Introduction to Operational Research
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary focus of Operational Research?

  • Increasing employee satisfaction
  • Enhancing product design
  • Minimizing losses and costs (correct)
  • Maximizing human resources

    • Which branch of mathematics is not typically associated with Operational Research?

  • Probability Theory
  • Calculus (correct)
  • Statistics
  • Game Theory

    • What historical event is generally accepted as the origin of Operational Research?

  • World War II (correct)
  • The Cold War
  • World War I
  • The Industrial Revolution

    • Who is often referred to as the Father of Operational Research?

    <p>Charles Babbage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When was the Operational Research Society of India founded?

    <p>1957</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which location is the headquarters of the Operational Research Society of India?

    <p>Kolkata</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the original focuses of the Bowdsey Research Station in 1937?

    <p>Enhancing radar system operations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many Operating Chapters does the Operational Research Society of India currently have?

    <p>12</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary goal of the system approach in operational research?

    <p>To evaluate indirect effects on sub-systems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is the use of computers essential in operational research?

    <p>To manage complex problems with heavy calculations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect is typically excluded from the quantitative solutions in operational research?

    <p>Human factors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a field in which operational research is extensively used?

    <p>Healthcare Management</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about the objectives of operational research is TRUE?

    <p>It aims to define and analyze organizational objectives.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the applications of operational research in national planning?

    <p>Forecasting income and expenditure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does operational research aim to resolve conflicts of interest within an organization?

    <p>By seeking solutions that benefit the organization as a whole</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Operational research is applicable in which of the following sectors?

    <p>Both public and private sectors, including R&amp;D</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the primary objectives of the Society mentioned?

    <p>Promoting and propagating knowledge in Operational Research</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which feature of Operational Research emphasizes the need for diverse skills and backgrounds?

    <p>Inter-Disciplinary Team Approach</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect does the Scientific Approach in Operational Research eliminate from decision-making?

    <p>Guesswork and personal bias</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What benefit does Operational Research provide to decision-makers in industrial organizations?

    <p>Optimal solutions to complex problems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the Society ensure high quality in its publications?

    <p>Through peer reviews and expert evaluation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of a misconception about Operational Research?

    <p>It is merely guesswork in decision-making</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What tax benefit is associated with contributions to the Society?

    <p>Exemption of income tax under Section 80(G)(5)(vi)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What kind of educational opportunity has the Society provided since 1973?

    <p>Graduate Diploma in Operational Research</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT an application area of Operational Research in defence services?

    <p>Plant Location and Setting</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of Linear Programming within Operational Research?

    <p>To allocate scarce resources optimally</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which methodology is the first step in the processes of Operational Research?

    <p>Orientation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following techniques is available for addressing problems related to queues?

    <p>Queuing Theory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of Operational Research, what does 'Value Engineering' primarily focus on?

    <p>Minimizing project costs while maintaining functionality</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an application of Operational Research in industrial establishments?

    <p>Finance Planning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common goal of conducting Research and Development using Operational Research techniques?

    <p>Preparation of Tender and Negotiation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the purpose of Assignment Problems in Operational Research?

    <p>To assign tasks to resources in the most efficient manner</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary goal of applying transportation models?

    <p>Minimize total transportation cost</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What complication is often faced in implementation of decisions in operations research?

    <p>Human resistance due to psychological factors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do sequencing models aid in processing jobs?

    <p>By finding a sequence that minimizes total elapsed time</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factor can increase computational time in operations research models?

    <p>Increasing size of the problem</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes a characteristic of waiting time analysis?

    <p>It assesses costs and feasibility of adding service facilities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Introduction to Operational Research

    • A systematic and analytical approach to decision making and problem solving
    • Uses techniques and statistics to arrive at optimal solutions for complex problems
    • Often concerned with maximizing profits, sales, output, efficiency and minimizing losses, risks, costs, and time
    • Important part of Industrial Engineering Profession

    History of Operational Research

    • Originated in England during World War II
    • Charles Babbage (1791–1871) is considered as a pioneer in Operational Research
    • Modern Operational Research began at the Bowdsey Research Station in the UK in 1937
    • During World War II, approximately 1000 men and women were employed to work for the British army
    • Operational Research in the UK became known as Operational Analysis (OA) within the Ministry of Defence after World War II

