| Quantitative Analysis Information on the Internet
previous page August 1, 2004 I. Introduction. This article's purpose is to identify websites at which management accountants might find information that will help them in what I describe as quantitative analysis. Generally, I have tried to apply two broad criteria in selecting websites for this article: 1. Information at the site seems to deal with such functions as analysis of data, use of data (numerical values) in decision making, and quantitative techniques for analyzing data; and 2. Management accountants might apply these functions. The Internet was extensively searched (with the search engine Google), using many terms relevant to quantitative analysis and decision-making. The searches sought (by using appropriate terms) not just sites dealing with quantitative analysis and decision-making, but sites that deal with these functions with respect to accounting and financial management. Twenty-nine sites are identified in the article. It is hoped that these sites might support the management accountant by being a resource he (or she) can turn to quickly refresh memories, clarify uncertainties, and become better informed on a technique, method, or tool of interest that might be applied to management accounting. Techniques, methods, and tools for quantitative analysis are extensively researched, and much is on the Internet on techniques, methods, and tools. Although there are only twenty-nine sites identified in this article, many of the sites have links, themselves, to many quantitative analysis-related sites. One of the advantages of the Internet is the power it offers to quickly connect to enormous amounts of information, which I believe can be done, even just starting from a base of only twenty-nine websites. The field of, what I call, quantitative analysis (which, for me, also includes techniques, methods, and tools described as operations research, management science, and decision sciences) is enormous, with much information associated with the field. Therefore, the Internet is a good tool, itself, to get to a large amount of the output, naturally coming from and generated by such an enormous field. Hopefully, through some of the sites in this article, a window to this large amount of output becomes available, but the viewer looking through this window will need to work at searching to find links to what might be the exactly needed information. To assist in finding information as efficiently and effectively as possible, websites that can be linked to here under "Quantitative Analysis" are grouped together, wherever possible, by the similarity of information available at the websites. For example, groupings used are: Statistical analysis Optimization Sensitivity analysis Ratio analysis Force field analysis Decision trees Critical path analysis Data mining Decision support systems Expert systems At some websites, the information available (in the form of links to other websites) includes two or more of the above groups, or, even other quantitative analytical techniques, methods, and tools. These websites can be linked to under “Mega Websites”. At some websites, you can find what might be called lecture notes or course material. These sites are linked to below under “Lecture Notes”. Finally, a link is provided to a site that is a mathematical resource, under “Mathematics Resource Center”. This link gives access to formula, explanations, and examples, in most, if not all braches of mathematics, including much of the mathematics that supports the techniques, methods, and tools that management accountants might be working with, or looking for to use, in their work tasks. II. Statistical Analysis. This site, www.home.ubalt.edu/ntsbarsh/business-stat/opre504.htm, maintained by Professor Hossein Arsham at the University of Baltimore, provides a course text on the basic concepts and methods of statistical analysis in decision-making by managers. An objective of the information presented is to merge statistical thinking with managerial thinking. The emphasis is on increasing statistical thinking in managerial decisions. Stone Analytics maintains a site, www.secondmoment.org/index.html, called Second Moment, which has links to online textbooks and lecture notes in these categories: sampling; multivariate analysis; regression and smoothing; time series analysis; and nonparametric statistics. Articles are available that review and analyze several aspects of statistical science, including statistics applied to business and commerce. III. Optimization. Applications of optimization problems involving uncertainty are presented at this website, www.stoprog.org/index.html?spintroduction.html, maintained by the Mathematical Programming Society. Optimization applications are provided in production control, transportation, and other areas. Stochastic programming is used as a framework in solving these problems. Many links are provided, including to sites at which programs can be used for solving many types of optimization problems. Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory maintain the Optimization Technology Center at this site, www.ece.northwestern.edu.OTC. Useful resources at this site are a frequently asked question page, a guide to the field of optimization, and a guide to optimization software. Optimization software (solvers) are available online to solve optimization problems. Optimization Online, at this site, www.optimization-online.org/index.html, has a repository of optimization problems that have been analyzed and solutions presented. This repository can be searched. Information found can be useful to one’s own optimization problem being worked on. The site also has links to other optimization sites. The Mathematical Programming Society supports this site. IV. Sensitively Analysis. Professor Arsham, at Baltimore University, provides links at this site, www.home.ubalt.edu/ntsbarsh/senanaly/SenAnaly.htm, that provide developments and applications using sensitivity analysis. Information at several sites deal with linear programming as a sensitivity analysis tool. V. Ratio Analysis. This link, www.crfonline.org/orc/cro/cro-16.html, takes you to a site that defines dozens of ratios useful in company performance measurements. VI. Force Field Analysis. MindFools presents this website, http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_06.htm, which explains the use of force field analysis in helping to make a decision. An example is given. VII. Decision Trees. MindTools presents this website, http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_TED.htm, which explains the use of decision trees. An example using a decision tree is provided. VIII. Critical Path Analysis. MindTools presents this web page, http://www.mindtools.com/critpath.html, which explains the use of critical path analysis. An example is given. Gantt and PERT charts are discussed. click here to go to the next and final page |