IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

University of Southern California

Marshall School of Business
IOM 599 Business Analytics
Fall 2013
Units: 3.0
Prerequisites: None
Schedule: Wednesday, 6:30-9:30pm
Office Hours: Wednesday, 9:30-10:00pm or by appointment
Professor Richard W. Selby
Bridge Hall 401
[email protected]
949-400-8941, cell
Course Introduction
Business analytics helps organizations achieve broad and deep understanding of and insights into
markets, customers, operations, and suppliers. Business analytics provides benefits throughout
all major functional areas of an organization including strategy, product development, marketing,
operations, customer service, and finance. Business analytics is defined as the study, integration,
and application of knowledge, skills, and methods for using data, statistical analysis, quantitative
approaches, and predictive modeling to enable data-driven decision making and innovation in
organizations. Organizations ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to large global companies
can innovate using business analytics to accelerate communication, enhance products, grow
relationships, and operate in efficient, effective, and scalable manners. Business analytics aligns
with and enables the big data initiatives that numerous organizations are undertaking.
Understanding the current and future ideas, strategies, and approaches for business analytics is
essential and empowering for any student. This course investigates leading companies using
business analytics and summarizes the foundational knowledge, skills, methods, tools, and
resources that any student needs to know about business analytics. This course explains how to
manage using analytics and provides an overall business analytics framework using an eightpoint methodology for successfully implementing analytics-driven management and rapidly
creating value. This course applies the framework to examine the use of business analytics by
leading companies in eight major functional areas of an organization:
Strategy
Product development
Marketing
Social media
Mobile

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

Operations
Customer service
Financial reporting
In order to support the overall business analytics framework and methodology, this course
teaches students how to use the SAS statistical data analysis package (www.sas.com), including
hands-on skills for using SAS to implement strategies and approaches for defining, performing,
and presenting business analytics.
This course does not assume prior knowledge of topics for business analytics, and there are no
prerequisites. This course is open to all USC graduate students from all schools and all
disciplines.
Business Analytics Framework
This course explains how to manage using analytics and provides an overall business analytics
framework using an eight-point methodology for successfully implementing analytics-driven
management and rapidly creating value. This course describes the applicability of the
methodology to multiple major functional areas of an organization and illustrates how it
facilitates big data initiatives. The following table summarizes the methodology and
emphasizes its focus on:
Goal definition
Data collection
Data analysis and modeling
Interpretation, action, and feedback
Analytics Methodology Feature
(1) Goal definition
(1a) Define business-driven
goals
(1b) Specify questions that
support goals and focus on
targeted opportunities and
challenges
(2) Data collection
(2a) Identify business metrics
that provide data needed to
answer questions and yield
insights
(2b) Execute data collection
and validation methods and
tools
(3) Data analysis and modeling

Example Techniques and Tools

Value propositions
Capabilities analysis
Productivity analysis
Profitability analysis
Prioritization and ranking
Question templates
Metric definition and normalization
Metric templates
Automated and manual data collection
Data collection tools
Process instrumentation
Data brokerages
Delphi techniques
Real-time data
Statistical analysis techniques
2

Applicability to
Functional Areas of
an Organization
Strategy
Product
development
Marketing
Social media

IOM 599 Business Analytics

(3a) Analyze data, develop
models, and assess
limitations
(3b) Integrate models into
approaches for visualizations,
characterizations,
predictions, and prescriptions
(4) Interpretation, action, and
feedback
(4a) Interpret results and
integrate actions in context of
business goals
(4b) Feedback ideas for
improvement and learning

Syllabus
Model building and calibration
Parametric modeling
Data visualization techniques
Dashboards
Control charts and limits
Collaborative filtering
SAS, Excel, and PowerPoint
Decision frameworks and criteria
Tradeoff and sensitivity analysis
Data-driven decision making
Decision flow and workflow
Integration of data and processes
Process improvement
Organizational change
Closed-loop feedback

Mobile
Operations
Customer
service
Financial
reporting

Business Analytics Tools and Skills

In order to support the overall business analytics framework and methodology, this course
teaches students how to use the SAS statistical data analysis package (www.sas.com). This
course explains hands-on skills for using SAS to implement strategies and approaches for
defining, performing, and presenting business analytics in each of the framework methodology
areas:
Goal definition
Data collection
Data analysis and modeling
Interpretation, action, and feedback
In particular, this course teaches the SAS skills needed for the following techniques:
Data manipulation
Data validation
Data visualization
Model building
Decision trees and networks
Regression
Classification analysis
Parametric and non-parametric tests
Control charts
Dashboards
Collaborative filtering
Design of experiments
Analysis of variance
This course integrates the use of SAS with other tools including Excel and PowerPoint.
3

