IN SOME QUARTERS TODAY, ONE WILL HEAR THE science of operations research described as a discipline of yesteryear, a sort of dusty if useful set of theoretical tools dating from World War II. It is almost a quarter-century since Russ Ackoff wrote the paper “The Future of Operations Research is Past.” In fact, many others have criticized OR as useful in tackling minor problems, but almost useless in formulating major strategies or creating solutions to complex problems of broad scope.
Volume 31, Number 2, April 2004
FEATURE ARTICLES
DEPARTMENTS 
Inside Story
International Entrepreneurs
Welcome to the annual Special International Issue of OR/MS Today, the seventh in a series aimed at giving readers a taste of the wide world of operations wherever it happens to be practiced or preached. As with our previous international OR expeditions, Andres Weintraub of Chile, a past president of the International Federation of Operational Researchers, was instrumental in bringing much of the work to our attention.
President's Desk
Academic/Practitioner Cooperation, Part 2: What to Do About It?
My first presidential column dealt with why academic/practitioner interaction is vital and why it is hard. This column will discuss some things that INFORMS is or should be doing about it.
Cyberspace
Online Grocery Stores, Part II
How should we deliver groceries for an online order? Five years ago, in the June 1999 issue of this column, I wrote about different supply chain models for online grocery stores illustrating with Peapod, Groceronline, Planet-Organics and Streamline [1]. Since then, the online grocery market has thrived, but Groceronline and Streamline have disappeared, as has Webvan. The other two have had challenges but continue to operate. Time for an update.
Issues in Education
Decision-Support Systems Development: An Essential Part of OR Education
Equipped with the modeling and algorithmic skills taught in the standard OR curriculum, Susan is ready to solve real-world problems. With a knowledge and understanding of theory and applications of mathematical programming, simulation techniques and supply-chain management, she is ready to help her company solve distribution problems by linear programming, inventory problems by applying the EOQ model, and manpower planning problems by integer programming. But then, as she interacts more with her colleagues and team members, it slowly dawns on her that the models she learned in college are not taking her very far.
Was It Something I Said
The Trouble with ROI
When we left off last time, I had just finished ranting about the first salesperson who came rolling into my presence with a slick return-on-investment model and tried to shove it down our throat in order to somehow close a deal before the close of his fiscal quarter. Sales managers refer to this as “pulling a rabbit out of a hat.”
Viewpoint
A Fortnight in Bellagio
From March 10-23, we were in residence at the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Study and Conference Center located in Bellagio on Lake Como in northern Italy. The Bellagio Center opened in 1959 to allow scholars, scientists, artists and writers, as well as policymakers and practitioners from around the globe, to pursue their research and creative work. Its setting is idyllic with views of Lake Como and the Alps, coupled with magnificent gardens and parks. The beauty of the setting, the support that we received, the rewarding interactions with other scholars outside our disciplines, and the musicians, artists and writers that were in residence during our stay provided us with a truly unique and exceptional environment in which to pursue our research project.
Real World
Bringing Home the Bronze
When Allison Stewart jumped down from a Chinook helicopter to the sizzling tarmac of Baghdad International Airport last June, she never guessed she would leave three short months later with a Bronze Star stuffed in her backpack. Only a week earlier, Stewart, an Army captain, had learned that her first deployment after being in the military for more than nine years would be to the very center of operations in Iraq.
Last Word
Should Analytics or Rules Drive e-Sales?
Businesses devote tremendous effort to managing rules. Whether the rules dictate payment terms under a contract or compliance with government regulations, rules are an important part of running a business.
ORacle
The Restaurant Critic’s Parable
“What a great meal!” the OR/MS analyst beamed, looking once again around the elegant French restaurant as his wife sipped her after-dinner coffee. “I see why you think so highly of this place.”
Forum
DEMOCRACY IN OPERATION : Voting, Technology and OR
IN HIS LECTURE TO THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL Conference on Operational Research, Philip Morse laid out the range of concerns that a science of OR would cover. This science would investigate “operations” as mathematical abstractions in order to draw broad conclusions about their behavior. Many practitioners view the limits of the field as broad enough to encompass studying the details of particular processes with an eye to improving their functionality. The technology behind voting in America covers the range of OR concerns from broad science to specific process design.
Letters to the Editor
The Name Game: Time to Move Forward
Mathieu Balez raises some excellent points on “naming the profession” in the February issue of OR/MS Today (“Operations Research Gives Profession a Bad Name,” 2004, OR/MS Today, Vol. 31, No. 1, p. 21). It’s hard to argue with his feelings, but I’d like to make three points to more clearly explain the Board’s decision to move forward with O.R. (note the periods) as the name of our profession in the “Science of Better” campaign. We did tackle the issue – and faced a difficult, important tradeoff.
Post-Modern OR
Post-Modern OR
IN SOME QUARTERS TODAY, ONE WILL HEAR THE science of operations research described as a discipline of yesteryear, a sort of dusty if useful set of theoretical tools dating from World War II. It is almost a quarter-century since Russ Ackoff wrote the paper “The Future of Operations Research is Past.” In fact, many others have criticized OR as useful in tackling minor problems, but almost useless in formulating major strategies or creating solutions to complex problems of broad scope.
Online Optimization
Online Optimization
IN 1967, WHEN I RETURNED TO GERMANY FROM the United States to become the chairman of the newly founded Operations Research Department at the Aachen Institute of Technology, the literature was full of claims that OR was already dead [1]. The best way to justify the existence of OR as a discipline or technology in its own right that came to my mind was to start a company that specialized in OR. If the company was successful and saved clients money, I thought it would help OR grow in an acceptable way. This was the start of the Institute for Operations Research and Management (INFORM), an incorporated company in Aachen launched with an initial investment of 5,000 Deutsche marks (approximately $2,000).
Home Care Operations
Home Care Operations
THEPROVISIONOFHIGHQUALITYSOCIALCARE for the elderly is a growing concern throughout the Western world. Home care for elderly people is quite an anonymous operation for many OR professionals. There may be many reasons for this, but the lack of challenging problems is certainly not one of them. The health care system in many countries is facing increasing costs. The major reason is the changing age distribution of the population, with more elderly people in need of support. At the same time, health care systems are often highly labor intensive.