How OR can survive and prosper

Abstract

This paper examines the success and failure of OR groups, with emphasis on a highly successful American military OR group in the 1940s and an American civilian group which in the past dozen years has proven to be perhaps the most successful OR group in history. They have in common that their success was largely due to emphasis on the nitty-gritty of the problem, and that they saw their recommendations through to implementation.

Keywords:

• history of OR
• OR groups
• success and survival