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

Students apply the business analytics knowledge and skills they learn in class in a project using
SAS. Students present their business analytics project in class to showcase their data-driven
decision making and innovation. This project has five phases:
Phase 1: Define business analytics proposal, data required, data analysis approach, and
decision making and innovation framework; In-class presentation
Phase 2: Define detailed plan for data collection and data analysis; In-class presentation
and/or demonstration
Phase 3: Present and discuss data collected, data analysis, insights revealed, and actions
taken; In-class presentation and/or demonstration
Phase 4: Present and discuss updates to data collected, data analysis, insights revealed,
and actions taken; In-class presentation and/or demonstration
Phase 5: Finalize your business analytics project and data-driven decision making and
innovation; In-class presentation and/or demonstration
Course Definition (for Course Catalog)
Foundational knowledge for business analytics, including strategies, methods, and tools
integrated with hands-on skills for defining business analytics for data-driven decision making
and innovation.
Learning Objectives
In this course students will learn:
Foundational knowledge, skills, methods, tools, and resources for business analytics
Understanding of ideas, strategies, and approaches for how leading companies use
business analytics in multiple major functional areas of an organization
How to use the SAS statistical data analysis package (www.sas.com) to implement
strategies and approaches for business analytics
Hands-on skills for defining, performing, and presenting business analytics for datadriven decision making and innovation
Course Format
This course meets for 15 class sessions (except for any conflicts with holidays), and there is an
additional session at the end for the final exam. Classes include a mixture of lectures,
demonstrations, and discussions. Students are expected to read the materials in advance of class,
come to class prepared to discuss the readings, apply the business analytics skills they learn in
class in a project that uses the SAS statistical data analysis package (www.sas.com) to define and
perform business analytics, and present their business analytics project in class to showcase their
data-driven decision making and innovation. Students are encouraged to collaborate with others
on their project to foster ideas and get feedback for improvements.
Prerequisites

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

This course does not assume prior knowledge of topics for business analytics, and there are no
prerequisites. This course is open to all USC graduate students from all schools and all
disciplines.
Required Materials
Students are required to purchase a course reader from the USC Bookstore.
Course Reading Materials
The course reader provides the course reading materials. The reading materials describe
business analytics topics, and the materials are as follows.
Class Session #1
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Strategy
Thomas H. Davenport, Marco Iansiti, and Alain Serels, Managing with Analytics at
Procter & Gamble, Harvard Business School case, Article Product Number 9-613045, April 3, 2013, 20 pages.
Reading and discussion
Thomas H. Davenport, Leandro Dalle Mule, and John Lucker, Know What Your
Customers Want Before They Do, Harvard Business Review, Article Product
Number R1112E, December 1, 2011, 8 pages.
Online e-learning
None
Project for business analytics using SAS
Hands-on project for learning SAS programming, business analytics, and big data
applications
In Phase 1 of the project during class sessions #1-3, students will learn the SAS
statistical data analysis package and focus on using SAS for data manipulation, data
validation, and data visualization. Students will develop SAS programs that use SAS
functions and capabilities to understand and benefit from big data applications
using actual data from social media, markets, customers, products, and operations.
Students will develop SAS programs to analyze structured and unstructured data from
data-intensive industries, and they will explore the three Vs of big data -- volume,
variety, and velocity of data.
Example data set application areas for using SAS
Strategy, product development, marketing, social media, mobile, operations, customer
service, financial reporting
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Introducing the SAS statistical data analysis package (www.sas.com). Using SAS for
data manipulation, data validation, and data visualization, including SAS
programming, SAS functions, example data, and actual business data
Class Session #2
Pre-class preparation
5

