On Measuring the Contribution of OR
- 1 May 1978
- journal article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of the Operational Research Society
- Vol. 29 (5) , 409-418
- https://doi.org/10.1057/jors.1978.86
Abstract
Cost-benefit analysis offers a common-sense approach to measuring the contribution of OR but encounters difficulties which have been recognized by Ackoff. Ackoff's concept of adaptivity appears to offer a neat solution to those difficulties but can be seen to provide only a methodology and to lack a background theory. The authors argue that: in general the development of background theory should precede the development of a methodology; for OR the background theory required is one of decision-making; and that the social sciences provide the resource from which an adequate theory of decision-making can be developed.Keywords
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