Activity No.

Date: 09/30/2020

SHORT ESSAY RESPONSE. Answer the following questions comprehensively. Be

guided by the rubric on the right. (three to five sentences)

A.
1. Differentiate management science
from other mathematical discipline.
2. How can management science be
useful in business?
3. What is the relation of William C.
Copper to management science?
B.
 rich discussion of topic
5-4  logical organization of ideas
 effective use of target language
 full discussion of topic
3-2  careful organization of ideas
 appropriate use of target language
 simple discussion of topic
1-2  basic supporting ideas
 limited use of target language
0  no attempt to write anything about the given
task

1. Give at least three limitations and contribution of management science. (6 points)

Answers:

A.

1. Management science has differences from other mathematical discipline as it is a different

discipline with its own characteristics that remain distinct in its own. Management focuses on
the aspects of economics, analyzation of data in research papers, and relates more in
management of a business and uses mathematics in a business setting rather than working
with raw numbers that some mathematical disciplines do, like those in pure mathematics field
or applied mathematics wherein they tackle more on the traditional context of mathematics.
Although management science also uses such like statistics, probability, mathematical models
and more, it still focuses on making decisions for the business, in which they are only tools used
in this discipline rather than it being the discipline itself that helps for an individual in this field
to make concrete and effective decisions that may help the business to grow. Management
Science can also be applied in many fields like fintech, engineering, logistics, forecasting, and
much more as it is broader than other mathematical discipline.

2. Management science can be useful in a business in ways that it helps with identifying the
possible and existing problems within the organization, have effective decision making in a
quantitative approach, and improve the overall efficiency of the business as a whole. One who
is in this field can identify the problems that exists or may exist in the future by using a
scientific approach in problem solving, precisely the first step, which is observation. Observing
an organizational as a whole would help them come up with theories on how to solve the
problems that persists and also create hypothesis to how avoid encountering the same
problems in the future. Having a quantitative approach in effective decision making helps an
organization see the best decision by using tools like mathematical models, decision trees,
simulations, and payback analysis shows the best outcome of a decision and alternatives if ever
they deviate on the initial decision. Lastly, management science has a scientific and
mathematical approaches on efficiency like having an analyzation on research papers about the
improvement of workers’ productivity and apply that in the workplace, or use an algebraic
approach to know how to improve the speed of a production in a manufacturing setting, in
which this can truly help a business.

3. William W. Cooper is dubbed as the “father of management sciences” and has contributed
and created concepts to numerous fields aside from management sciences, like managerial
accounting, economics, management, marketing, and auditing. However, he notably
contributed to the Operations Research and Management Science (OR/MS) field. He contributed
in the areas of linear and non-linear programming, goal programming, chance-constrained
programming, data envelopment analysis, manpower planning, and multi-objective
optimization.

B.

1. The contributions of management science are creating new scientific and rational approaches
for managers in management, more tools and techniques in decision making, and a better
understanding in managerial processes. These three contributions have led to a more effective
approach in managing a business, however, this also caused to become a double-edged sword.
Its limitations caused it to ignore the human quality within a business as it tackles more in a
logical approach, which may cause to not account the individuality and personality of the
persons involved, it needs a measurement in problem solving, wherein if there is no quantifiable
measurement, means that it cannot be solved in a quantitative approach, and its quantitative
models cannot predict the irregularities and unpredictability of management decision. Having a
more logical approach doesn’t mean you should ignore other approaches as being flexible is
also important in being a manager. Although management science is a more calculating and
stiff type of management that truly does bring help in running a business, mixing it with other
forms of management can help it lessen its limitations to reach its full potential.