What is Operations Research

(Management Science)?
 Mathematical modelling of complex
situations to help make better decisions

- identify all decision options

- under given constraints
- select the ‘best’ decision based on the
stated objective (min costs, max service
levels etc.)
Model Building:
 Important aspect of OR
 Abstraction of the real world decision
problem
 Trade off between realism and
tractability (solvability)
Types of Models:
 Deterministic
- Input known with certainty

 Stochastic
- Input not known with certainty
Classification of Models by
Techniques Used:
 Linear, Integer, Nonlinear, Goal
Programming
 Transportation or Distribution
 Networks
 Inventory
 Simulation
 Queuing
What we will look at:
 Introduction to Models – Problem
Structuring and Analysis
 Linear Programming Models
 Transportation/Network Models
 Integer Programming Models
 Nonlinear programming Models
 Multi Criteria Decision Making
 Their applications
Applications:
 Capacity Planning and Utilization
 Resource Planning and Utilization
 Location Decisions
 Personnel Planning and Scheduling
 Budgeting
 Project Selection / Management
 Inventory Management
 Movement of Goods, Logistics, SCM
Applications:
 Fleet Management
 Yield (Revenue) Management
 Military
 Health
 Infrastructure Development
 Transport - Routing/scheduling
 Forestry
 Public Utilities (water, electricity)
Applications in Industry:
 Airlines
 Telecommunications
 Service
 Textile
 Chemicals
 Cement
 Food
Applications in Industry:
 Paper and Wood Products
 Metal
 Cement
 Petroleum Refining
 Mining
 Food
 Useful Resources
 Moodle - Solver template files and
application articles

Applications…
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3390-IYcLiQ
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzSWMw4P8x8
 Interfaces (INFORMS Journal on Applied
Analytics)
 https://pubsonline.informs.org/journal/inte
 Useful Resources
 Links to Institute for Operations Research
and Management Science site…

 http://www.informs.org/
 https://pubsonline.informs.org/magazine/analyti
cs
 https://pubsonline.informs.org/magazine/orms-
today