Book Description
Successful business modeling is much more than a technical discipline; it's an art. And as in most professional disciplines, you can tell the experts apart from the novices by the creativity they bring to the craft. That's why Steve Powell and Ken Baker's THE ART OF MODELING WITH SPREADSHEETS covers spreadsheet engineering, management science techniques, and those essential craft skills needed to develop real expertise in business modeling. Features: * Balanced and streamlined coverage of spreadsheet engineering, management science techniques, and modeling craft. * The CD-ROM packaged with this text features all of the spreadsheets referred to in the text, as well as three software tools of special importance to business analysts: Premium Solver, Crystal Ball, and Sensitivity Toolkit (featuring four sensitivity tools)


From the Back Cover
Develop state-of-the-art modeling skills

Successful business modeling is much more than a technical discipline; it’s an art. And as in most professional disciplines, you can tell the experts apart from the novices by the creativity they bring to the craft. Now with Steve Powell and Ken Baker’s The Art of Modeling with Spreadsheets, you can master the technical knowledge as well as those essential craft skills needed to develop real expertise in business modeling.

You’ll learn: Effective methods for designing, building, and testing models, and for performing model-based analyses; Non-technical, craft skills that expert modelers commonly employ, such as abstracting a situation, debugging a model, and translating model results into managerial insights; and Standard statistical and management science techniques used in business today, such as data analysis, simulation, and optimization. Get the tools of the trade!

The CD-ROM packaged wit h t his text features all of the spreadsheets referred to in the text, as well as three software tools of special importance to business analysts: Premium Solver Crystal Ball Sensitivity Toolkit (featuring four sensitivity tools)


About the Author
Steve Powell is Professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. His primary research interest lies in modeling production and service processes, but he has also been active in research energy economics, marketing, and operations. At Tuck, he has developed a variety of courses in management science, including the core Decision Science course and electives in the Art of Modeling, Business Process Redesign, and Applications of Simulation. He originated the Teacher’s Forum column in Interfaces, and has written a number of articles on teaching modeling to practitioners. He organized the Workshop on Teaching Management Science with Spreadsheet in the summer of 1998, and is the Academic Director of a new series of INFORMS workshops on teaching management science. In 2001, he was awarded the INFORMS Prize for the Teaching of Operations Research/Management Science Practice.

Ken Baker is a faculty member at Dartmouth College. He is currently Nathaniel Leverone Professor of Management at the Tuck School of Business and also Adjunct Professor at the Thayer School of Engineering. At Dartmouth, he has taught courses relating to Decision Science, Manufacturing Management, and Environmental Management. Over the years, much of his teaching and research has dealt with Production Planning and Control, and he is widely known for his textbook, Elements of Sequencing and Scheduling, in addition to a variety of technical articles. He has served as Tuck School’s Associate Dean and directed the Tuck School’s management development programs in the manufacturing area. In 2001, he was named a Fellow of INFORMS’ Manufacturing and Service Operations Management (MSOM) Society.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Develop state-of-the-art modeling skills

Successful business modeling is much more than a technical discipline; it’s an art. And as in most professional disciplines, you can tell the experts apart from the novices by the creativity they bring to the craft. Now with Steve Powell and Ken Baker’s The Art of Modeling with Spreadsheets, you can master the technical knowledge as well as those essential craft skills needed to develop real expertise in business modeling.

You’ll learn: Effective methods for designing, building, and testing models, and for performing model-based analyses; Non-technical, craft skills that expert modelers commonly employ, such as abstracting a situation, debugging a model, and translating model results into managerial insights; and Standard statistical and management science techniques used in business today, such as data analysis, simulation, and optimization. Get the tools of the trade!

The CD-ROM packaged wit h t his text features all of the spreadsheets referred to in the text, as well as three software tools of special importance to business analysts: Premium Solver Crystal Ball Sensitivity Toolkit (featuring four sensitivity tools)

Balanced and streamlined coverage of spreadsheet engineering, management science techniques, and modeling craft. The CD-ROM packaged with this text features all of the spreadsheets referred to in the text, as well as three software tools of special importance to business analysts: Premium Solver, Crystal Ball, and Sensitivity Toolkit (featuring four sensitivity tools) Helps students develop non-technical, craft skills that expert modelers commonly employ, such as abstracting a situation, debugging a model, and translating model results into managerial insights (Chapter 3 and throughout). Presents effective spreadsheet engineering methods for designing, building, and testing spreadsheet models and for performing model-based analyses (Chapters 5 and 6). Coverage of sensitivity analysis (Chapter 6, 8, and 9) is supported by specialized add-in software that accompanies the book. Concise coverage of optimization (Chapter 8) and simulation (Chapter 9) features a strong spreadsheet orientation and a modeling emphasis. Statistics coverage focuses on the most important statistical tools and concepts for the practicing modeler. A unique collection of cases and exercises reinforces the more open-ended skills covered by the text.

Author Biography: Steve Powell is Professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. His primary research interest lies in modeling production and service processes, but he has also been active in research energy economics, marketing, and operations. At Tuck, he has developed a variety of courses in management science, including the core Decision Science course and electives in the Art of Modeling, Business Process Redesign, and Applications of Simulation. He originated the Teacher’s Forum column in Interfaces, and has written a number of articles on teaching modeling to practitioners. He organized the Workshop on Teaching Management Science with Spreadsheet in the summer of 1998, and is the Academic Director of a new series of INFORMS workshops on teaching management science. In 2001, he was awarded the INFORMS Prize for the Teaching of Operations Research/Management Science Practice.