The devolution of OR/MS: implications from a statistical content analysis of papers in flagship journals

Some operations research (OR) practitioners have complained about the field's 'devolution' or 'regression.' In the past, the science was market-oriented in that researchers sought solution to real-world problems. However, current OR is input-oriented in that mathematicians search for problems that fit their models. A detailed survey of OR and management science publications is conducted to ascertain the existence of this trend. In particular, the amount of space allocated to theory relative to applications is analyzed for such flagship journals as Operations Research, Management Science and Interfaces, using a five-point classification scale. Comparison of the 1962 and 1992 editions of the first two journals, and the 1972 and 1992 editions of the last, reveal that usage of the terms 'application' and 'data' differ in degree and kind, respectively. The results suggest that OR practitioners need to reassess the profession and chart its future course.