An Appraisal of some of the Problems of Measurement in Operational Research

Abstract

Operational research is invariably concerned with the examination of systems which include human beings. Since the degree of confidence in a decision reached by operational research methods depends upon all relevant factors being included and measured correctly, it follows that as much attention must be paid by operational research workers to measurement in the fields of psychology and sociology, for example, as to measurement of physical quantities. Unless this is done, confidence will be reduced, and the whole purpose of operational research (which is to give confidence in decisions) defeated.