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

Definition: Operations Research |
Operations ResearchNoun1. Research designed to determine most efficient way to do something. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
| Domain | Definitions |
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. | |
(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.
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.
A few examples of applications in which operations research is currently
used include the following:
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/)
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).
A comprehensive set of OR links is located at the INFORMS OR/MS Resource Collection: http://www.informs.org/Resources/Operations research in context
Areas of application
Professional Societies
Origins and the name
See also
Finding related topics
Other links
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Operations research."
| Domain | Title |
Books | |
Periodicals |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| 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. |
| 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 pesquisa operacional (operational research, operations analysis), investigação operacional (operations analysis). (various references) исследование операций (operation analysis, operation research). (various references) investigación operativa, investigación de operaciones (operations analysis), análisis de operaciones (operations analysis). (various references) operationsanalys (operational research, operations analysis). (various references) vận trù học. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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. | |
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)O p e r a t i o n s   R e s e a r c h |
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 |
| 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; |