Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

Operations Research

Definition: Operations Research

Operations Research

Noun

1. Research designed to determine most efficient way to do something.

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 


Specialty Definitions: Operations Research

DomainDefinitions

Computing

The design of models for complex problems concerning the optimal allocation of available resources, and the application of mathematical methods to the solution of those problems. Source: European Union. (references)

Public Administration

Application of mathematical techniques and methods to arrive at operational decisions. Source: European Union. (references)

Statistics

The study of statistical methods, such as linear programming and simulation, in order to analyse and solve organisational problems. Source: European Union. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Specialty Definition: Operations research

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Operations research, operational research, or simply OR, is the use of mathematical models, statistics and algorithms to aid in decision-making. It is most often used to analyze complex real-world systems, typically with the goal of improving or optimizing performance. It is one form of applied mathematics.

Operations research in context

The terms operations research and management science are often used synonymously. When a distinction is drawn, management science generally implies a closer relationship to the problems of business management.

Operations research also closely relates to industrial engineering. Industrial engineering takes more of an engineering point of view, and industrial engineers typically consider OR techniques to be a major part of their toolset.

Some of the primary tools used by operations researchers are statistics, optimization, stochastics, queueing theory, game theory,graph theory and simulation. Because of the computational nature of these fields OR also has ties to computer science, and operations researchers regularly use custom-written or off-the-shelf software.

Operations research is distinguished by its ability to look at and improve an entire system, rather than concentrating only on specific elements (though this is often done as well). An operations researcher faced with a new problem is expected to determine which techniques are most appropriate given the nature of the system, the goals for improvement, and constraints on time and computing power. For this and other reasons, the human element of OR is vital. Like any tools, OR techniques cannot solve problems by themselves.

Areas of application

A few examples of applications in which operations research is currently used include the following:

Professional Societies

The International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS, http://www.ifors.org/) is an umbrella organization for operations research societies worldwide. Significant among these are the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS, http://www.informs.org/) and the Operational Research Society (http://www.orsoc.org.uk/). EURO is the association of European Operational Research Societies (http://www.euro-online.org). ASOR is the Australian Society for Operations Research (http://www.asor.ms.unimelb.edu.au/)

Origins and the name

Although foundations were laid earlier, the field of operations research as we know it arose during World War II, as military planners in the United Kingdom (including Patrick Blackett and Frank Yates) and in the United States looked for ways to make better decisions in such areas as logistics and training schedules. After the war it began to be applied to similar problems in industry.

It is known as "operational research" in the United Kingdom and as "operations research" in most other English-speaking countries, though OR is a common abbreviation everywhere. The name is somewhat unfortunate, since OR is no longer concerned only with operations, nor does its application involve any research in the traditional sense (though OR research is still carried out to find new or better techniques).

See also

Finding related topics

Other links

A comprehensive set of OR links is located at the INFORMS OR/MS Resource Collection: http://www.informs.org/Resources/

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Operations research."

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Crosswords: Operations Research

Specialty definitions using "operations research": A Language for Intelligent Combinatorial Exploration, ACCELERATOR OPERATOR, administrative analyst, ADMINISTRATOR, HEALTH CARE FACILITY, applications programmer-analys, ASOSbranch managerCHEMICAL ENGINEER, CHIEF ENGINEER, RESEARCH, CHIEF PETROLEUM ENGINEER, Commercial Internet eXchangeDIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH, director of institutional studies, director of major or capital gifts, DIRECTOR, FUNDS DEVELOPMENT, DIRECTOR, MUSEUM-OR-ZOOELECTRONICS ENGINEER, engineering test mechanicinteger mathematicslinear optimizationMANAGER, BROKERAGE OFFICE, mathematics and statistics, MEDICAL RECORD TECHNICIANnonlinear programming, NUCLEAR-FUELS RECLAMATION ENGINEER, NUCLEAR-FUELS RESEARCH ENGINEERobject-oriented programming, office managerPHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEER, PILOT, SUBMERSIBLE, PROGRAMMER-ANALYST, Programming, Linear, PROJECT MANAGER, ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCHstructural test mechanic, SUPERVISOR, LABORATORY ANIMAL FACILITY, Syntax/Semantic LanguageTEST EQUIPMENT MECHANICUniversity of London Computing Centrevice president for institutional researchWEIGHT ANALYST, Wild_LIFE. (references)

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Commercial Usage: Operations Research

DomainTitle

Books

  • Interactive Operations Research With Maple: Methods and Models (reference)

  • Introduction to Operations Research (reference)

  • Methods of Operations Research (reference)

  • Operations Research Applications and Algorithms (reference)

  • Optimization in Operations Research (reference)

    (more book examples)

  

Periodicals

  • Journal Of The Operations Research Society Of Japan (reference)

  • Military Operations Research - Incls Phalanx (reference)

  • Operations Research - Management Science (reference)

  • Mathematical Methods Of Operations Research (reference)

    (more periodical examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Frequency of Internet Keywords: Operations Research

The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com.
 
