Comments for Michael Trick's Operations Research Blog http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog Thoughts on the world of operations research Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:10:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 Comment on Running Farmville through Operations Reseach by Sarah Root http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=990&cpage=1#comment-8110 Sarah Root Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:10:26 +0000 http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=990#comment-8110 This is great. I dislike getting this on my news feed, but I think students will connect with this. I will totally have some homework problems on this. This is great. I dislike getting this on my news feed, but I think students will connect with this. I will totally have some homework problems on this.

]]> Comment on Running Farmville through Operations Reseach by Renzo http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=990&cpage=1#comment-8107 Renzo Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:25:09 +0000 http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=990#comment-8107 Blocking the Farmville application was one of the most satisfying clicks on my Facebook feed! ;-) (but interesting link nevertheless - thanks) Blocking the Farmville application was one of the most satisfying clicks on my Facebook feed! ;-)

(but interesting link nevertheless – thanks)

]]> Comment on Running Farmville through Operations Reseach by Brian Borchers http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=990&cpage=1#comment-8105 Brian Borchers Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:45:31 +0000 http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=990#comment-8105 Thanks for pointing this out. I'm a Farmville addict (currently at level 23), but my utility function isn't driven solely by Farmville coins- I like a lot more variety on my farm... Thanks for pointing this out. I’m a Farmville addict (currently at level 23), but my utility function isn’t driven solely by Farmville coins- I like a lot more variety on my farm…

]]> Comment on The Numerati by Michael Trick’s Operations Research Blog : Stephen Baker, ex-Business Week http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=339&cpage=1#comment-8091 Michael Trick’s Operations Research Blog : Stephen Baker, ex-Business Week Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:37:30 +0000 http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=339#comment-8091 [...] Stephen Baker, a senior writer at Business Week, is part of the group that was not offered a job after that magazine was bought by Bloomberg. Steve’s journalism has been a tremendous boon to the world of operations research. His cover story “Math will Rock Your World” pointed out all the ways mathematics is affecting business and even mentioned operations research by name. He attended our conferences, and worked some of our stories into the bestselling book “The Numerati”. [...] [...] Stephen Baker, a senior writer at Business Week, is part of the group that was not offered a job after that magazine was bought by Bloomberg. Steve’s journalism has been a tremendous boon to the world of operations research. His cover story “Math will Rock Your World” pointed out all the ways mathematics is affecting business and even mentioned operations research by name. He attended our conferences, and worked some of our stories into the bestselling book “The Numerati”. [...]

]]> Comment on Stephen Baker, ex-Business Week by Florian http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=985&cpage=1#comment-8090 Florian Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:24:35 +0000 http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=985#comment-8090 Minor typo: Baker's BizWeek article is entiteld "Math _Will_ Rock Your World" (http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_04/b3968001.htm) Minor typo: Baker’s BizWeek article is entiteld “Math _Will_ Rock Your World” (http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_04/b3968001.htm)

]]> Comment on Stephen Baker on Operations Research by Michael Trick’s Operations Research Blog : Stephen Baker, ex-Business Week http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=65&cpage=1#comment-8081 Michael Trick’s Operations Research Blog : Stephen Baker, ex-Business Week Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:56:46 +0000 http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=52#comment-8081 [...] all the ways mathematics is affecting business and even mentioned operations research by name. He attended our conferences, and worked some of our stories into the bestselling book “The [...] [...] all the ways mathematics is affecting business and even mentioned operations research by name. He attended our conferences, and worked some of our stories into the bestselling book “The [...]

]]> Comment on Business Week by Michael Trick’s Operations Research Blog : Stephen Baker, ex-Business Week http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=46&cpage=1#comment-8080 Michael Trick’s Operations Research Blog : Stephen Baker, ex-Business Week Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:55:42 +0000 http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=33#comment-8080 [...] Steve’s journalism has been a tremendous boon to the world of operations research. His cover story “Math with Rock Your World” pointed out all the ways mathematics is affecting business and even mentioned operations research [...] [...] Steve’s journalism has been a tremendous boon to the world of operations research. His cover story “Math with Rock Your World” pointed out all the ways mathematics is affecting business and even mentioned operations research [...]

]]> Comment on Journal Impact and Costs by Paul Rubin http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=983&cpage=1#comment-8079 Paul Rubin Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:06:16 +0000 http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=983#comment-8079 Don't mention Elsevier anywhere near our head librarian; the perception around here is that they use a pricing scheme the Mafia would be embarrassed to try. I agree with you that using a two year window for impact factors in most areas seems artificially tight. There's another thing I worry about with impact factors, and that's lack of normalization with respect to discipline standards for citations. I'm in a department with org behavior and strategy people, and the citation list on one of their papers flirts with the length of the entire text of one of mine. As long as you're comparing journals within the same discipline, this is a wash, but we look at citation counts when judging individuals, and I think some of my colleagues look at impact factors when judging what are "A journals" in disciplines with which they are unfamiliar. (I'm having an on-going argument with my department chair about whether OR is an A journal in operations research.) Don’t mention Elsevier anywhere near our head librarian; the perception around here is that they use a pricing scheme the Mafia would be embarrassed to try.

I agree with you that using a two year window for impact factors in most areas seems artificially tight. There’s another thing I worry about with impact factors, and that’s lack of normalization with respect to discipline standards for citations. I’m in a department with org behavior and strategy people, and the citation list on one of their papers flirts with the length of the entire text of one of mine. As long as you’re comparing journals within the same discipline, this is a wash, but we look at citation counts when judging individuals, and I think some of my colleagues look at impact factors when judging what are “A journals” in disciplines with which they are unfamiliar. (I’m having an on-going argument with my department chair about whether OR is an A journal in operations research.)

]]> Comment on Winston, Sports, Statistics, and Decision Making by Paul Rubin http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=972&cpage=1#comment-8078 Paul Rubin Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:46:01 +0000 http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=972#comment-8078 I'm with Matt on the problem being the choice (or maybe execution) of the play. Running a 1.5 yard route on fourth-and-two means you're depending on the receiver to get yards after the catch. I'd be curious to see statistics on how often throwing short of the sticks on third or fourth down works. I’m with Matt on the problem being the choice (or maybe execution) of the play. Running a 1.5 yard route on fourth-and-two means you’re depending on the receiver to get yards after the catch. I’d be curious to see statistics on how often throwing short of the sticks on third or fourth down works.

]]> Comment on Questions and answers in operations research? by Paul Rubin http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=962&cpage=1#comment-8077 Paul Rubin Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:41:10 +0000 http://mat.tepper.cmu.edu/blog/?p=962#comment-8077 Consider this a vote for OR-Exchange, particularly if non-OR people with OR questions can find their way to it. In its heyday, sci.op-research occasionally got "is this an OR problem?" sorts of questions. It still gets a few -- Google searches sometimes lead there -- but I think we need a visible portal where the general public can find out how to ask for help with their (non-homework) problems. Consider this a vote for OR-Exchange, particularly if non-OR people with OR questions can find their way to it. In its heyday, sci.op-research occasionally got “is this an OR problem?” sorts of questions. It still gets a few — Google searches sometimes lead there — but I think we need a visible portal where the general public can find out how to ask for help with their (non-homework) problems.

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