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Strategy

Christopher Malloy, Recorded Future: Searching the Web for Alpha, Harvard
Business School case, Article Product Number 9-212-057, March 27, 2012, 16 pages.
Reading and discussion
David Kiron, Pamela Kirk Prentice, and Renee Boucher Ferguson, Innovating with
Analytics, MIT Sloan Management Review, Article Product Number SMR433,
October 1, 2012, 8 pages.
Online e-learning
Course: Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner. Sub-course: Introduction
to Using SAS Enterprise Miner.
Project for business analytics using SAS
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for data manipulation, data validation, and data visualization, including
SAS programming, SAS functions, example data, and actual business data
Class Session #3
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Product Development
Willy Shih, Building Watson: Not So Elementary, My Dear!, Harvard Business
School case, Article Product Number 9-612-017, July 6, 2012, 19 pages.
Reading and discussion
Andrew McAfee and Erik Brynjolfsson, Big Data: The Management Revolution,
Harvard Business Review, Article Product Number R1210C, October 1, 2012, 9
pages.
Online e-learning
Course: Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner. Sub-course: Pattern
Discovery Using SAS Enterprise Miner.
Project for business analytics using SAS
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for data manipulation, data validation, and data visualization, including
SAS programming, SAS functions, example data, and actual business data
Class Session #4
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Product Development
Alan MacCormack, Brian Kimball Dunn, and Chris F. Kemerer, Barnes & Noble:
Managing the E-Book Revolution, Harvard Business School case, Article Product
Number 9-613-073, March 5, 2013, 21 pages.
Reading and discussion
Thomas H. Davenport, Paul Barth, and Randy Bean, How Big Data is Different,
MIT Sloan Management Review, Article Product Number SMR428, October 1, 2012,
6 pages.
Online e-learning
Course: Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner. Sub-course: Introduction
to Predictive Modeling Using SAS Enterprise Miner.
6

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

Project for business analytics using SAS

Hands-on project for learning SAS programming, business analytics, and big data
applications
In Phase 2 of the project during class sessions #4-6, students will focus on using SAS
for model building, decision trees and networks, and regression. Students will
develop SAS programs that use SAS functions and capabilities to formulate models,
customize them, and evaluate their descriptive and predictive effectiveness. The
models will use actual data from big data applications, and the students will learn
how to build, iterate, and improve models. Students will understand how their
models developed using SAS create evidence-based answers that drive data-driven
decision making and innovation in organizations.
Example data set application areas for using SAS
Strategy, product development, marketing, social media, mobile, operations, customer
service, financial reporting
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for model building, decision trees and networks, and regression, including
SAS programming, SAS functions, example data, and actual business data
Class Session #5
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Marketing
Mikolaj Jan Piskorski and David Chen, Social Strategy at American Express,
Harvard Business School case, Article Product Number 9-712-447, April 12, 2012, 24
pages.
Reading and discussion
Manish Goyal, Maryanne Q. Hancock, and Homayoun Hatami, Selling into
Micromarkets, Harvard Business Review, Article Product Number R1207F, July 1,
2012, 9 pages.
Online e-learning
Course: Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner. Sub-course: Decision
Tree Models Using SAS Enterprise Miner.
Project for business analytics using SAS
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for model building, decision trees and networks, and regression, including
SAS programming, SAS functions, example data, and actual business data
Class Session #6
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Marketing
John Deighton and Leora Kornfeld, Coca-Cola on Facebook, Harvard Business
School case, Article Product Number 9-511-110, May 6, 2011, 11 pages.
Reading and discussion
Emma K. Macdonald, Hugh N. Wilson, and Umut Konus, Better Customer Insight in Real Time, Harvard Business Review, Article Product Number R1209H,
September 1, 2012, 8 pages.

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

Online e-learning
Course: Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner. Sub-course: Regression
Models Using SAS Enterprise Miner.
Project for business analytics using SAS
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for model building, decision trees and networks, and regression, including
SAS programming, SAS functions, example data, and actual business data
Class Session #7
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Social Media
Francois Brochet and James Weber, LinkedIn Corporation, Harvard Business
School case, Article Product Number 9-112-006, January 6, 2012, 37 pages.
Reading and discussion
Sinan Aral and Dylan Walker, Forget Viral Marketing -- Make the Product Itself
Viral, Harvard Business Review, Article Product Number F1106Z, June 1, 2011, 3
pages.
Online e-learning
Course: Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner. Sub-course: Neural
Networks and Other Models Using SAS Enterprise Miner.
Project for business analytics using SAS
Hands-on project for learning SAS programming, business analytics, and big data
applications
In Phase 3 of the project during class sessions #7-9, students will focus on using SAS
for classification analysis, model building, and parametric and non-parametric tests.
Students will develop SAS programs that use SAS functions and capabilities to
implement classification and decision-making techniques including model definition,
model training, model testing, prediction, and prescription. The students will develop
these models using actual data from big data applications. Students will understand
how to develop these models using SAS so they can monitor key business metrics and
enable fact-based decision making by getting the right information to the right people
at the right time.
Example data set application areas for using SAS
Strategy, product development, marketing, social media, mobile, operations, customer
service, financial reporting
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for classification analysis, model building, and parametric and nonparametric tests, including SAS programming, SAS functions, example data, and
actual business data
Class Session #8
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Social Media
Mikolaj Jan Piskorski, David Chen, and Bill Heil, Twitter, Harvard Business
School case, Article Product Number 9-710-455, November 15, 2011, 28 pages.

