LP Education as a Path to LP Implementation

Mathematical programming was one of numerous important areas of research and application which, by the 1960's, called for wide-ranging new educational developments. What was scarcely thought about—while mathematical programming research was in its heyday—was that the field was in transition from being “research-driven” to being “education-driven.” Education was beginning to replace research as the fountainhead of further research and application. Only if research were to continue to produce new basic results at the rate of the 50's and 60's could it be otherwise. Indeed it has been clear for the last few years that the field has settled down to being education-driven. It seems timely in this perspective to look back at some of the history of the educational side, to take note of its current status, and to give thought to its future.