The Six-Stage Problem-Solving Process

2.2.3 Mental Models and Formal Models

2.3 Influence Charts

2.3.1 A First Example

2.3.2 An Income Statement as an Influence Chart

2.3.3 Principles for Building Influence Charts

2.3.4 Two Additional Examples

2.4 Craft Skills for Modeling

2.4.1 Simplify the Problem

2.4.2 Break the Problem into Modules

2.4.3 Build a Prototype and Refine It

2.4.4 Sketch Graphs of Key Relationships

2.4.5 Identify Parameters and Perform Sensitivity Analysis

2.4.6 Separate the Creation of Ideas from Their Evaluation

2.4.7 Work Backward from the Desired Answer

2.4.8 Focus on Model Structure, not on Data Collection

2.5 Summary

Suggested Readings

Exercises

CHAPTER 3 SPREADSHEET ENGINEERING

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Designing a Spreadsheet

3.2.1 Sketch the Spreadsheet

3.2.2 Organize the Spreadsheet into Modules ...