ExpressionFrequency
per Day

operations research

106

america operations research society

7

journal operations research

6

game operations research theory

5

operations research analyst

4

computer operations research

4

operations research job

4

military operations research society

4

chair operations research

4

analyst military operations research resume

3

annals operations research

2

military operations research

2

mathematics operations research

2

operations research book

2
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Modern Translations: Operations Research

Language Translations for "operations research"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.

Danish

  

operationsanalyse (operational research, operations analysis), virksomhedsforskning (operations analysis). (various references)

   

Dutch

  

operations research (operations analysis), operationeel onderzoek (operations analysis), operation research (operational research), besliskunde (operational research), bedrijfsresearch (operations analysis), bedrijfseconometrie (operational research, operations analysis). (various references)

   

Finnish

  

operaatiotutkimus (operations analysis), operaatioanalyysi (operational research). (various references)

   

French

  

RO (operational research), recherche opérationnelle (operational research, operations analysis), directeur de la recherche opérationnelle. (various references)

   

German

  

Unternehmensforschung (operational research). (various references)

   

Greek 

  

επιχειρησιακή έρευνα (operational research, operations analysis). (various references)

   

Italian

  

ricerca operativa (operational research, operations analysis). (various references)

   

Japanese Kanji 

  

オプション取引 (medical operation, obelisk, oblisque, Omaha, omega, omelette, omelette rice, omit, omnibus, Omron Corporation, opaque, opcode, OPEC, opera, opera glasses, opera house, opera-comique, operand, operating, operating system, operating-system, operation, operation center, operation code, operational, operational amplifier, operations, operator, operetta, opossum, opportunism, opportunist, opposition party, optical, optical art, optimism, optimist, optimistic, optimize, optimizer, option dealing, option trading, option transaction, optoelectronics, OR, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OS). (various references)

   

Japanese Katakana 

  

オペレーションリサーチ , オペレーションズリサーチ (OR). (various references)

   

Pig Latin

  

operationsay esearchray

   

Portuguese

  

pesquisa operacional (operational research, operations analysis), investigação operacional (operations analysis). (various references)

   

Russian 

  

исследование операций (operation analysis, operation research). (various references)

   

Spanish

  

investigación operativa, investigación de operaciones (operations analysis), análisis de operaciones (operations analysis). (various references)

   

Swedish

  

operationsanalys (operational research, operations analysis). (various references)

   

Vietnamese 

  

vận trù học. (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

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Anagrams: Operations Research

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

Words within the letters "a-a-c-e-e-e-h-i-n-o-o-p-r-r-r-s-s-t"

-4 letters: reincorporates.

-5 letters: arthroscopies, heterospories, reincorporate, stereophonies, terpsichorean.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.

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Alternative Orthography: Operations Research


Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)

4F 70 65 72 61 74 69 6F 6E 73      52 65 73 65 61 72 63 68

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)

    

Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)

01001111 01110000 01100101 01110010 01100001 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011 00100000 01010010 01100101 01110011 01100101 01100001 01110010 01100011 01101000

HTML Code (1990) (references)

&#79 &#112 &#101 &#114 &#97 &#116 &#105 &#111 &#110 &#115 &#32 &#82 &#101 &#115 &#101 &#97 &#114 &#99 &#104

ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)

004F 0070 0065 0072 0061 0074 0069 006F 006E 0073      0052 0065 0073 0065 0061 0072 0063 0068

Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)

4982718467867581808525271857167846974

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INDEX

1. Definition
2. Crosswords
3. Usage: Commercial
4. Expressions: Internet
5. Translations: Modern
6. Anagrams
7. Orthography
8. Bibliography


  

Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

 

 

 

 

