OPERATIO RESEARCH .DJ-1
OPERATIO RESEARCH .DJ-1
OPERATIO RESEARCH .DJ-1
THAL UNIVERSITY
BHAKKAR
OPERATIONS RESEARCH :
As far as Industrial Revolution of the
19th century is concerned, it can be
understood as mechanization or replacement
of human by machine as a source of
physical work. It was on such work that the
study and improvement of work, which
became the foundation of industrial
engineering, was based. Modern day
problems are all about automating or
mechanizing mental tasks in most of the
cases. The major forms of technology
include the mechanization of symbol
generation (observation by instruments like
radar and sonar), the mechanization of
symbol transmission (communication by telephone, radio and T. V), as well as the mechanization of
the manipulation of symbol (data and decision making by computer). Operations research uses
scientific principles to analyze mental work and brings in the requisite knowledge and understanding
for using manpower and machines for shaping this kind of mental work.
Indeed, every attempt that was made to apply science to management of the organized
systems and their understanding was in a way, attempt at OR. It started as a discrete field of
study however in 1937 in Britain due to the efforts of A. P. Rowe, Britain‟s Bawdsey Research
Station superintendent who motivated British scientists to educate military strategists on how to
use radar to identify enemy aircrafts as this technology was newly developed. By the year 1939,
the Royal Air Force fully got into practice in attempts of the expansion in the range of radar
equipment in a bid to delay the time in which the radar warns of the incoming enemy aeroplane
and the time the actual attack happens. Firstly they looked into physical tools and
telecommunications systems, but they also looked into the behaviour of the operating staff and
subservient officials. From the results of the studies, it was possible to determine the directions
for optimizing the techniques of the operators and determine hidden shortcomings in the
network.
The same trend was observed in the British Army and the Royal Navy; and, as you may
have expected, radar was the stimulus for change. It was in the army that the use of operations
research started – out of the initial effort to use the radar in controlling the fire of antiaircraft
weapons. Since the traditional method of testing the equipment did not appear to be applicable in
radar gun sights , it was only natural that it had to be tested under field conditions, and thus, the
distinguished British physicist and later Nobel Laureate, P. M. S. Blackett led a team towards
solving the antiaircraft problem.
Among the members of Blackett‟s Antiaircraft Command Research Group, there were two
physiologists, two mathematical physicists, an astrophysicist, an army officer, a former surveyor;
later they were joined by another physiologist, general physicist and two mathematicians.
In 1942, the first organized operations research activity in the United States was established
in the Naval Ordnance Laboratory. This group which was concerned with mine warfare problems
was later shifted to the Navy Department from which it planned the aircraft mining blockade of
inland sea in Japan.
Finally in 1943, one of the most important figures in the American military, Gen. George
Marshall recommended to all theatre commanders that it was time for them to form teams to
cover the aspects of the amphibious and the ground operation.
After the second world war, a group of British operation research workers transferred to
government and industry. The nationalization of several British industries was an important
factor. At the National Coal Board, one of the first industrial groups was formed. Nationalized
electricity and transport industries adopted operations research shortly after it was first utilized.
Some sections of the private sector especially those firms that where affiliated to cooperative
research associations begun copying the practice as was seen in the case of British Iron and Steel
Research Association.
Even in the United States while at the end of the war military research was stepped up,
groups were enlarged, it was not until the early 1950‟s for American industry to take serious stock
of operations research. The computer introduced the awareness of a whole range of broad system
problems and the possibility of solving them and about 50% of the large US corporations started
using operations research within the decade. The technique by then also used in industry
elsewhere.
The Operations Research Society in America was organized in 1952. Other national societies
emerged; the first international conference on operations research was conducted at Oxford
University in 1957. In 1959 an International Federation of Operational Research Societies was
established.
IT was in 1964 that the first chair in operations research was initiated at the newly set up
University of Lancaster. Comparable trends have been observed in all countries which have a
national operations research society.
The first scholarly journal, Operational Research Quarterly (later changed its name to
Journal of the Operational Research Society in 1978), was published in United Kingdom in 1950.
It was succeeded in 1952 by the Journal of the Operations Research Society of America which
changed its name to Operations Research in 1955. The International Federation of Operational
Research Societies started International Abstracts in Operations Research in 1961.
However, the overall growth trends depict that operations research is still a young scientific
activity area in its growth phase. Their techniques and methods as well as the fields they are
applied to are expected to grow at a fast pace. As for most of its history, it has yet to happen.
