Operations Research Roundup.

Operations research is certainly one of the most discussed and most written about subjects in the field of management today, but it is also one of the most misunderstood. We shall not attempt here to add to the already legion definitions of the concept, but simply try to clarify its position in the minds of the executives who have to deal with it. As a basis for this article, we interviewed over 200 executives at all levels in various industries and in companies of differing sizes. These interviews were supplemented by discussions with scientists, operations analysts, and mathematicians, and by a study of published material in the area. It is our feeling that we can present what American businessmen really think about operations research, its problems, limitations, and future; and it also is our conviction that knowledge of where operations research is and where it is going is increasingly vital to every alert executive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]