Operations Research

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Introduction

1.1  THE HISTORY OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH

In order to understand what is Operations Research (OR), one must know its history and evolution. It is generally agreed that the discipline began during World War II. Many strategic and technical problems associated with military effort were highly complicated. In response to these complex problems, groups of scientists with varied educational backgrounds assembled as special units within the armed forces.

Since the scientists are talented men, pressure due to war time necessity and the synergism generated from the interactions of different disciplines, they were remarkably successful in improving the effectiveness of complex military operations. By 1941, each of the three wings of British ...