Management Science?

We hold academic appointments at University-based schools of business/management in fields which come under the general description “Management Science.” So, we are subject to review by our departmental, college and university Promotion and Tenure committees. We also work with industrial clients—consulting, teaching, etc.—where our work is subject to such immediate criteria as practicality, applicability and clarity.

However, as our colleagues know, there is an important unresolved conflict between what is required to advance through the academic ranks and what is required to conduct oneself successfully in the industrial setting. The recent commotion over Machol's letter in OR/MS Today [Machol, Robert E. 1975. Journal readability (Letter). OR/MS Today (November) 6–7.] is one sign of this conflict: there the issue is focused on “Journal Readability.”