Abstract
Numerous recent laments that operations research (OR) has lost its problem solving origins are reviewed. This study verifies these claims by examining popular introductory OR textbooks, and finds that they are overwhelmingly devoted to OR algorithms rather than the problem solving process. It is proposed that the complete Systems Development Life Cycle used in developing business information systems can serve as a suitable model for a (13-step) OR Application Development Cycle. A proposed alternate approach for the traditional “tools oriented” syllabus of the introductory OR course is modeled after the management information systems course in Systems Analysis and Design. Coverage of the complete development cycle from problem observation through complete implementation serves as the “backbone” of the course. In a broader context, it is observed that research reported in professional journals tends to report the solutions to problems, rather than the problem solving process.
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