Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA)

PGDM (RM) – 41 (2020-22)

Academic Year 2021-22

Term IV
Title of the Course: Expert Systems and Decision Support Credit: 1.5
System (ESDSS)
Name of the Faculty: Kushal Anjaria
Email ID: kushal@irma.ac.in Contact No.: 9673097908

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Experts do have knowledge due to their exposure to formal education and practice-oriented exposure.
These experts emerge with a portfolio of styles and traits to approach any decision-related problems – be
it in any organization or their domains. However, expert systems (ES) are the systems developed with the
support of these experts for broader use by an ordinary user having no exposure to problem-solving
situations or simulations. The role of such expert systems is quite essential in any organization or daily
life in society as these systems would reduce the stress of latency or uncertainty in solving critical
problems. Expert systems are increasingly gaining importance across all issues related to organizations,
society, and individuals at large. The emergence of these expert systems has helped in decision-making
and led to handling situations due to market orientation and mass customization. Its applications are also
gaining momentum in the development sector to handle complex situations in inaccessible areas where
experts are unavailable.
Decision support systems (DSS), on the other hand, are the supporting tools for an expert or group of
experts handling complicated situations. Both (ES and DSS) systems together have supported all business
functions, and there is an umpteen number of examples to showcase best practices. The standard
dimensions between these two systems a) problem-solving capabilities, b) modeling scenarios and
guiding the user through simulations to make informed decisions, c) providing access to a knowledge
repository. The said dimensions have considerably helped develop artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystems,
machine learning (ML), and effective use of these utilities to enhance productivity in business and
development scenarios.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
a) Understand uncertain scenarios through problem-solving approaches
b) Use appropriate modeling approaches through use case development and develop a knowledge
repository
c) Simulate an environment to solve a problem with alternate approaches

LEARNING OUTCOME:
a) Acquire essential skills to approach any uncertain environment challenging managers in a
business/development setting
b) Model the problems solving approaches with better confidence through simulations
c) Arrive at a prescriptive situation for any managerial problem

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COURSE REQUISITES: <Write NIL, if none, do not delete>
NIL

PEDAGOGY / TEACHING METHODOLOGY:

• PowerPoint Presentation
• Case-based learning
• Some calculation and mathematical scenarios to understand the logic of expert systems

EVALUATION:
Component *Weightage %
Class Participation
Quiz 50%
Individual Assignment
Group Assignment
Take-Home Assignment
Research Article Review/Discussion
Any Other Component
Mid Term
End Term 50%
TOTAL 100%
*No single component should have a weightage of more than 50 percent of evaluation in a 1.5-
credit course and more than 35 percent in a 3-credit course.

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DETAILS/INSTRUCTIONS FOR EVALUATION: <write NIL, if none, do not delete>

TEXTBOOKS: <write NIL, if none, do not delete>

• "Expert Systems - Theory and Practice" by Jean-Louis Ermine, PHI Learning publication,
Fifth Edition (2005)
ADDITIONAL BOOKS / READINGS: <write NIL, if none, do not delete>
• Karl Martin Wiig, 1990, Book- Expert Systems: A Manager's Guide, Source:
(https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329181962_Expert_Systems_A_man
ager's_guide ).
SCHEDULE OF SESSIONS:
Module I: Introduction to Expert Systems and Decision Support Systems
Session 1: Introduction to Expert Systems and Decision Support Systems
Reading(s)
1. "Expert Systems - Theory and Practice" by Jean-Louis Ermine, PHI Learning publication,
Fifth Edition (2005)
Session 2: Definition and application of expert systems
Readings
1. "Expert Systems - Theory and Practice" by Jean-Louis Ermine, PHI Learning publication,
Fifth Edition (2005)
Module II: Architectures of ES and DSS
Session 3: Architectures and designs of ES and DSS
Readings
1. "Expert Systems - Theory and Practice" by Jean-Louis Ermine, PHI Learning publication,
Fifth Edition (2005).
Session 4: Rule-based Expert System for business and development sector
Readings
1. "Expert Systems - Theory and Practice" by Jean-Louis Ermine, PHI Learning publication,
Fifth Edition (2005)
Case(s): Holsapple, C. W., Tam, K. Y., & Whinston, A. B. (1988). Adapting expert system
technology to financial management. Financial Management, 12-22.
(https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=adapting+expert+system+technolo
gy+to+finance+management&btnG=&oq=adapting+expert+system+technology+to+finance+man
a
Session 5: Development of Rule-based expert system
Readings
1. "Expert Systems - Theory and Practice" by Jean-Louis Ermine, PHI Learning publication,
Fifth Edition (2005)
Module III: Artificial Intelligence, ES and DSS: Use Case, Decision Tree
Session 6: Relating AI with Expert Systems and Decision Support System
Readings
1. "Expert Systems - Theory and Practice" by Jean-Louis Ermine, PHI Learning publication,
Fifth Edition (2005)
Session 7: Use case and decision tree development to relate AI
Readings

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 1. "Expert Systems - Theory and Practice" by Jean-Louis Ermine, PHI Learning publication,
Fifth Edition (2005)
Module IV: Knowledge Base, ES, and DSS: Use Case, Decision Tree
Session 8: Creation of Knowledge-base for DSS
Readings
1. "Expert Systems - Theory and Practice" by Jean-Louis Ermine, PHI Learning publication,
Fifth Edition (2005)
Session 9: User-centric design for knowledge-base creation
Readings
1. "Expert Systems - Theory and Practice" by Jean-Louis Ermine, PHI Learning publication,
Fifth Edition (2005)
Session 10: Subject Consolidation, case discussion
Case: Anjaria, K. (2020). Negation and Entropy: Effectual Knowledge Management Equipment
for Learning Organizations. Expert Systems with Applications, 113497.
Neshat, M., Baghi, A., Pourahmad, A. A., Sepidnam, G., Sargolzaei, M., & Masoumi, A. (2011).
Fhesmm: Fuzzy hybrid expert system for marketing mix model. International Journal of
Computer Science Issues (IJCSI), 8(6).
(https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=FHESMM%3A+Fuzzy+Hybrid+
Expert+System+for+Marketing+Mix++Model&btnG=#d=gs_cit&u=%2Fscholar%3Fq%3Dinfo
%3Aj6sj8nB-vucJ%3Ascholar.google.com%2F%26output%3Dcite%26scirp%3D0%26hl%3Den)
<For 1.5 credit course, 10 sessions will be there. For 3.0 credit course, there would be 20 sessions>

IMPORTANT GUIDELINES: NIL

PARTICIPANTS ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES: NIL

HOW DOES THIS COURSE BE RELEVANT TO IRMA'S MISSION:

Business and development scenarios are growing complex in rural sector organizations. Rural sector
organizations are competing for existence while addressing the livelihood systems of individual
stockholders and dealing with challenges that any business organization faces typically. Access to factors
of production, policy-induced schemes, and necessary facilities in the proximity creates complex
situations for these entities to decide. The non-availability of experts on demand in these areas increases
the complexity as well. Thus, this course will support the students to get more insights into these
problems and help rural sector organizations.

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