Letter to the Editor---Implementation of Problems in O. R

In any description of an operations-research application there is usually some mention of solution implementation. Virtually all practitioners agree on this phase of an operations-research study and the necessity for its consideration. Despite this concurrence, the references that are made to the practical usage of the model and solution are very vague and general and imply that implementation follows in the normal course of the operations to which the study has been applied. In many cases, there is only the phrase “the study was successfully implemented” as if this were a simple and natural consequence of the effort. What problems were encountered in the implementation of the study? What was required on the part of the company to ensure the success of the operations-research study? What effect did these implementation problems have on the “optimum” solution? These questions have a direct bearing on the acceptance and potential of the operations-research activity in business and industry, and there is an urgent need for more extensive documentation of experiences in this area.