Management Science Implementation: Experiences of a Practicing O.R. Manager

This paper is a commentary on the experiences of a practicing OR manager involved in the application of management science in a large public enterprise. These experiences show that implementation is not the aftermath of a scientific investigation; it is an integral part of the problem solving and system design process. Through the analysis of several practical difficulties encountered in the OR/MS application, an implementation strategy is suggested which proposes re-examination of the optimality concept and the interdisciplinary teamwork approach to OR/MS implementation.