The practice of operations research in Jordanian industry: a field study

Abstract

This study is concerned with the evaluation of the status of operations research (OR) practice, training and its diffusion into Jordanian industrial shareholding companies. The purpose of such an evaluation is to explore the level of OR awareness. To discover the extent of acceptance and implementation of OR and the adequacy of computing and training facilities in OR. It also attempts to identify the obstacles to the wider adoption of OR. The methodology for the study is essentially based upon a questionnaire that was directed to the practitioners of OR in all Jordanian industrial shareholding companies (86 companies) during summer 2003. The study concludes that the level of OR awareness, and usage in the companies is low. Also, there is a lack of specialised personnel, computer usage and OR departments. Moreover, the study concludes that many barriers are hindering the wider adoption of OR in the companies investigated.