The Business Analytics Program at Old Dominion University Weiyong Zhang wyzhang@odu.edu Decision Sciences Institute 2014 Annual Conference Tampa, FL November 23rd, 2014

Agenda Historical background Current program Curriculum Challenges and future

Historical Background Who we are? Department of Information Technology and Decision Sciences, Strome College of Business, Old Dominion University Traditional “Decision Sciences” major prior to 2010. Changed the major name to “Business Analytics” in 2010.

Evolution of the Program Developed a few courses using Excel, e.g., BNAL 406. Spreadsheet Modeling and Analysis for Business Decisions BNAL 407. Business Analysis The program used to focus on the quantitative method side of business analytics. Recently, the big data component is added to the program. 2013~2014, the program became much more formalized to have Major & Minor Concentrations Business Analytics and Intelligence Concentration Business Analytics Concentrations in the Business Functional Areas: Accounting, Economics, Finance, International Business, Information Technology, Management, Marketing, and Maritime and Supply Chain Management.

Enrollment Increased

Projection of Enrollment

BNAL Courses BNAL 206 Probability, Decision Analysis and Business Statistics BNAL 306 Statistical Data Analysis and Management Science BNAL 406 Spreadsheet Modeling and Analysis for Business Decisions BNAL 407 Business Analysis BNAL 415 Advanced Business Analytics/Big Data Applications BNAL 432 Forecasting BNAL 441 Supply Chain Management and Logistics BNAL 476 Simulation Modeling and Analysis for Business Systems http://catalog.odu.edu/undergraduate/stromecollegeofbusiness/bsbadecisionsciences

Business Analytics and Intelligence Concentration Required Courses: IT 201 Introduction to Information Systems or IT 360T Principles of Information Technology IT 210 Business Applications with C++ IT 361 Systems Analysis IT 410 Business Intelligence IT 450 Database Concepts BNAL 406 Spreadsheet Modeling and Analysis for Business Decisions BNAL 407 Business Analysis BNAL 415 Advanced Business Analytics/Big Data Applications BNAL 432 Forecasting BNAL 476 Simulation Modeling and Analysis for Business Systems Choose one of the following international courses: ACCT 450 International and Advanced Accounting ECON 450 International Economics FIN 435 International Financial Management IT 425 Information Systems for International Business MGMT 361 International Business Operations MGMT 462 Comparative International Management MGMT 463 Management Seminar Abroad MKTG 411 Multi-National Marketing MSCM 370 International Shipping Free Elective 3 Total Hours 33

BNAL 415 Course Title: Advanced Business Analytics with Big Data Applications Intend to help students learn some essential analytic/modeling skills that involve big data. Not intend to develop a data mining course. Huge challenge in preparing the course No suitable textbook at all. Either business analytics or big data, but not both. Eventually prepared the course with support from SAS and SPSS Very welcomed by students

Challenges and Future Many challenges along the way. Exciting journey though. Plan for the future Better inter-linkage among courses: reduce overlap and improve transition More big data components More to be explored…

Questions?