Note to the press & webmasters - this dictionary can be linked, indexed, or referred to using the following non-English expressions:
woordeboek, fjalor, ‏معجم, ‏قاموس, diccionariu, речник, diccionari, diksyonario, diksinario, 字典, gérlyver, slovník, ordbog, woordenboek, shimiyuc p'anca, orðabók, orðbók, dictionnaire, wurdboek, wörterbuch, λεξικό, אוצר מילים, szótár, uqausiit tukingit, dizionario, 字引 , じい, じびき, じて", ディクショナリー , じり", じしょ, '"かい, ディクショナリ , 사 , dizionari, recnik, fockleyr, dikshonario, słownik, dicionário, dicţionar, dicziunari, словарь, lolomi fefiloi, foclair, abardair, faclair, briathrachan, pukuntau, leksikon, rečnik, vocabbulariu, diccionario, sí-chazamagâma, ordbok, lexikon, พจนานุกรม, sözlük, ansiklopedik sözlük, словник, довідник, có tính chất sách vở, geirlyfr, geiriadur, for dictionary;
definisie, qartësi, përcaktim, saktësi, ‏الوضوحية في الشيء, ‏حد, ‏تحديد, ‏تعريف, ‏التحديد, ‏الإيضاحية, яснота, сила, очертания, дефиниция, 定義 , 定义, definice, deskriptordefinition, definitie, määritelmä, définition, ορισμός, "'"ר", "'בל", meghatározás, definíció, definizione, 確定 , ディーゼル電気車 , デ'ドロ酢酸 , デフィニション , ディフィニション , ていぎ, かくてい, 의, geyrid, meenaghey, keeayllaght, baght, definishon, definição, definiţie, determinare, definire, определение, definicija, definición, definition, açıklama, belirleme, belirtme, kesinleştirme, tanım, tarif, seçiklik, tanımlama, чіткість, тлумачення, виразність, визначення, дефініція, ясність, чітка чутність, sự định rõ, sự định nghĩa, lời định nghĩa sự định, diffiniad, darnodiad, for definition;
vertaling, transferim, transmetim, ‏ترجمة من لغة أجنبية للغة الأم, ‏ترجمة, ‏إفتتان, транслация, огъване, превод, предаване, поддаване, тълкуване, превеждане, 翻译, překlad, oversættelse, translatie, taajuusmuutos, translaatio, traduction, oersetting, Übersetzung, μετάφραση, תור'מ ות, תר'ום, "עתק", "עתק, fordítás, traduzione, 翻訳 , へい"ういどう, やくしょ, やくしゅつ, "うどく, ほ"やく, トランスレーション , やくじゅつ, ほ"やくしょ, 번역, tradukshon, tradução, translaţie, tãlmãcire, traducere, сдвиг, трансляция, перемещение, перевод, tumačenje, traducción, översättning, tercüme, процес перекладу, переклад, пояснення, переміщення, sự dịch, sự biến th nh sự giải thích, trosiad, for translation;
Deens, danisht, danishte, ‏لغة الدانمركية, ‏نوع كعك, ‏دانماركي, датски език, датски, Daniko, 丹麦语, dánský, dánština, danskur, danskt, tanskalainen, danois, Deensk, dänisch, δανικόσ, δανόσ, עו'ת שמרים, " י, dán, danska, Danmhairgis, danese, 덴마크, Danvargish, Danvargagh, danes, dinamarquês, danez, датский, danski, danski jezik, danés, dansk, danimarkalı, danimarka dili, датський, датська мова, tiếng Đan-mạch, for Danish;
Nederlands, Hollands, holandez, ‏هولندي, ‏اللغة الهولندية, холандски, немски език, холандски език, холандците, немски, Olandes, 菏蘭語 , 荷兰语, holandský, nizozemský, hollandsk, hollendskt, hollantilainen, néerlandais, Nederlânsk, holländisch, ολλανδικόσ, ολλανδόσ, holandisht, "ול "י, holland, hollenskur, Ollainnis, olandese, 네덜란", Belanda, Ollanish, Germaanish, Tatimana, nederlandsk, ulandes, hulandes, holandês, neerlandés, olandez, nemţesc, limba olandezã, german, голландский, holanđanin, u škripcu, holandski, holandés, bakratongo, holländsk, ชาวเนเธอร์แลน"์, เกี่ยวกับเนเธอร์แลน"์, รรยา, alman, eş, flemenkçe, holandaca, hollanda, karı, hollandalı, hollandalılara özgü olan, Hollandali, hollanda'ya ait, голландська мова, голландський, ngôn ngữ khó hiểu, "b xã", for Dutch;