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

Reading and discussion

Wes Nichols, Advertising Analytics 2.0, Harvard Business Review, Article Product
Number R1303C, March 1, 2013, 10 pages.
Online e-learning
Course: Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner. Sub-course: Model
Assessment Using SAS Enterprise Miner.
Project for business analytics using SAS
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for classification analysis, model building, and parametric and nonparametric tests, including SAS programming, SAS functions, example data, and
actual business data
Class Session #9
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Mobile
Mikolaj Jan Piskorski, Thomas Eisenmann, Jeffrey Bussgang, and David Chen,
foursquare, Harvard Business School case, Article Product Number 9-711-418,
November 2, 2011, 16 pages.
Reading and discussion
H. James Wilson, You, By the Numbers, Harvard Business Review, Article Product
Number R1209K, September 1, 2012, 5 pages.
Online e-learning
Course: Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner. Sub-course: Model
Implementation Using SAS Enterprise Miner.
Project for business analytics using SAS
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for classification analysis, model building, and parametric and nonparametric tests, including SAS programming, SAS functions, example data, and
actual business data
Class Session #10
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Mobile
Lynda M. Applegate, Ramiro Montealegre, and Jeffrey Sweeney, Riding the Wave of
Technological Change at RE/MAX, LLC, Harvard Business School case, Article
Product Number 9-813-054, October 1, 2012, 21 pages.
Reading and discussion
Thomas H. Davenport, Keep Up with Your Quants, Harvard Business Review,
Article Product Number R1307L, July 1, 2013, 5 pages.
Online e-learning
Course: Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner. Sub-course: Special
Topics Using SAS Enterprise Miner.
Project for business analytics using SAS
Hands-on project for learning SAS programming, business analytics, and big data
applications

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

In Phase 4 of the project during class sessions #10-12, students will focus on using
SAS for control charts, dashboards, and model building. Students will develop SAS
programs that use SAS functions and capabilities to enable effective and efficient
visualizations and interpretations of their data analyses. The students will apply these
visualization and interpretation techniques to enable the integration of business data
and business processes, and therefore, ensure that big data applications help drive
business opportunities, innovations, and decisions.
Example data set application areas for using SAS
Strategy, product development, marketing, social media, mobile, operations, customer
service, financial reporting
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for control charts, dashboards, and model building, including SAS
programming, SAS functions, example data, and actual business data
Class Session #11
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Operations
Willy Shih, Jyun-Cheng Wang, and Karen Robinson, AmTran Technology Ltd.,
Harvard Business School case, Article Product Number 9-613-069, February 15,
2013, 18 pages.
Reading and discussion
Dominic Barton and David Court, Making Advanced Analytics Work for You,
Harvard Business Review, Article Product Number R1210E, October 1, 2012, 7
pages.
Online e-learning
Course: Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner. Sub-course: Case
Studies Using SAS Enterprise Miner.
Project for business analytics using SAS
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for control charts, dashboards, and model building, including SAS
programming, SAS functions, example data, and actual business data
Class Session #12
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Operations
Juan Alcacer and Kerry Herman, Intel: Strategic Decisions in Locating a New
Assembly and Test Plant (A), Harvard Business School case, Article Product
Number 9-713-406, April 25, 2013, 20 pages.
Juan Alcacer and Kerry Herman, Intel: Strategic Decisions in Locating a New
Assembly and Test Plant (B), Harvard Business School case, Article Product
Number 9-713-419, September 19, 2012, 2 pages.
Reading and discussion
Shvetank Shah, Andrew Horne, and Jaime Capella, Good Data Won't Guarantee
Good Decisions, Harvard Business Review, Article Product Number F1204A, April
1, 2012, 4 pages.

10

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

Online e-learning
Course: Rapid Predictive Modeling for Business Analysts (EM 7.1).
Project for business analytics using SAS
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for control charts, dashboards, and model building, including SAS
programming, SAS functions, example data, and actual business data
Class Session #13
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Customer Service
Robert Simons and Natalie Kindred, Agero: Enhancing Capabilities for Customers,
Harvard Business School case, Article Product Number 9-113-001, March 26, 2013,
22 pages.
Reading and discussion
Donald A. Marchand and Joe Peppard, Why IT Fumbles Analytics, Harvard
Business Review, Article Product Number R1301H, January 1, 2013, 9 pages.
Online e-learning
Will be assigned in class
Project for business analytics using SAS
Hands-on project for learning SAS programming, business analytics, and big data
applications
In Phase 5 of the project during class sessions #13-15, students will focus on using
SAS for collaborative filtering, design of experiments, and analysis of variance.
Students will develop SAS programs that use SAS functions and capabilities to
define, compare, and quantify alternatives in a tradespace of possible outcomes for
decisions, variations, or opportunities. The students will organize these tradespaces
into experimentation approaches and use analysis of variance techniques on actual
data from big data applications. Students will understand how to develop SAS
programs that measure what matters most, reveal best actions, expose threats, and
gain predictive insights that compel the right actions.
Example data set application areas for using SAS
Strategy, product development, marketing, social media, mobile, operations, customer
service, financial reporting
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for collaborative filtering, design of experiments, and analysis of
variance, including SAS programming, SAS functions, example data, and actual
business data
Class Session #14
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Customer Service
Robert F. Higgins, Penrose O'Donnell, and Mehul Bhatt, Kyruus: Big Data's Search
for the Killer App, Harvard Business School case, Article Product Number 9-813060, December 5, 2012, 29 pages.
Reading and discussion

