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Parent Node(s):
OPERATIONS RESEARCH
Operations research (operational research
in Britain) as understood today is essentially identical to
systems analysis. Historically, it was a narrower area of
activity that stressed quantitative methods and did not concern
itself with TRADEOFFS between objectives and means or with
problems of equity. It was defined by the Operational Research
Society of Great Britain as follows (OPERATIONAL RESEARCH
QUARTERLY, l3(3): 282, l962): Operational research is the
attack of modern science on complex problems arising in the
direction and management of large systems of men, machines,
materials and money in industry, business, government and
defense. Its distinctive approach is to develop a scientific
model of the system, incorporating measurements of factors such
as change and risk, with which to predict and compare the
outcomes of alternative decisions, strategies or controls. The
purpose is to help management determine its policy and actions
scientifically. (IIASA)
(in Great Britain OPERATIONAL RESEARCH). Originally, the use of quantitative techniques in the domain of decision making in management, government, industry and in the military. Now, largely overlapping with systems analysis. It includes among others, optimization techniques, dynamic programming, data analysis including statistics, decision theory, simulation and planning theory. (Krippendorff)
URL= http://cleamc11.vub.ac.be/ASC/OPERAT_RESEA.html