Agribusiness Problem Solving

Catalog description

Development of quantitative problem-solving skills applied to specific examples of agribusiness management problems, using EXCEL spreadsheets. AGBM 106 Agribusiness Problem Solving (3) The goal of this course is to develop agribusiness problem solving skills. These skills include optimization, marginal analysis, time discounting, and measuring efficiency. Examples will be implemented using Microsoft EXCEL spreadsheets rather than algebra, calculus and abstract mathematics. This course, then, plays an important role by building skills for use in later agribusiness management courses as well as teaching important problem-solving skills to non-majors who want to learn quantitative economics problem-solving skills in the context of agribusiness management. Material will be organized according to the course topics areas: optimization, marginal analysis, time discounting, and efficiently measurement. Each topic area presentation will rely on specific examples of agribusiness management problems. The first lecture of each week will be a standard lecture emphasizing concepts, presented in a passive learning format. The second lecture of each week will be presented in a technology classroom with spreadsheet examples being worked out by the professor in front of the class, who will guide the students. The third lecture of each week will be taught in a computer laboratory, with students solving the problems actively, but with supervision. Problem solving skills will be reinforced by assigning problem sets for students to do on their own after the computer laboratory experience. It is permitted for students to submit identical lab answers but problem sets should not be identical.