11

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

Eric T. Anderson and Duncan Simester, A Step-by-Step Guide to Smart Business

Experiments, Harvard Business Review, Article Product Number R1103H, March 1,
2011, 9 pages.
Online e-learning
Will be assigned in class
Project for business analytics using SAS
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for collaborative filtering, design of experiments, and analysis of
variance, including SAS programming, SAS functions, example data, and actual
business data
Class Session #15
Pre-class preparation
Case reading, analysis, and discussion: Financial Reporting
Jaclyn Foroughi, Anne Casscells, and Maureen McNichols, Tesla Motors Evaluating a Growth Company, Stanford Graduate School of Business case, Article
Product Number A-209, May 17, 2013, 21 pages.
Reading and discussion
Arar Han and Ilya A. Strebulaev, Sand Hill Angels: To Fund or Not To Fund,
Stanford Graduate School of Business case, Article Product Number E-442,
September 5, 2012, 23 pages.
Arar Han and Ilya A. Strebulaev, Sand Hill Angels Supplement to Pitches, Stanford
Graduate School of Business case, Article Product Number E-442T Supplement,
September 5, 2012, 30 pages.
Online e-learning
Will be assigned in class
Project for business analytics using SAS
Skills for using SAS for business analytics and big data
Using SAS for collaborative filtering, design of experiments, and analysis of
variance, including SAS programming, SAS functions, example data, and actual
business data
Class Session #16
Final exam (cumulative)
Course Grading
Several dimensions of performance factor into the grades for students:
Business case analysis. Students will analyze two of the courses business cases and create a
PowerPoint summary for each case that captures the key issues and describes the ideas that
can be transferred successfully to other companies. These analyses will provide students the
opportunity to reveal insights about business analytics.
Project (using SAS). Students will apply the business analytics knowledge and skills they
learn in class in a project that uses the SAS statistical data analysis package (www.sas.com)
to define and perform business analytics. Students will present their business analytics

12

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

project in class to showcase their data-driven decision making and innovation. Students will
be encouraged to collaborate with others on their project to foster ideas and get feedback for
improvements. Guidance, instructions, demonstrations, and resources will be provided.
Quiz. In order to highlight key concepts as well as provide evaluative feedback to students,
there will be a quiz. This quiz serves many purposes including facilitating focus on key
principles, providing students an opportunity to share their understanding of the material, and
identifying areas where further explanations are needed.
Exam. The final exam will be comprehensive and cover all materials presented in all classes.
This exam will provide students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of business
analytics.
Class participation. Class participation will be assessed subjectively. All students will be
expected to contribute to the class discussions.
The following table defines the detailed breakdown of the course grading.
Grading Type

Description

Grade
Breakdown

Grade
Total

Business case
analysis
Analysis of first business case
Analysis of second business case
Subtotal

10%
10%
20%

Project (using SAS)

Phase 1: Define business analytics proposal,
data required, data analysis approach, and
decision making and innovation framework; Inclass presentation
Phase 2: Define detailed plan for data collection
and data analysis; In-class presentation and/or
demonstration
Phase 3: Present and discuss data collected, data
analysis, insights revealed, and actions taken;
In-class presentation and/or demonstration
Phase 4: Present and discuss updates to data
collected, data analysis, insights revealed, and
actions taken; In-class presentation and/or
demonstration
Phase 5: Finalize your business analytics
project and data-driven decision making and
innovation; In-class presentation and/or
demonstration
Subtotal

5%

5%
5%
5%

5%

25%

Quiz
Quiz
Subtotal

10%
10%

13

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

Exam
Final exam
Subtotal

35%

Class participation
Subtotal

10%

35%

Class participation
Total

100%

10%
100%

Course Communication
Course communication occurs through the posting of class materials into Blackboard
(http://blackboard.usc.edu ), email, and announcements in class. All of the presentation materials
will be posted into Blackboard, and class announcements will be sent via email using
Blackboard. Therefore, all students are required to have an active Blackboard account that they
use regularly and this account needs to define a correct email address.
Course Outline and Schedule
Class
Session

Session
#1.
Week of
8/26/13.

