Module Identifier AC31210  
Module Title ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES FOR MANAGEMENT CONTROL  
Academic Year 2005/2006  
Co-ordinator Mr Huw P Rhys  
Semester Semester 1  
Pre-Requisite AC30210 or, AC33120 (can be pre- or co-requisite)  
Course delivery Lecture    
  Seminars / Tutorials    
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam2 Hours  85%
Semester Assessment spreadsheet assignment15%

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Apply linear programming to managerial and financial problems. The focus, however, is on understanding and adaptability.

Aims

To enlarge the analytical toolkit by introducing one particular optimisation technique, ie, linear programming; second, to enable you to apply this tool to a variety of industrial and financial situations such as cost minimisation and profit maximisation; third, to enable you to appreciate how to formulate certain business strategies as zero-sum two-person games.

Brief description

This module is concerned with the study of some operational research models and their applications in commerce and industry. The emphasis is on understanding and adaptability rather than technique and will focus on basic linear algebra; introduction of linear programming; simplex algorithm; sensitive analysis; transportation and assignment problems and the theory of games sensitivity.

Content

Product mix problems as linear programmes
Graphical solution
Shadow prices and sensitivity analysis
The Simplex Algorithm
Use of the EXCEL "Solver" Tool
Cost minimisation problems
Further applications
Duality
The Theory of Games

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
Winston, W L (1991) Operations Research - Applications and Algorithms International Thomson Publishing
** Supplementary Text
Daellenbach, H, George, J and McNickle, D An Introduction to Operations Research Techniques Alleyn and Bacon
Taha, J Operations Research: An Introduction MacMillan
Wagners, H Principles of Operations Research Prentice-Hall
** Reference Text
Keys, P (1995) Understanding the Process of Operational research Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6