Limitations of Operations Research

 Magnitude of Computations: OR tries to find out optimal

solution taking into account all the factors. In the modern
society these factors are enormous and expressing them in
quantity and establishing relationships among these required
complicated calculations which can only be handled by
machines.
 Non-Quantifiable factors: OR provides solution only when all
elements related to a problem can be quantified.
 Gap between Manager and Operations Researcher: OR being
specialist’s job requires a mathematician or statistician.
 Money & Time costs: When the basic data are subjected to
frequent changes, incorporation them into the OR model is a
costly affair.

 Implementation: Implementation of decision is a delicate task.

 Phases/Process of Operations Research
 Formulating the problem: Formulating a problem consists in
identifying, defining and specifying the measures of the
components of a decision model.
 Constructing the model: This phase is concerned with choice of
proper data inputs and design of the appropriate information
output. It requires the representation of interrelationship among
the elements in terms of mathematical formulae.
 Deriving the solution : This phase deals with mathematical
calculation for obtaining solution to the model. A solution to the
model means those values of the decision variables that
optimize the masseurs of effectiveness in a model.
 Testing the validity: A model is said to be valid if it can give a
reliable prediction of the system’s performance.

 Controlling the solution: This phase of the study establishes

control over the solution of proper feed back of the information
variables which deviated significantly.

 Implementing the solution: This phase would basically involve

a careful examination of the solution to be adopted and its
realities.