Topic:
Readings
and Class
Discussions
Strategy

Learning
Objectives

Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
strategy
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
strategy
Understand how
to define
business
14

Project Phase
and SAS Skills
for Business
Analytics and
Big Data
Applications
In Phase 1 of
the project
during class
sessions #1-3,
students will
learn the SAS
statistical data
analysis
package and
focus on using
SAS for data
manipulation,
data
validation,
and data
visualization.
Students will
develop SAS
programs that
use SAS
functions and
capabilities to

Project
Assignments

Define
business
analytics
proposal,
data
required,
data analysis
approach,
and decision
making and
innovation
framework

Business
Case
Analysis,
Quiz,
and
Exam

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

analytics
proposal, data
required, data
analysis
approach, and
decision making
and innovation
framework
Understand
introduction to
the SAS
statistical data
analysis package
and understand
how to use SAS
for data
manipulation,
data validation,
and data
visualization

15

understand
and benefit
from big
data
applications
using actual
data from
social media,
markets,
customers,
products, and
operations.
Students will
develop SAS
programs to
analyze
structured and
unstructured
data from
data-intensive
industries, and
they will
explore the
three Vs of
big data -volume,
variety, and
velocity of
data.
Phase 1,
Session #1:
Introducing
the SAS
statistical data
analysis
package
(www.sas.co
m). Using
SAS for data
manipulation,
data
validation,
and data
visualization,
including
SAS

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Session
#2.
Week of
9/2/13.

(continued)

Session
#3.
Week of
9/9/13.

Product
development

Syllabus

Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
strategy
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
strategy
Understand how
to use SAS for
data
manipulation,
data validation,
and data
visualization
Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
product
development
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
16

programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data
Phase 1,
Session #2:
Using SAS
for data
manipulation,
data
validation,
and data
visualization,
including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data

Phase 1,
Session #3:
Using SAS
for data
manipulation,
data
validation,
and data
visualization,
including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,

In-class
presentation
of business
analytics
proposal,
data
required,
data analysis
approach,
and decision
making and
innovation
framework

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Session
#4.
Week of
9/16/13.

(continued)

Syllabus
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
product
development
Understand how
to use SAS for
data
manipulation,
data validation,
and data
visualization
Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
product
development
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
product
development
Understand how
to define detailed
plan for data
collection and
data analysis
Understand how
to use SAS for
model building,
decision trees
and networks,
and regression
17

example data,
and actual
business data

In Phase 2 of
the project
during class
sessions #4-6,
students will
focus on using
SAS for
model
building,
decision trees
and networks,
and
regression.
Students will
develop SAS
programs that
use SAS
functions and
capabilities to
formulate
models,
customize
them, and
evaluate their
descriptive
and predictive
effectiveness.
The models
will use actual
data from big
data
applications,

Define
detailed plan
for data
collection
and data
analysis

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Session
#5.
Week of
9/23/13.

Marketing

Syllabus

Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an

18

and the
students will
learn how to
build, iterate,
and improve
models.
Students will
understand
how their
models
developed
using SAS
create
evidencebased answers
that drive
data-driven
decision
making and
innovation in
organizations.
Phase 2,
Session #4:
Using SAS
for model
building,
decision trees
and networks,
and
regression,
including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data
Phase 2,
Session #5:
Using SAS
for model
building,
decision trees
and networks,
and

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Session
#6.
Week of
9/30/13.

(continued)

Session
#7.
Week of
10/7/13.

Social media

Syllabus
organizations
marketing
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
marketing
Understand how
to use SAS for
model building,
decision trees
and networks,
and regression
Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
marketing
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
marketing
Understand how
to use SAS for
model building,
decision trees
and networks,
and regression
Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
19

regression,
including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data

Phase 2,
Session #6:
Using SAS
for model
building,
decision trees
and networks,
and
regression,
including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data

In-class
presentation
and/or
demonstratio
n of detailed
plan for data
collection
and data
analysis

In Phase 3 of
the project
during class
sessions #7-9,

Present and
discuss data
collected,
data analysis,

Analysis
of first
business
case due

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
social media
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
social media
Understand how
to present and
discuss data
collected, data
analysis, insights
revealed, and
actions taken
Understand how
to use SAS for
classification
analysis, model
building, and
parametric and
non-parametric
tests

20

students will
insights
focus on using revealed, and
SAS for
actions taken
classification
analysis,
model
building, and
parametric
and nonparametric
tests.
Students will
develop SAS
programs that
use SAS
functions and
capabilities to
implement
classification
and decisionmaking
techniques
including
model
definition,
model
training,
model testing,
prediction,
and
prescription.
The students
will develop
these models
using actual
data from big
data
applications.
Students will
understand
how to
develop these
models using
SAS so they
can monitor
key business

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Session
#8.
Week of
10/14/1
3.

