Operational Research Society Research Articles

Evaluating performances for activities in Pacific Rim countries: In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Operations Research Society of Japan

Evaluating performances for activities in Pacific Rim countries: In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Operations Research Society of Japan

Control of Freeway Traffic Flow

(1997). Control of Freeway Traffic Flow. Journal of the Operational Research Society: Vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 450-450.

Lean Thinking—Banish Waste and Create Wealth in your Corporation

(1997). Lean Thinking—Banish Waste and Create Wealth in your Corporation. Journal of the Operational Research Society: Vol. 48, No. 11, pp. 1148-1148.

Introduction to System Dynamics Modeling with DYNAMO

(1997). Introduction to System Dynamics Modeling with DYNAMO. Journal of the Operational Research Society: Vol. 48, No. 11, pp. 1146-1146.

A sketch for humane operational research in a technological society

This article is based on my presidential address to the Swedish Operational Research Society 1996 Conference. It starts with a statement affirming the critical need to incorporate virtues and norms in the management and operation of our institutions. With the help of multimodal systems thinking and Stafford Beer's Viable Systems Model, it builds a framework that allows the transfer of such things as faith, love, and wisdom into the operation of our social systems and their management. The article concludes with the placing of operational research and management theory within this framework and with a challenge to all operational researchers to work for new modeling techniques that will contribute to a more virtuous and humane society.

Deterministic flow-demand location problems : O. Berman Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 48, 1997, pp. 75–81

Deterministic flow-demand location problems : O. Berman Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 48, 1997, pp. 75–81

Consistent and inconsistent rules in competitive facility choice : Tammy Drezner, Zvi Drezner and H. A. Eiselt Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 47, 1996, pp. 1494–1503

Consistent and inconsistent rules in competitive facility choice : Tammy Drezner, Zvi Drezner and H. A. Eiselt Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 47, 1996, pp. 1494–1503

A maxmin location problem with nonconvex feasible region : F. Fernandez, J. Puerto and A.M. Rodriguez-Chia Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 48, 1997, pp. 479–489

A maxmin location problem with nonconvex feasible region : F. Fernandez, J. Puerto and A.M. Rodriguez-Chia Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 48, 1997, pp. 479–489

Nested heuristic methods for the location-routeing problem : G. Nagy and S. Salhi Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 47, 1996

Nested heuristic methods for the location-routeing problem : G. Nagy and S. Salhi Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 47, 1996

Genetic algorithms applied to computationally difficult set covering problems : L.A.N. Lorena and L. de Souza Lopes Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 48, 1997, pp. 440–445

Genetic algorithms applied to computationally difficult set covering problems : L.A.N. Lorena and L. de Souza Lopes Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 48, 1997, pp. 440–445

Control of Freeway Traffic Flow.

(1997). Control of Freeway Traffic Flow. Journal of the Operational Research Society: Vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 450-450.

Success and survival of operational research groups—A review

Operational Research groups were established in private and public sector organizations following on from their success supporting the military in the Second World War. In the early years their numbers grew rapidly but by the mid-1970s evidence started to accumulate that they were being viewed less favourably. Many organizations chose not to set up OR groups. Established groups were closed down or dispersed to operating units in organizations, particularly during the recessionary periods. In 1993 following on the closures of some major OR groups in the UK, the Operational Research Society decided to fund research to examine those factors influencing a group's success and survival. This review, which forms part of the research, first examines the history of OR groups in the UK and North America, arguing that in practice they were one of a number of internal organizational consultancies. As such they were judged by their competitive performance. Despite the intent of the founding fathers of OR many groups found their scope was limited to mainly tactical problems using analytical model based approaches although there were exceptions that were successful in making major contributions at the strategic level also. Within their chosen fields of activity however many groups flourished whilst some failed. This review presents a comprehensive list of influences on success and survival. They include changes in the external environment, together with shifts in managerial style and culture, organizational factors, and the OR group itself. The review concludes that, while OR groups can do much to protect themselves from closure, organizational changes within a hostile managerial culture demand a creative response that acknowledges new requirements. Areas where an OR group has greatest influence over its effectiveness include its leadership and personnel, project balance and management. In addition, to be successful OR groups need to positively develop and market their services in an increasingly competitive managerial climate.

OR/MS Publications: Extension of the Analysis of U.S. Flagship Journals to the United Kingdom

Reisman and Kirschnick (Reisman, A., F. Kirschnick. 1994. The devolution of OR/MS: Implications from a statistical content analysis of papers in flagship journals. Opns. Res. 42 577–588.) have analysed United States Flagship OR/MS Journals over a thirty-year period using statistical content analysis. We have applied their method of analysis, which seeks to distinguish between the space devoted to theory on the one hand and that devoted to applications on the other, to journals based in the United Kingdom. Using their definitions we have classified articles published in the Journal of the Operational Research Society (previously OR Quarterly), OMEGA, and OR Insight over the period from 1962 to 1994 to parallel their study. As well as shedding some light on the direction that OR/MS is taking in the United Kingdom, comparison is made with trends in the United States. Further, the European Journal of Operational Research has also been included in the analysis, adding a European dimension. The country of affiliation of the authors has been analysed, providing data on the publishing habits of U.S. authors in the United Kingdom and European-based journals. This casts new light on the findings of Reisman and Kirschnick (Reisman, A., F. Kirschnick. 1994. The devolution of OR/MS: Implications from a statistical content analysis of papers in flagship journals. Opns. Res. 42 577–588.). Finally, the paper contributes to the debate about the current state and future direction of OR/MS.

A life in OR

Inaugural Address as President of the Operational Research Society, 3 September 1996

A multiobjective approach to design franchise outlet networks : John R. Current and James E. Storbeck Journal of Operational Research Society Vol. 45, 1994, pp. 71–81

A multiobjective approach to design franchise outlet networks : John R. Current and James E. Storbeck Journal of Operational Research Society Vol. 45, 1994, pp. 71–81

Location on a one-way rectilinear grid : Zvi Drezner and George O. Wesolowsky Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 46, 1996, pp. 735–746

Location on a one-way rectilinear grid : Zvi Drezner and George O. Wesolowsky Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 46, 1996, pp. 735–746

Siting facilities along a line when equity of service is desirable : Jay B. Ghosh Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 47, 1996, pp. 435–445

Siting facilities along a line when equity of service is desirable : Jay B. Ghosh Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 47, 1996, pp. 435–445

A new efficient heuristic for the minimum set covering problem : Mohamed Afif, Mhand Hifi, Vangelis Th. Paschos and Vassilis Zissimopoulos Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 46, 1995, pp. 1260–1268

A new efficient heuristic for the minimum set covering problem : Mohamed Afif, Mhand Hifi, Vangelis Th. Paschos and Vassilis Zissimopoulos Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 46, 1995, pp. 1260–1268

Bicriterion programs and managerial location decisions: application to the banking sector : Jesus T. Pastor Journal of Operational Research Society Vol. 45, 1994, pp. 1351–1362

Bicriterion programs and managerial location decisions: application to the banking sector : Jesus T. Pastor Journal of Operational Research Society Vol. 45, 1994, pp. 1351–1362

Is linear programming necessary for single facility location with maximin of rectilinear distance? : Gautam M. Appa and Ioannis Giannikos Journal of Operational Research Society Vol. 45, 1994, pp. 97–107

Is linear programming necessary for single facility location with maximin of rectilinear distance? : Gautam M. Appa and Ioannis Giannikos Journal of Operational Research Society Vol. 45, 1994, pp. 97–107