“
O
p
O
perations Research on the other hand is defined as a technique used by a team of scientist from any
discipline all working for an organization where the aim is to offer the decision maker the necessary
scientific support when solving problems of interaction of some of the organization components in
order to arrive at an optimal decision which is the best decision for the organization as a whole”.
Today‟s working environment for a manager is very challenging because of complexity in
business organizations. Today‟s business units comprise number of departments and every department
endeavor for meeting the goals of the organization.
While doing so sometimes the individual goal of one of the department may interfere with the goal of
the other department even though they are bound together to achieve over all organization‟s goal in
the interest of the organization.
In such situations, it will turn into a very complex problem for the general manager to have
coordination among the departments and to assign the available resources in the form of money,
machinery and man power etc to the departments in order to accomplish the aim of the organization.
It‟s also possible to categorize decisions depending on situations like the degree of certainty.
Operations Research on the other hand as the branch of applied mathematics that is focused on
the use of quantitative approaches for enhanced decision making in managerial capacities . Operations
research is also known as management science and industrial engineering Operations research
Operations research is the evaluation of complex operations and procedures in order to increase
efficiency , improve performance and justify decisions.
Or it is known to be as operation research; furthermore, Operation research is also abbreviated
to as O.R. In the country of origin of the first formally recognized group of practitioners, it is defined
as „operational research‟. Terms like „management science‟, „operational analysis‟ and „systems
analysis‟ are often interchanged with the term.
Operations research (OR) holds an imperative position in defense systems and provides tools
and approaches in decision making process. Here are some key areas where OR is applied in
defense:
OR assists in enhancing the efficiency of tactics used in the defense systems such as allocation
of troops, transport and distribution networks. OR models help in developing a plan of action
for conducting different military operations, compare between them, and predict the results of
each plan according to specific factors.
Example :
For instance during the gulf war, military strategist applied OR techniques to simulate war
impacts on strategic war theaters. It supported preparing the air and ground attack and defense
plans, as well as comparing the effectiveness of different staking strategies and utility of
resources on the basis of obtained intelligence information.
The ability to time and control resources, personnel, and equipment thereby preparing the
military without overdoing the same. OR is essential in supporting allocation of scarce
resources, including human resources, appliances, and finances to several operations currently
being conducted all over the world.
Example :
A number of the US Department of Defense uses OR models to determine the distribution of
soldiers and equipment in active theaters. For instance, during the Iraq War OR techniques
assisted in arriving at the best feasible locations of forces to meet shifting mission needs and
constraints on cost.
Optimization techniques assist in finding and training military employees as well as utilizing
them in the most effective way.
Example:
OR techniques are applied in the U.S. Navy to perform sailor crewing to the sailor‟s skills,
availability, and operational requirements. It also helps to guarantee that the appropriate staff
are staffed to the correct positions, at the correct time, and boosting organisational efficiency.
Consequently, OR is put into use in various industries for its objective of reducing waste and
optimizing the existing resources. Here is a thorough description of how operations research is
used in a variety of industries, along with actual examples:Here is a thorough description of how
operations research is used in a variety of industries, along with actual examples.Almost all
sectors can benefit from operations research (OR), which focuses primarily on process, decision,
and asset usage evaluation. Important application domains consist of
Cutting down on production process time, stock storage, and product quality assurance. Using
tools from operation research improves production function, lowers costs, and improves the
quality of the product.
Example:
When building its cars, the Toyota company uses OR approaches in addition to lean
manufacturing. To reduce the amount of parts they need to keep and increase productivity, they
assess the process by which newly created items are transported through the system, remove steps
and procedures that are not necessary, and bring in parts at the last minute.
Some of the models related to operational research are the Transportation Problem , Inventory
Models for effective inventory management , requirement forecasting , warehouse location and
transport management. Reducing operating costs by improving routing, factor scheduling, and
inventory control, all of which increase operational efficiency. By utilizing OR, logistics can be
improved through improved scheduling, routing, and inventory control Instance.
Example:
Amazon use intricate computations to manage its extensive and intricate inventory. They
apply OR models to optimize delivery schedules and warehouse management strategies that
reduce costs and delivery times while increasing customer satisfaction.
Improving patient flow, resource use, and scheduling in medical facilities. OR approaches
improve patient organization, availability, and flow across healthcare organizations.