    Operational Research in India

    • Operational Research Society of India was founded in 1957
    • The Society is affiliated with the International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS)
    • The headquarters of the Society is located in Kolkata, India
    • The Society has 12 operating chapters across India
    • Objectives of the Society include the advancement of and research in Operational Research
    • The Society publishes a quarterly journal, OPSEARCH
    • The Society has been conducting an examination on Graduate Diploma in Operational Research since 1973

    Definitions of Operational Research

    • "It is an Act of winning wars without actually fighting." – Aurther Clark
    • "It is a Scientific Approach to problem solving for executive management." – H.M. Wagner
    • "It is the Art of giving bad answers to problems which otherwise 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

    • Helps executives obtain optimal solutions to problems
    • Improves the decision-maker's creative and analytical capabilities
    • Contributes to better control, coordination, systems, and decisions

    Scientific Approach

    • Applies scientific methods, techniques, and tools for the purpose of analysis and problem-solving
    • Eliminates guesswork and personal bias

    Inter-Disciplinary Team Approach

    • Utilizes a team of scientists, mathematicians, and technocrats to achieve optimal solutions
    • Analyzes the relationship between problem parameters and evaluates alternative strategies

    System Approach

    • Traces out all significant and indirect effects of proposals on sub-systems
    • Evaluates actions in terms of their effects on the entire system
    • Utilizes OR models to obtain acceptable solutions

    Use of Computers

    • Necessary for handling complex OR models requiring extensive computations

    Objectives

    • Aims to find the best or optimal solution to problems
    • Defines and analyzes organizational objectives
    • Uses objectives to compare alternative courses of action

    Human Factors

    • Acknowledges that human factors play a significant role in problem-solving
    • Emphasizes that the study of OR is incomplete without considering human factors

    Scope of Operational Research

    • Not limited to specific agencies (such as defense services)
    • Widely used in industrial organizations across various sectors
    • Applicable for solving simple and complex problems
    • Resolves conflicts among organizational components for the overall benefit of the organization

    Fields of Operational Research

    • National Planning and Budgeting
    • Defence Services
    • Industrial Establishments and Private Sector Units
    • R&D and Engineering

    National Planning and Budgeting

    • Used for
      • Preparation of Five Year Plans
      • Annual Budgets
      • Forecasting income and expenditure
      • Scheduling major national projects
      • Estimation of GNP, GDP, population, employment, and agricultural yields

    Defence Services

    • Used for
      • Development of new technology
      • Optimization of costs and time
      • Tender evaluation
      • Layouts of defense projects
      • Assessment of "Threat Analysis"
      • Battle strategies
      • Effective maintenance and replacement of equipment
      • Inventory control, transportation, and supply depots

    Industrial Establishments and Private Sector Units

    • Used for
      • Plant location and setting finance planning
      • Product and process planning
      • Facility planning and construction
      • Production planning and control
      • Purchasing
      • Maintenance management
      • Personnel management

    R&D and Engineering

    • Used for
      • Technology forecasting and evaluation
      • Technology and project management
      • Preparation of tenders and negotiations
      • Value engineering
      • Work/method study

    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
    • Queuing Theory
    • Sequencing
    • Transportation Problems
    • Integer Problems
    • Assignment Problems
    • Decision Theory and Games Theory
    • Replacement Problems
    • Symbolic Logic

    Linear Programming

    • Finds solutions for optimizing a given objective, such as maximizing profits or minimizing costs
    • Objective function and boundary conditions are linear in nature
    • Solves product-mix and distribution problems of enterprises
    • Used to allocate scarce resources in problems of scheduling, product mix, etc.

    Queuing Theory

    • Deals with situations where queues form (e.g., customers waiting for service, machines waiting for repair)
    • Analyzes the feasibility of adding facilities and assesses the amount and cost of waiting time
    • Determines the optimal number of service facilities

    Sequencing

    • Develops models to find a sequence for processing jobs to minimize the total elapsed time
    • Resolves conflicts between maximizing machine utilization and meeting delivery deadlines

    Transportation Problems

    • Deals with transporting products from multiple sources with limited supplies to multiple destinations with specific demands
    • Aims to minimize total transportation cost
    • Schedules shipment to minimize costs

    Implementation

    • A delicate task that considers human relations and behavior
    • Resistance to implementation may be due to psychological factors

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    Description

    Explore the fundamentals of Operational Research, its importance in decision-making, problem-solving, and its historical context. This quiz covers its origins during World War II, key contributions, and developments in both the UK and India. Test your knowledge on this vital field in Industrial Engineering.

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