Fins, finlandez, finlandishte, finlandisht, ‏اللغة الفنلندية, ‏فنلندية, ‏فنلندي, фински език, фински, Pinlandino, 芬蘭語 , 芬兰语, finský, finskt, suomi, suomalainen, finnois, Finlandaise, finlandais, finnisch, φινλανδικόσ, פי י, finn, finnskur, finnska, finlandese, 핀란", Fynlannish, Fynlannagh, finlandês, finês, finlandezã, финский, Finisi, finski jezik, finski, finlandés, finés, finsk, fince, finlandiya'ya özgü, фінська мова, фінський, tiếng Phần-lan, for Finnish;
Franse taal, Frans, franceze, francez, frëngjisht, frëng, frëngjishte, ‏فرنسي, ‏اللغة الفرنسية, ‏الشعب الفرنسي, gall, френски език, френски, Pranses, 法國 , 法文 , 法語 , 法语, francouzština, francouzský, franskur, franskt, ranskalainen, français, Frânsk, französisch, γάλλοσ, γαλλικόσ, γαλλική γλώσσα, γαλλίδα, צרפתי, צרפתית, francia, Fraincis, francese, フレコン化 , フランス" , 仏文 , 仏 , ふつぶ", フレンチ , フランセ , ふつ, "랑스, Perancis, Ny Frangee, Mooinjey ny Frank, frances, franses, francês, francezii, francezã, franţuzesc, franţuzeşte, французский, Falani, francuski jezik, francuski, francuzi, francés, sí-Fulentji, fransk, franska, fransızca, Fransiz, fransızca ile ilgili, fransız, fransa ile ilgili, французька мова, французький, Ffrengig, isiFulentshi, for French;
Duits, Duitser, Duitse taal, Germaan, gjerman, ‏ضرب من الرقص, ‏جرماني, ‏المانية, ‏الماني, ‏اللغة الألمانية, роден, германски, немски език, немски, немец, готически, германец, 德語 , 德语, 德文 , 德國 , nìmecký, nìmec, tysker, Duitse, týskur, týskt, týskari, saksalainen, Allemand, Dútsk, Deutsche, Deutsch, "ερμανός, gjermanisht, 'רמ י, 'רמ ית, német, þjóðverji, þýskur, GearmÚnach, GearmÚinis, tedesco, ジプシー音楽 , ジャーマン , 독일, todesch, Germaanagh, Garmane, Germaanish, Carmane, aleman, Niemiec, niemiecki, alemão, alemand, neamţ, немецкий, Siamani, germanski, alemán, Tudesku, Doysri, mjeremani, mdachi, sí-Jalimáne, tysk, เยอรมัน, าษาเยอรมัน, Alman, німкеня, німецький, німець, $sisters german$ chị em ruột, $cousin german$ anh chị em con chú bác ruột, sister, Almaenwr, isiJalimane, iliJalimane, iJalimane, for German;
Grieks, Griek, ‏الإغريقي, ‏يوناني, ‏اللغة اليونانية, Griegu, гръцки език, гръцки, грък, Griyego, 希臘語 , 希腊语, řecký, řeètina, řek, græker, grikst, kreikkalainen, grec, Gryk, Gryksk, Gryks, grieche, ελληνικόσ, 'Ελληνας, יו ית, יו י, görög, Grikki, greco, ギリシア語 , ギリシア", 그리스, Greagish, Greagagh, grego, grèc, greacã, греческий, Eleni, grk, grčki jezik, grčki, griego, grek, Yunanli, yunanlı, yunanca, yunan, Rumca, yunanistan'a ait, rum, грек, гречанка, грецька мова, грецький, kẻ cắp b gi gặp nhau, quân bạc bịp tôi không thể hiểu được điều đó thật l kỳ phùng địch thủ, người Hy-lạp tiếng Hy-lạp kẻ bịp bợm, kẻ lừa đảo, Groegwr, for Greek;