Example: Cleveland Clinic utilizes operation research to address scheduling issues, namely
in the operating room.They reduce the amount of time that patients frequently have to wait for
their turn for surgery and increase the number of procedures performed in a given amount of time,
improving patient care and making the best and most efficient use of the resources that are
available.
In the context of investing, this includes projecting future cash flows, selecting assets to invest in,
and assessing risk. OR is used in financial planning, risk assessment, portfolio management, and
risk management decision-making.
Example: Cleveland Clinic The following companies, including Goldman Sachs, use OR
approaches in algorithmic trading and portfolio management. One advantage of this is that they
can use the provided models to minimize losses and enhance investment returns by better
understanding market movements.
To improve quality of service, this requires a lobby that will allow for network optimization and
the appropriate resources to be assigned. In this manner, OR helps to improve the quality of
services provided by the network and the utilization of organizational networks.
Example :
AT&T employs the technique of operations research in the planning and implementation of its
network. They keep an eye on the flow of data traffic and control how much bandwidth is
allocated to each service in order to provide reliable service while cutting on costs.
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Organizing and creating the best routes for public and freight transportation networks while
minimizing costs and travel times. OR methods enhance scheduling and routing in freight and
public transportation networks.
Example :
As an illustration, consider how UPS developed its "Orion" routing software, which optimizes
delivery routes for its drivers, using OR. They conserve gasoline, shorten delivery times, and
minimize left turns, all of which result in significant cost savings.
Managing inventory, predicting demand, and optimizing space to better serve customers. OR
improves inventory control, demand forecasting, and layout optimization of stores.
Example:
Walmart manages its inventory with OR and advanced analytics. In order to predict
demand for different products, they evaluate sales data. This helps them keep inventory costs
down and maintain ideal stock levels.
Precise and effective estimation of demand and modification of resource allocation in the
production and provision of electricity.Because of data analytics and computing capacity, OR
is still evolving and will therefore continue to be vital to decision-making in a variety of
industries. OR is used to estimate demand and optimize resource allocation in the production
and distribution of energy.
Example:
As an illustration Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) forecasts energy demand and
maximizes power generation using OR models. They may effectively manage resources and
plan for peak demand by examining past usage trends, which ensures dependability and
lowers costs.
OR techniques are instrumental in developing long-term strategies for economic growth and
national planning. Operations research (OR) plays a significant role in planning and optimizing
economic growth. Its scope in this area encompasses various aspects that contribute to effective
decision-making, resource allocation, and policy formulation. Here are some key areas where
operations research is applied in planning economic growth:
Maximizing output with limited resources: OR techniques like linear programming and
optimization models help in allocating resources (labor, capital, raw materials) efficiently
across industries or sectors to maximize economic output.
Example :
India being an agriculture driven country, they are faced with the problem of rationing factors
such as water for irrigation as well as seeds and fertilizers. OR techniques such as linear
programming is employed by the Indian government in managing the availability of irrigation
water to crops depending on seasonal issues, weather forecasts on rainfall, and productivity
expiration rates of the crops. This leads to increased yield in crop production and food
security hence the economic development of the country.
Balancing trade-offs : OR assists in analyzing trade-offs between competing
objectives, such as between growth and inflation, or between investments in infrastructure
and social services.
Governments can use OR to plan the construction of roads, bridges, and public utilities,
minimizing costs and maximizing impact on economic development.
Example :
Transportation in Japan :
The application of OR techniques can be seen in Japan‟s railway system especially the
Shinkansen (bullet train) system. All the facets of train scheduling, passenger traffic control,
and growth of railroad networks are done with the help of operations research models that
focus on the reduction of wait times. Supply chain models guarantee frequent and punctual
train services to help boost links to key economic centres such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.
In macroeconomic planning, OR helps formulate policies by creating models that predict the
impact of different fiscal and monetary policies on inflation, employment, and GDP growth.
Example :
Budget Planning in the U. S.
In the U. S, the legislative branch of government, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
applies econometric models and OR techniques to evaluate the outcomes of applying different
fiscal policies including changes in rates of tax or spending. They are useful in as far as they
assist in preparing the federal budget through predicting the likely economic scenario,
inflation level, unemployment level, and GDP in the course of developing the budget and in
the future.
Economic forecasting : Techniques like time-series analysis and simulation models are
used in OR to predict economic trends, such as GDP growth, inflation, and unemployment.
These forecasts guide policymakers in creating long-term economic strategies.
