The Management Science/Operations Research Industrial-Academic Interface

An analysis of how directors of the MS/OR function in industry view the industrial-academic interfaces of (1) professional journals, (2) professional societies, and (3) the directors' hiring practices replicates a study by Cox, Ledbetter and Smith [1978], allowing comparisons to be made and changing views to be identified. Questionnaires were sent to the MS/OR managers of the 500 largest US industrial corporations. The response rate was approximately 19 percent. Characteristics of the directors were investigated, the three interfaces were examined, and implications for academicians and practitioners were identified.