Italianer, Italiaans, Italiaan, ‏شخص إيطالي, ‏اللغة الإيطالية, ‏الإيطالي, ‏إيطالي, Italianu, италиански език, италиански, италианец, Italyano, 意大利 , 意大利語 , 意大利语, italština, italský, ital, italiener, italienskt, italialainen, Italien, Italjaansk, italienisch, Ιταλός, italisht, איטלקי, איטלקית, olasz, Ítali, IodÚilis, italiano, 이탈리아, Iddaalish, Włoch, italianã, italienesc, italieneşte, italian, итальянский язык, итальянский, итальянец, Italia, italijanski, italijanski jezik, italijan, sí-Taliyáne, italienare, italiensk, italienska, เกี่ยวกับอิตาลี, ชาวอิตาลี, าษาอิตาลี, italyanca, italyan, італі"ць, італійська мова, італійський, італійка, for Italian;
Portugees, portugez, portugalisht, ‏اللغة البرتغالية, ‏البرتغالية, ‏البرتغالي, португалски език, португалски, португалец, Potuges, 葡萄牙语, 葡萄牙人 , 葡萄牙語 , portugalský, portugiser, portugisiskt, portugalilainen, portugais, Portugeesk, portugiesisch, πορτογάλοσ, ορτογάλος, portugál, Portaingéilis, portoghese, ポルトガル語 , ポルトガル", 포르투갈, Portiugish, Portiugagh, portugues, Portugalczyk, português, portughez, португальский, portugalski jezik, portugalski, portugalac, portugués, Mreno, si-Putúkezi, portugis, portekiz, Portekízlí, portekizli, portekizce, португальська мова, португальський, португалець, người B"-đ o-nha tiếng B"-đ o-nha, for Portuguese;
Russies, Rus, ‏الروسية, ‏روسي, ‏اللغة الروسية, Rusu, руски, руски език, руснак, Rusyan, 俄語 , 俄语, 俄文 , ruština, ruský, russer, russur, russiskt, venäläinen, Russysk, Russe, russisch, Ρώσος, רוסי, orosz, rússneskur, Rússi, Rúisis, russo, ロシア語 , ロシア", 러시아, Rooshish, Rooshagh, russisk, Rosjanin, русский, Lusia, ruski jezik, ruski, ruso, sí-Rashîya, ryss, ชาวรัสเซีย, rusça, росіянка, росіянин, російська мова, російський, người Nga tiếng Nga, for Russian;
Spaans, Spaanse taal, spanjoll, ‏اللغة الأسبانية, ‏الأسبانية, ‏أسباني, испански език, испански, espanyoles, Espanyol, 西班牙语, 西班牙文 , 西班牙語 , španìlský, španìlština, spanskt, espanjalainen, espagnol, Spaansk, spanisch, ισπανικά, ισπανικόσ, ισπανοί, karaiñe'êmegua, ספר"ית, ספר"י, spanyol, SpÚinnis, spagnolo, スペイン語 , スパイ罪 , スペイン", スパニッシュ , 스페인, Spaainagh, Spaainish, spañó, espanhol, espanhòl, spaniolesc, spanioleşte, spaniol, испанский, Sipaniolo, španski jezik, španski, español, spanska språk, spansk, ispanyollar, ispanyolca, ispanyol, іспанська мова, іспанський, for Spanish;
Sweeds, suedez, ‏اللغة السويدية, Suecu, шведски език, шведски, швед, Swedis, 瑞典語 , 瑞典语, švédský, švédština, Zweeds, svenskt, ruotsalainen, suédois, Sweedsk, schwedisch, σουηδικόσ, σουηδικά, svéd, sænskur, Sualainnis, svedese, スウェーデン語 , スウェーデン", 스웨덴, Soolynish, Soolynagh, suèc, шведский, švedski jezik, švedski, sueco, svensk, เกี่ยวกับคน าษาและวั'นธรรมของประเทศสวีเ"น, isveççe, isveç dili, isveç, Ísveçlí, шведська мова, шведський, người Thuỵ điển tiếng Thuỵ điển, for Swedish;
Vietnamees, vietnamez, vietnamisht, виетнамски език, виетнамски, Vietnamis, 越南語 , 越南 , 越南语, vietnamský, vietnamka, vietnamec, vietnamština, vietnameser, vjetmanskt, vietnamilainen, vietnamien, Fjetnameesk, vietnamese, vietnamesisch, Vietnamesin, 'ιετναμέζος, vietnami, vietnámi, ベトナ 人 , ベトナ じ", 트남, vietnamita, вьетнамский, vijetnamski jezik, vijetnamski, vijetnamac, vietnames, vietnam, vietnamlı, vietnam dili, в'"тнамець, в'"тнамський, người Việt nam tiếng Việt, for Vietnamese;