In healthcare, OR helps hospitals and medical institutions manage their resources more
efficiently, improve patient care, and reduce costs. Hospitals face constant pressure to balance
patient care with resource limitations, and OR can help optimize various operations.
OR techniques like linear programming and queuing theory are used to optimize patient
appointment schedules, minimizing patient waiting times while maximizing the use of doctors
and medical equipment. - It outlines how OR can enhance movement of patients through the
health facilities by reducing congestion in areas such as emergency, Intensive care unit and
outpatient department.
Example:
Applying queueing models as to how patients are channeled through one department or the
other within a hospital in order to receive immediate care in cases of emergencies.
OR models help optimize the allocation of operating rooms, surgeons, and staff to minimize
idle time and avoid bottlenecks. Simulation tools are also used to predict surgery durations
and resource needs. Integrating clinical decision support to ensure that the right treatment
courses of action are identified through analysis of the patients‟ data.
Example:
Health care decision-support applications for selecting the best cost-efficient treatment
procedures for long-term illnesses such as diabetes or heart ailments.
Integer programming and simulation models help determine the optimal number of nurses,
doctors, and other healthcare staff required at various times, ensuring sufficient staffing levels
while minimizing labor costs. Establishing the best doctor and nurse schedules or any other
staff for shift work so that they do not get fatigued or that some unit will not be understaffed.
Example :
Preferences in assigning schedules to the nurses so as to manage their working hours as well
as make certain that all the shifts are well staffed.
Queueing theory and simulation are used to model patient flow in emergency departments,
helping hospitals reduce patient wait times, prioritize critical cases, and improve overall
efficiency. Hence, it involves appropriate stock out of medicines and other medical supplies or
equipment, or avoid having excess stock.
Example:
Introducing inventory models for pharmacy stocks so as avoid a situation where there are too
many stocks or when there are no stocks at all.
Hospitals must maintain inventories of critical medical supplies, such as medications and
equipment. OR helps optimize the inventory levels, ensuring availability while minimizing
storage costs. Regarding supply chain management it is associated with timely transportation
of medical supplies, equipment and medication etc with the help of optimizing techniques.
Example:
Supply chain management to ensure that these important equipments such as the ventilators or
oxygen supplier are available especially in this period of COVID 19 pandemic.
OR techniques help hospitals allocate beds effectively, optimizing the use of available
capacity while reducing overcrowding and ensuring that patients are placed in appropriate
wards. OR techniques also enable the establishing of a future trend of admission of patients
and establishing the capacity needed for bed, rooms, and equipment.
Example:
Management and scheduling of bed capacities and staff during flu seasons so as to counter
balance them.
OR helps farmers decide which crops to plant, how much to plant, and when to plant,
considering factors like market demand, climate conditions, and available resources. Linear
programming models can optimize crop selection for maximizing profits.
OR models optimize the use of water, fertilizers, pesticides, and land, reducing waste and
improving yields through methods like **Dynamic Programming.
OR helps in designing efficient irrigation schedules , ensuring that crops receive the right
amount of water at the right time while minimizing water use.
Optimization techniques help in scheduling the use of farm equipment, ensuring that machines
are available when needed and are maintained effectively.
It also assists in the occasional adjustment of supply of agricultural produce from the point of
production to the markets hence minimizing kernel age or spoilage period..-
OR models support policy makers in the formulation of subsidies, agricultural funding and
food delivery networks for encouraging rural development and poverty eradication
The OR techniques such as dynamic programming and queueing theory are applied in order
to regulate the traffic signals so that the waiting time at the intersections is reduced and the
flow of traffic is enhanced.
Uses like the shortest path method, network flow, and the Traveling Salesman Problem can
be used to design the shortest routes for vehicular movements hence less time and fuel will be
used.
They assist in the chances of traffic flow by determining the flow density and rate, as well as
checking on traffic jam chances by analyzing toll price or road space or even the usage of lanes.
OR plays a role in coming up with the most suitable time-table for buses or trains to arrive or
depart to ensure that passengers spend minimal time waiting as well as increase the efficiency
of the operations.-
Some of them are used in Emergency Vehicle Operation to decide more effectively and
quicker way of mobilizing emergency vehicles such as ambulances or tow trucks to the traffic
scenes and lessen / overall effects of accidents on traffic conditions.-
Traffic flow simulators are created to analyze traffic movement behavior in conditions such
as road construction, specific events or the occurrence of an accident so that adequate measures
can be taken.