(continued)

Syllabus

Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
social media
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
21

metrics and
enable factbased
decision
making by
getting the
right
information to
the right
people at the
right time.
Phase 3,
Session #7:
Using SAS
for
classification
analysis,
model
building, and
parametric
and nonparametric
tests,
including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data
Phase 3,
Session #8:
Using SAS
for
classification
analysis,
model
building, and
parametric
and nonparametric
tests,
including
SAS
programming,

Quiz
(covers
class
sessions
1-7)

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Session
#9.
Week of
10/21/1
3.

Mobile

Session
#10.
Week of
10/28/1
3.

(continued)

Syllabus
business
analytics for an
organizations
social media
Understand how
to use SAS for
classification
analysis, model
building, and
parametric and
non-parametric
tests
Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
mobile presence
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
mobile presence
Understand how
to use SAS for
classification
analysis, model
building, and
parametric and
non-parametric
tests
Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
22

SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data

Phase 3,
Session #9:
Using SAS
for
classification
analysis,
model
building, and
parametric
and nonparametric
tests,
including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data

In-class
presentation
and/or
demonstratio
n of data
collected,
data analysis,
insights
revealed, and
actions taken

In Phase 4 of
the project
during class
sessions #1012, students
will focus on
using SAS for

Present and
discuss
updates to
data
collected,
data analysis,
insights

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

analytics for an
organizations
mobile presence
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
mobile presence
Understand how
to present and
discuss updates
to data collected,
data analysis,
insights revealed,
and actions taken
Understand how
to use SAS for
control charts,
dashboards, and
model building

23

control charts, revealed, and

dashboards,
actions taken
and model
building.
Students will
develop SAS
programs that
use SAS
functions and
capabilities to
enable
effective and
efficient
visualizations
and
interpretations
of their data
analyses. The
students will
apply these
visualization
and
interpretation
techniques to
enable the
integration of
business data
and business
processes, and
therefore,
ensure that
big data
applications
help drive
business
opportunities,
innovations,
and decisions.
Phase 4,
Session #10:
Using SAS
for control
charts,
dashboards,
and model
building,

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Session
#11.
Week of
11/4/13.

Operations

Session
#12.
Week of
11/11/1
3.

(continued)

Syllabus

Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
operations
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
operations
Understand how
to use SAS for
control charts,
dashboards, and
model building
Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
operations
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
24

including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data
Phase 4,
Session #11:
Using SAS
for control
charts,
dashboards,
and model
building,
including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data

Phase 4,
Session #12:
Using SAS
for control
charts,
dashboards,
and model
building,
including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,

In-class
presentation
and/or
demonstratio
n of updates
to data
collected,
data analysis,
insights
revealed, and
actions taken

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Session Customer
#13.
service
Week of
11/18/1
3. No
formal
class.
Use
class
time to
meet
with
your
classmat
es and
work on
your
projects.

Syllabus
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
operations
Understand how
to use SAS for
control charts,
dashboards, and
model building
Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
customer service
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
customer service
Understand how
to finalize your
business
analytics project
and data-driven
decision making
and innovation
Understand how
to use SAS for
collaborative
filtering, design
of experiments,
and analysis of
variance

25

and actual
business data

In Phase 5 of
the project
during class
sessions #1315, students
will focus on
using SAS for
collaborative
filtering,
design of
experiments,
and analysis
of variance.
Students will
develop SAS
programs that
use SAS
functions and
capabilities to
define,
compare, and
quantify
alternatives in
a tradespace
of possible
outcomes for
decisions,
variations, or
opportunities.
The students
will organize
these
tradespaces
into
experimentati
on approaches

Finalize your
business
analytics
project and
data-driven
decision
making and
innovation

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Session
#14.
Week of
11/25/1

(continued)

Syllabus

Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,

26

and use
analysis of
variance
techniques on
actual data
from big
data
applications.
Students will
understand
how to
develop SAS
programs that
measure what
matters most,
reveal best
actions,
expose
threats, and
gain
predictive
insights that
compel the
right actions.
Phase 5,
Session #13:
Using SAS
for
collaborative
filtering,
design of
experiments,
and analysis
of variance,
including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data
Phase 5,
Session #14:
Using SAS
for

Analysis
of second
business
case due

IOM 599 Business Analytics

3. No
formal
class
due to
Thanksg
iving.

Session
#15.
Week of
12/2/13.

