Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary objective of the Society related to Operational Research?
What is the primary objective of the Society related to Operational Research?
Which of the following statements best defines Operational Research according to H.M. Wagner?
Which of the following statements best defines Operational Research according to H.M. Wagner?
What is one of the key features of Operational Research?
What is one of the key features of Operational Research?
What does the scientific approach in Operational Research emphasize?
What does the scientific approach in Operational Research emphasize?
Signup and view all the answers
Which group of professionals typically collaborates in an Inter-Disciplinary Team Approach in Operational Research?
Which group of professionals typically collaborates in an Inter-Disciplinary Team Approach in Operational Research?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a benefit of using Operational Research techniques in decision-making?
What is a benefit of using Operational Research techniques in decision-making?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of journal does the Society publish?
What type of journal does the Society publish?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the purpose of the Graduate Diploma in Operational Research examination?
What is the purpose of the Graduate Diploma in Operational Research examination?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the main goal of Operational Research?
What is the main goal of Operational Research?
Signup and view all the answers
Where did the modern concept of Operational Research originate?
Where did the modern concept of Operational Research originate?
Signup and view all the answers
Which technique is NOT commonly used in Operational Research?
Which technique is NOT commonly used in Operational Research?
Signup and view all the answers
What was one of the significant contributions of Charles Babbage to Operational Research?
What was one of the significant contributions of Charles Babbage to Operational Research?
Signup and view all the answers
When was the Operational Research Society of India founded?
When was the Operational Research Society of India founded?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the main function of the Operational Research Society of India?
What is the main function of the Operational Research Society of India?
Signup and view all the answers
During which event was Operational Research significantly utilized?
During which event was Operational Research significantly utilized?
Signup and view all the answers
Where is the headquarters of the Operational Research Society of India located?
Where is the headquarters of the Operational Research Society of India located?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the main aim of the system approach in operational research?
What is the main aim of the system approach in operational research?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is the use of computers necessary in operational research?
Why is the use of computers necessary in operational research?
Signup and view all the answers
What aspect is typically not considered in deriving quantitative solutions in operational research?
What aspect is typically not considered in deriving quantitative solutions in operational research?
Signup and view all the answers
In which fields is operational research extensively used?
In which fields is operational research extensively used?
Signup and view all the answers
What is one of the purposes of operational research models?
What is one of the purposes of operational research models?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is a component of national planning facilitated by operational research?
Which of the following is a component of national planning facilitated by operational research?
Signup and view all the answers
What does operational research attempt to resolve within an organization?
What does operational research attempt to resolve within an organization?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is NOT a typical application of operational research?
Which of the following is NOT a typical application of operational research?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary goal of transportation problems in operations research?
What is the primary goal of transportation problems in operations research?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is it costly to incorporate frequently changing basic data into operations research models?
Why is it costly to incorporate frequently changing basic data into operations research models?
Signup and view all the answers
What aspect is crucial to consider during the implementation phase of a decision?
What aspect is crucial to consider during the implementation phase of a decision?
Signup and view all the answers
What do sequencing models in operations management primarily aim to minimize?
What do sequencing models in operations management primarily aim to minimize?
Signup and view all the answers
What considerations must be taken when analyzing the feasibility of adding facilities?
What considerations must be taken when analyzing the feasibility of adding facilities?
Signup and view all the answers
What is one of the main applications of Operational Research (OR) in the defense services?
What is one of the main applications of Operational Research (OR) in the defense services?
Signup and view all the answers
Which approach is not typically associated with Operational Research methodology?
Which approach is not typically associated with Operational Research methodology?
Signup and view all the answers
In which sector can Operational Research be effectively applied for Maintenance Management?
In which sector can Operational Research be effectively applied for Maintenance Management?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following techniques is NOT a part of Operational Research tools?
Which of the following techniques is NOT a part of Operational Research tools?
Signup and view all the answers
What does Linear Programming primarily focus on?
What does Linear Programming primarily focus on?
Signup and view all the answers
Which area does not fall under the applications of OR in R&D and engineering?
Which area does not fall under the applications of OR in R&D and engineering?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the purpose of Queuing Theory in Operational Research?
What is the purpose of Queuing Theory in Operational Research?
Signup and view all the answers
What is an objective of optimizing resources through Linear Programming?
What is an objective of optimizing resources through Linear Programming?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Introduction to Operational Research
- Operational Research (OR) is a systematic and analytical approach to decision-making and problem-solving.
- OR, as used in various countries, is a branch of applied mathematics using techniques and statistics to find optimal solutions.
- OR aims to maximize profit, output, and efficiency and minimize losses, costs and time.
- OR is a vital part of industrial engineering.
