Understanding the Process of Operational Research

In recent years there has been an emerging interest in the process by which operational research is carried out in organizations. This has been driven by the rapid developments which have taken place in the discipline throughout the 1980s. During this time, operational research (OR) has undergone a period of significant reappraisal and, as a result, a deeper understanding of OR and its use in an organizational setting has been gained. This book provides a broad historical context within which recent developments can be evaluated and future change can be anticipated. This volume contains a collection of 19 readings drawn from the 1930s to the 1990s. Arranged in four chronological sections with introductory essays providing a thematic structure, this material acts as a signpost to the major steps in the development and understanding of OR as it is practised today.