Financial
reporting

Syllabus
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
customer service
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
customer service
Understand how
to use SAS for
collaborative
filtering, design
of experiments,
and analysis of
variance
Understand
foundational
knowledge,
skills, methods,
tools, and
resources for
business
analytics for an
organizations
financial
reporting
Understand
ideas, strategies,
and approaches
for how leading
companies use
business
analytics for an
organizations
financial
reporting
Understand how
to use SAS for
collaborative
27

collaborative
filtering,
design of
experiments,
and analysis
of variance,
including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data

Phase 5,
Session #15:
Using SAS
for
collaborative
filtering,
design of
experiments,
and analysis
of variance,
including
SAS
programming,
SAS
functions,
example data,
and actual
business data

In-class
presentation
and/or
demonstratio
n of your
final business
analytics
project and
data-driven
decision
making and
innovation

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus
filtering, design
of experiments,
and analysis of
variance

Final
exam.
Wednes
day,
12/11/1
3, 7:009:00pm.

Final
exam
(cumulati
ve)

USC and Marshall Policies

Add/Drop Process
The end of the third week of classes is the last day to add this class, and it is also the last day to
drop this class without a mark of W. The end of the twelfth week of classes is the last day to
drop this class with a mark of W.
Marshall Grading Guidelines
Marshall does not have a curve or hard target for the distribution of grades for individual
assignments or the course as a whole. Our principle is that students should be given the grade
they deserve based on class performance and should not be assigned an undeserved grade simply
to fit a curve. Instructors determine what qualifies as an accurate grade. Historically, the mean
GPA for graduate courses is 3.3 for core and 3.5 for electives.
Retention of Graded Coursework
Final exams and all other graded work which affected the course grade will be retained for one
year after the end of the course if the exam or other graded work has not already been returned to
the student. If the exam or other graded work has been returned to the student, it is the
responsibility of the student to retain it if he or she desires to do so.
Technology Video/Audio Policy
Videotaping faculty lectures is not permitted, due to copyright infringement regulations.
Audiotaping may be permitted if approved in advance by the professor. Use of any recorded
material is reserved exclusively for USC students.
Statement for Students with Disabilities
Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register
with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved
accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to the
professor as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open from
8:30am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.
Statement on Academic Integrity

28

IOM 599 Business Analytics

Syllabus

USC seeks to maintain an optimal learning environment. General principles of academic

honesty include the concept of respect for the intellectual property of others, the expectation that
individual work will be submitted unless otherwise allowed by an instructor, and the obligations
both to protect ones own academic work from misuse by others as well as to avoid using
anothers work as ones own. All students are expected to understand and abide by these
principles. SCampus, the Student Guidebook, contains the Student Conduct Code (available at
http://scampus.usc.edu).
Students will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards for
further review should there be any suspicion of academic dishonesty. The Review process can
be found at http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/SJACS/ . Failure to adhere to the academic
conduct standards set forth by these guidelines will not be tolerated by the USC Marshall
community and can lead to dismissal.
Emergency Preparedness/Course Continuity
In case of an emergency that causes travel to campus to be difficult, USC executive leadership
will announce an electronic way for instructors to teach students in their residence halls or homes
using a combination of Blackboard, teleconferencing, and other technologies. Professors should
be prepared to assign students a Plan B project that can be completed at a distance. For
additional information about maintaining your classes in an emergency please see
http://cst.usc.edu/services/emergencyprep.html .
Incomplete Grades Explanation
An incomplete (IN) grade may be assigned due to an emergency that occurs after the twelfth
week of classes. An emergency is defined as a serious documented illness or an unforeseen
situation beyond the students control that prevents a student from completing the semester.
Prior to the twelfth week, the student still has the option of dropping the class. Arrangements for
completing an IN course should be initiated by the student and negotiated with the professor.
Class work to complete the course should be completed within one calendar year from the date
the IN was assigned. The IN mark will be converted to an F grade should the course not be
completed.
Sexual Harassment
USC policies prohibit sexual harassment. According to Faculty Handbook 2008 Section 6-D,
sexual harassment consists of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other
verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: (a) submission to such conduct is either
explicitly or implicitly made a term or condition of an individuals employment, appointment,
admission, or academic evaluation; (b) submission to such conduct is used as a basis for
evaluation in personnel decisions or academic evaluations affecting an individual; or (c) such
conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individuals work or
academic performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or learning
environment.

29