Jack R. Meredith Libri

"This book is about the application of the scientific approach to managerial decision making. Management science can be a tremendous aid to the manager faced with decisions. It can sort out the complex array of data, show what is relevant and what is not, focus on the lack of certain crucial information, provide an objective and consistent basis of choosing the best (or a good enough) solution, and even help quantify the manager's feelings and preferences for solution outcomes. In short, it can be used to make better decisions and improve the management of organizations."

This book serves as a college textbook for advanced undergraduate or master's courses in project management, covering service, product, engineering projects, and information systems (IS). It includes insights into how IS projects differ from traditional business projects. The authors leverage their personal experiences and those of colleagues who have worked extensively in project management, focusing on practical application rather than theoretical concepts. The text emphasizes a managerial perspective, addressing the fundamental aspects of managing diverse projects—public, business, engineering, and IS—alongside specific techniques necessary for effective execution. Key topics include project selection, initiation, operation, and control, as well as the challenges faced by project managers in interacting with their organizations. It also explores the complexities of managing projects involving diverse cultures and geographical separation, and addresses the issues related to project termination. This comprehensive approach equips students with the knowledge and skills to successfully navigate the multifaceted nature of project management.

Operations Management provides an introduction to the basic concepts of operations management with a strategic, conceptual, and contemporary approach. Specifically written with the needs of MBA students in mind, current topics such as supply chain management, the balanced scorecard, and yield management, as well as those specific to marketing, finance and other majors are explained with less quantitative and more conceptual content. With a concise format, this text is designed to allow professors to tailor the course through supplementary cases and other materi­als for the unique nature of various MBA programs and student populations. Jack Meredith has written eight books on operations management, project management and management science, and his research focus is on the strategic and operational problems that managers face, particularly those concerning the management of advanced technology. Scott Shafer, one of the nation’s first college professors to earn the Black Belt Six Sigma certification through the American Society for Quality (ASQ), integrates Six Sigma into educational programs as Director of MA Program and Professor of Management.