Beijing

Foreign Studies University

COURSE SYLLABUS
Contents

COURSE TITLE: Quantitative Methods for Business ............................................. 2

COURSE DESCRIPTION ...................................................................................................... 2

1. Course Aims & Learning Objectives ......................................................................... 2

2. Contribution to Mission & Contribution to learning goals ..................................... 2

3. Learning Resources ..................................................................................................... 3

4. Academic integrity ....................................................................................................... 3

5. Weekly Arrangements ................................................................................................. 4

6. Meetings ........................................................................................................................ 4

7. Teaching Approach...................................................................................................... 5

8. Assessment .................................................................................................................... 5

1

 Beijing Foreign Studies University

COURSE TITLE: Quantitative Methods for Business

SEMESTER: 2017 Fall INSTRUCTOR: Mingyue Zhang
LEVEL: EMAIL: zhangmy.12@yahoo.com
PRE-REQUISITES: math & statistics OFFICE:
CREDIT HOURS: 1 credit/ 16 hours OFFICE HOURS: By appointment

Class Type Days Time Room

lecture Tuesday 7:30 pm to 9:20 pm

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course provides an introductory business statistics text for students who do not necessarily
have an extensive mathematics background but who need to understand how statistical tools
and techniques are applied in business decision making. The course is an introductory survey
about a number of quantitative methods used in social sciences including: data collection
methods, descriptive statistics, discrete and continuous probability distributions, estimating
parameters, Hypothesis testing, Analysis of Variance, Linear regression model, decision tree
methods, and Clustering analysis.
We also introduce Excel tutorials to perform the data analysis through simulated data and real
data. This course emphasizes data-based modeling mechanisms, the choice of appropriate
quantitative method, carrying out data analysis using tools and interpretations of the results.

1. Course Aims & Learning Objectives

Students are expected to recognize and collect different sort of data and sources, be aware of
potential data bias, understand which analysis run according to a given dataset, conduct
appropriate quantitative analysis, and reach a conclusion to support business decision making.

2. Contribution to Mission & Contribution to learning goals

£Holistic Education ¢ Learning by doing £Human-centric values
Contribution to Mission
£Resource integration £Innovative knowledge £International view

Contribution to learning goals： £Goal 1：

Bachelor of
Management(Major in £Goal 2:
Business
Administration(International £Goal 3:
Business))
£Goal 4:

Name: Office:
Director of Department
E-mail: Phone:
Name: Office:
Department Secretary
E-mail: Phone:
2

 Beijing Foreign Studies University

3. Learning Resources
· Required Resources
David Groebner, Patrick Shannon, and Phillip Fry (2017), “Business Statistics: A
Decision-Making Approach”, published by Pearson, 10th edition.

· Recommended Resources
Devore and Berk (2012), Modern Mathematical Statistics with Applications, 2nd Edition
Dimitris Bertsima, and Robert Freund (2004), Data, Models, and Decisions: The
Fundamentals of Management Science.

4. Academic integrity
A student has an obligation to exhibit honesty and to respect the ethical standards of the
academy in carrying out his or her academic assignments. Without limiting the application of
this principle, a student may be found to have violated this obligation if he or she:

1. Refers during an academic evaluation to materials or sources, or employs devices, not

authorized by the instructor.
2. Provides assistance during an academic evaluation to another person in a manner not
authorized by the instructor.
3. Receives assistance during an academic evaluation from another person in a manner
not authorized by the instructor.
4. Engages in unauthorized possession, buying, selling, obtaining, or using of any
materials intended to be used as an instrument of academic evaluation in advance of
its administration.
5. Acts as a substitute for another person in any academic evaluation process.
6. Utilizes a substitute in any academic evaluation procedure.
7. Practices any form of deceit in an academic evaluation proceeding.
8. Depends on the aid of others in a manner expressly prohibited by the instructor, in the
research, preparation, creation, writing, performing, or publication of work to be
submitted for academic credit or evaluation.
9. Provides aid to another person, knowing such aid is expressly prohibited by the
instructor, in the research, preparation, creation, writing, performing, or publication of
work to be submitted for academic credit or evaluation.
10. Presents as one's own, for academic evaluation, the ideas, representations, or words of
another person or persons without customary and proper acknowledgment of sources.
11. Submits the work of another person in a manner that represents the work to be one's
own.
12. Knowingly permits one's work to be submitted by another person without the
instructor's authorization.
13. Attempts to influence or change one's academic evaluation or record for reasons other
than achievement or merit.

3

 Beijing Foreign Studies University

14. Indulges, during a class, examination session, or any other academic setting, in
conduct that is so disruptive or disrespectful as to infringe upon the rights of the
instructor or fellow students.

Fails to cooperate, if called upon, in the investigation or disposition of any allegation of

dishonesty pertaining to another student, or any other breach of a student's obligation to exhibit
honesty.

5. Weekly Arrangements

Assignments or other
Week Date Content/Learning Activities
learning activities
1 9.12 Introduction & Data issues Chapter 1-3
2 9.19 Probability distributions Chapter 4-7; Group separation
3 9.26 Estimation & Hypothesis tests Chapter 8-11; HW1
4 10.03 National Day Holiday
5 10.10 ANOVA Chapter 12; HW2
10.17 Linear regression Chapter 14-15; Final group
6
project published
7 10.24 Decision analysis Chapter 19; HW3
10.31 Introduction to Data Mining: Clustering Final group project DUE:
8
& Summary 2017.11.12

Individual work:
We have three individual assignments during the course, and the questions are within the scope
of lecture notes. You have one week for each assignment. Please turn in the assignment at the
beginning of the next class. Hard copy only.
The course leader is responsible for collecting all assignment and give it to the instructor.
Team-work:
Students will be divided into several groups depending on the course capacity. Normally, there
will be 3-4 members in each group. The final project is a group assignment, and no freeriding
is allowed. Please indicate the work of each member at the end of the final report.
The final project should be submitted in one or two weeks after the end of the course, which
subject to the instructor.

6. Meetings
Meetings with students will be made by appointment. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have
4

 Beijing Foreign Studies University

any questions about the course.

7. Teaching Approach
¢ Lecture £Study Group
£ Case Study £Seminar on Field Research
£ e-Learning £Internship
£Project Adventure £Service Learning
£Role Playing £Independent Study
£Business Simulation Game £Dialogue Teaching
£Theater Learning £ Others

8. Assessment
Table 1. Assessments and percentage
Assessment Task & Graded Details & Due date Weighting
Elements
Attendance & Participation The participation portion of your grade is 20%
based on your attendance, involvement in
the classroom discussions.
Assignments There will be three homework 30%
assignments during the course.
Submission is by hardcopy only. No late
submissions will be accepted.
Final project This is a group project and the detailed 50%
requirements will be released before the
end of this course.

This class also follows the rules and expectations regarding letter grades provided by BFSU and it also
follows the grading curve policies. See table 2.
Table 2. Number and letter grade correspondence
百分制分数 等级 绩点
90-100 A 4.0
85-89 B+ 3.7
82-84 B 3.3
78-81 B- 3.0
75-77 C+ 2.7
72-74 C 2.3
5

 Beijing Foreign Studies University

68-71 C- 2.0
64-67 D+ 1.5
60-63 D 1.0
0-59 F 0
Points Grades Grade points
85≤ A 4.0
78≤x<85 B 3.0
60≤x<78 C 2.0
55≤x<60 D 1.0
<55 F 0