IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/orinte/v33y2003i2p67-76.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Teaching OR/MS to MBAs at Warwick Business School: A Turnaround Story

Author

Listed:
  • Stewart Robinson

    (Operational Research and Systems Group, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom)

  • Maureen Meadows

    (Operational Research and Systems Group, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom)

  • John Mingers

    (Operational Research and Systems Group, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom)

  • Frances A. O'Brien

    (Operational Research and Systems Group, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom)

  • Estelle A. Shale

    (Operational Research and Systems Group, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom)

  • Stephanie Stray

    (Operational Research and Systems Group, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom)

Abstract

OR/MS is under pressure in MBA programs in the United Kingdom as it is in the United States. To ensure its continuance, members of the operational research group at Warwick Business School redesigned the core OR/MS module. The first attempt at a redesign was a failure. As a result, the module was redesigned again. The second version was a success. Through this process, we have learned many lessons about teaching OR/MS to MBA students, among them the need to have a guiding philosophy, adopt a critical-consumer approach, stress managerial relevance, discuss the context and process of modeling as well as content, and use spreadsheets for analytical work.

Suggested Citation

  • Stewart Robinson & Maureen Meadows & John Mingers & Frances A. O'Brien & Estelle A. Shale & Stephanie Stray, 2003. "Teaching OR/MS to MBAs at Warwick Business School: A Turnaround Story," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 33(2), pages 67-76, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:33:y:2003:i:2:p:67-76
    DOI: 10.1287/inte.33.2.67.14467
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/inte.33.2.67.14467
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/inte.33.2.67.14467?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Samuel E. Bodily, 1996. "Teachers' Forum: Teaching MBA Quantitative Business Analysis with Cases," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 26(6), pages 132-138, December.
    2. Stephen G. Powell, 1997. "The Teachers' Forum: From Intelligent Consumer to Active Modeler, Two MBA Success Stories," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 27(3), pages 88-98, June.
    3. Jackie Hueter & William Swart, 1998. "An Integrated Labor-Management System for Taco Bell," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 28(1), pages 75-91, February.
    4. Wayne L. Winston, 1996. "The Teachers' Forum: Management Science with Spreadsheets for MBAs at Indiana University," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 26(2), pages 105-111, April.
    5. Matthew J. Liberatore & Robert L. Nydick, 1999. "The Teachers' Forum: Breaking the Mold—A New Approach to Teaching the First MBA Course in Management Science," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 29(4), pages 99-116, August.
    6. Mingers, J. & O'Brien, F. A., 1995. "Creating student groups with similar characteristics: A heuristic approach," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 313-321, June.
    7. Robert L. Carraway & Dana R. Clyman, 1997. "Managerial Relevance: The Key to Survival for OR/MS," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 27(6), pages 115-130, December.
    8. Stephen G. Powell, 1998. "The Teachers' Forum: Requiem for the Management Science Course?," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 28(2), pages 111-117, April.
    9. Jack R. Borsting & Thomas M. Cook & William R. King & Ronald L. Rardin & Francis D. Tuggle, 1988. "A Model for a First MBA Course in Management Science/Operations Research," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 18(5), pages 72-80, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Dominik Kress & Jan Dornseifer, 2015. "LAVES: An Extensible Visualization Tool to Facilitate the Process of Learning and Teaching Algorithms," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 15(3), pages 201-214, May.
    2. John Miltenburg, 2019. "Online Teaching in a Large, Required, Undergraduate Management Science Course," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 19(2), pages 89-104, January.
    3. A A Tako & S Robinson, 2009. "Comparing discrete-event simulation and system dynamics: users' perceptions," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(3), pages 296-312, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Peter J. Regan, 2006. "Professional Decision Modeling: Practitioner as Professor," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 36(2), pages 142-149, April.
    2. Stephen G. Powell, 1998. "The Teachers' Forum: Requiem for the Management Science Course?," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 28(2), pages 111-117, April.
    3. James Corner & Patricia Doyle Corner, 2003. "Teaching OR/MS Using Discussion Leadership," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 33(3), pages 60-69, June.
    4. H. Brian Hwarng, 2001. "A Modern Simulation Course for Business Students," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 31(3), pages 66-75, June.
    5. Kala Chand Seal & Zbigniew H. Przasnyski, 2003. "Using Technology to Support Pedagogy in an OR/MS Course," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 33(4), pages 27-40, August.
    6. Matthew J. Liberatore & Robert L. Nydick, 1999. "The Teachers' Forum: Breaking the Mold—A New Approach to Teaching the First MBA Course in Management Science," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 29(4), pages 99-116, August.
    7. Thomas A. Grossman, 2002. "Student Consulting Projects Benefit Faculty and Industry," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 32(2), pages 42-48, April.
    8. John Miltenburg, 2019. "Online Teaching in a Large, Required, Undergraduate Management Science Course," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 19(2), pages 89-104, January.
    9. M. David Albritton & Patrick R. McMullen & Lorraine R. Gardiner, 2003. "OR/MS Content and Visibility in AACSB-Accredited US Business Programs," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 33(5), pages 83-89, October.
    10. Suzanne de Treville & Ann van Ackere, 2006. "Equipping Students to Reduce Lead Times: The Role of Queuing-Theory-Based Modeling," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 36(2), pages 165-173, April.
    11. Matthew J. Drake, 2019. "Teaching OR/MS with Cases: A Review and New Suggestions," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 19(2), pages 57-66, January.
    12. Jason R. W. Merrick & Jill R. Hardin & Russell Walker, 2006. "Partnerships in Training," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 36(4), pages 359-370, August.
    13. Allan W. Gray & Joshua D. Detre & Brian C. Briggeman, 2005. "Valuing Limited Information in Decision Making Under Uncertainty," Working Papers 05-02, Purdue University, College of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    14. Briggeman, Brian C. & Detre, Joshua D. & Gray, Allan W., 2004. "Compound Options: A Real Options Application To An Agricultural Business," 2004 Annual meeting, August 1-4, Denver, CO 19996, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    15. Iszan Hana Kaharudin & Mohammad Syuhaimi Ab-Rahman & Roslan Abd-Shukor & Azamin Zaharim & Mohd Jailani Mohd Nor & Ahmad Kamal Ariffin Mohd Ihsan & Shahrom Md Zain & Afiq Hipni & Kamisah Osman & Ruszym, 2022. "How Does Supervision Technique Affect Research? Towards Sustainable Performance: Publications and Students from Pure and Social Sciences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, May.
    16. Valerie Belton & Helyn Thornbury Gould & John L. Scott, 2006. "Developing the Reflective Practitioner---Designing an Undergraduate Class," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 36(2), pages 150-164, April.
    17. Brian C. Briggeman & Allan W. Gray & Joshua D. Detre, 2008. "Using Limited Information to Support the Decision to Launch a New Product in the Fruit Juice Market: A Teaching Case Study," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 30(2), pages 370-378.
    18. Ety Zohar & Avishai Mandelbaum & Nahum Shimkin, 2002. "Adaptive Behavior of Impatient Customers in Tele-Queues: Theory and Empirical Support," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(4), pages 566-583, April.
    19. Hwang, Johye & Gao, Long & Jang, Wooseung, 2010. "Joint demand and capacity management in a restaurant system," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 207(1), pages 465-472, November.
    20. Akash Dania & Bridget Anakwe & Bernadette Ruf, 2019. "Student Preference for Spreadsheet-Based Learning," Accounting and Finance Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 8(3), pages 1-16, August.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Professional: OR/MS education.;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:33:y:2003:i:2:p:67-76. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.