- Key tools for OR researchers include statistics, game theory, and probability theory.
History of Operational Research
- The exact origin of OR is unclear, but it emerged in England during World War II.
- Some attribute the origin to Charles Babbage (1791-1871) due to his research into the cost of transportation and sorting of mail.
- OR originated with research at the Bowdsey Research Station in the UK in 1937 to analyze the UK's early radar warning systems.
- During World War II, approximately 1000 men and women worked on operations research for the British Army.
- After WWII, military OR in the UK evolved into Operational Analysis (OA) within the UK Ministry of Defence, incorporating expanded techniques.
Operational Research in India
- The Operational Research Society of India was established in 1957.
- Its purpose is to support operational research scientists and provide a platform to expand knowledge.
- The society is affiliated with the International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS).
- The organization has 12 operating chapters across various Indian cities.
- OR in India aims to advance knowledge and conduct research through information exchange.
- It strives to maintain professional and academic standards.
- Contributing members receive income tax exemptions under section 80(G)(5)(vi) of the Income Tax Act 1961.
- The society publishes a quarterly journal ("OPSEARCH").
- The society has offered a Graduate Diploma in Operational Research since 1973.
Definition of Operational Research
- OR is defined as "an act of winning wars without actually fighting" (Arthur Clark).
- It's a scientific approach for executive management decision-making problems (H.M. Wagner).
- OR is the "art of giving bad answers to a problem that otherwise would have worse answers" (T.L. Saaty).
Features of Operational Research
- Decision-Making
- Scientific Approach
- Inter-Disciplinary Team Approach
- System Approach
- Use of Computers
- Objectives
- Human Factors
Decision Making in OR
- OR helps industrial organizations solve problems and find optimal solutions effectively.
- Improves decision-maker creativity, analysis, and coordination.
- Employs scientific methods, techniques, and tools for problem analysis and solution.
- Aims to eliminate guesswork and personal biases in decision-making.
Inter-Disciplinary Team Approach
- Industrial problems require a team effort involving scientists, mathematicians, and technocrats.
- OR tools are employed to find optimal solutions and analyze the cause-and-effect of variables within a problem statement.
- The team assesses and evaluates diverse alternatives/strategies.
System Approach
- The primary goal of the system approach is to analyze and assess the effects of proposed solutions across all the inter-related systems to a subject matter.
- It investigates the inter-relationships and interplay of diverse interconnected sub-systems/elements/agents.
Use of Computers
- OR models frequently demand significant computational resources.
- Thus, computers are critical for handling complex problems with extensive calculations.
- OR Models aim at finding the "Best/Optimal Solutions".
- Organizational objectives are analyzed and used as a benchmark for comparing alternative actions/approaches.
Human Factors
- Human psychology and behavior significantly influence problem-solving efforts in OR.
- A thorough understanding of human factors is crucial to effective OR study.
- OR is incomplete without incorporating human aspects into analyses.
Scope of Operational Research
- OR applications extend to various organizations, not just defense services.
- Applicable across all fields of human activity.
- OR attempts to resolve conflicts of interest among different elements/agents within an entity.
- OR aims at finding the optimal solution of a problem for a particular entity/organization.
Fields of Application of Operations Research
- National Planning and Budgeting (e.g., Five-Year Plans, Annual Budgets)
- Defence Services (new technology development, resource optimization, project management)
- Industrial Establishments and Private Sector Units (plant location, production planning)
- Research and Development and Engineering
Methodologies/Approaches of Operational Research
- Orientation
- Problem Definition
- Data Collection
- Model Formulation
- Solution
- Analyses and Information
- Implementation and Monitoring
Techniques/Tools of Operational Research
- Linear Programming (LPP)
- Queuing Theory (to quantify queue behavior).
- Sequencing (finding the optimal order of jobs).
- Transportation Problems (handling logistics and transportation)
- Integer Problems
- Assignment Problems
- Decision Theory and Game Theory
- Replacement problems
- Symbolic logic
Linear Programming
- Optimizes a given objective (maximizing or minimizing) for problems with linear objective and constraints.
Queuing Theory
- Studying queue formations/management in systems with waiting times.
Sequencing
- Establishing optimal job processing sequences to minimize overall elapsed time.
Transportation Problems
- To optimize transportation/shipment costs across multiple sources and destinations.
Time and Money Cost
- Data shifts necessitate costly adjustments to OR models.
- More desirable solutions often emerge sooner despite not being perfect.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Related Documents
Description
Explore the systematic approach of Operational Research (OR) in decision-making and problem-solving. This quiz covers the key tools, historical origins, and applications of OR in various domains. Test your knowledge on how OR optimizes efficiency and minimizes costs.
