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Contemporary OR/MS in strategy development and policy-making: some reflections

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  • M Pidd

    (Advanced Institute of Management Research
    Lancaster University,)

Abstract

It is now widely accepted that strategy-making and policy development require both rational analysis and an ability to work with insights that are sometimes hard to pin down. Can operational research (OR) contribute to this process in which soft and hard are interwoven? Simon's longstanding distinction between substantive and procedural rationality is helpful in addressing this question. Undoubtedly, OR has made major contributions to strategy development, although there has been a marked tendency to argue for even greater use of substantive rationality. In addition, some soft OR methods are also successfully used in strategy development as ways to provide procedural rationality. Add to this the suggestion of Sagasti that metaphor and language are powerful tools in strategizing, then there is a powerful case for the greater use of OR/management science is strategy development and policy-making.

Suggested Citation

  • M Pidd, 2004. "Contemporary OR/MS in strategy development and policy-making: some reflections," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 55(8), pages 791-800, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jorsoc:v:55:y:2004:i:8:d:10.1057_palgrave.jors.2601748
    DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2601748
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. M Pidd, 2001. "The futures of OR," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 52(11), pages 1181-1190, November.
    2. J Davies & V J Mabin, 2001. "Knowledge management and the framing of information: a contribution to OR/MS practice and pedagogy," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 52(8), pages 856-872, August.
    3. Goford, J. & Bellis, C.S. & Bykerk, C.D. & Carne, S.A. & Creedon, S. & Daykin, C.D. & Dumbreck, N.J. & Ferguson, D.G.R. & Goodwin, E.M. & Grace, P.H. & Henderson, N.S. & Thornton, P.N., 2001. "Principles of the Future Education Strategy," British Actuarial Journal, Cambridge University Press, vol. 7(2), pages 221-240, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Driouchi, Tarik & Leseure, Michel & Bennett, David, 2009. "A robustness framework for monitoring real options under uncertainty," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 698-710, June.
    2. Sigifredo Laengle & José M. Merigó & Nikunja Mohan Modak & Jian-Bo Yang, 2020. "Bibliometrics in operations research and management science: a university analysis," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 294(1), pages 769-813, November.
    3. Robert G. Dyson & Frances A. O’Brien & Devan B. Shah, 2021. "Soft OR and Practice: The Contribution of the Founders of Operations Research," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 69(3), pages 727-738, May.
    4. G Burt, 2011. "Towards the integration of system modelling with scenario planning to support strategy: the case of the UK energy industry," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(5), pages 830-839, May.
    5. E Tapinos & R G Dyson & M Meadows, 2011. "Does the Balanced Scorecard make a difference to the strategy development process?," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(5), pages 888-899, May.
    6. F O'Brien, 2011. "Supporting the strategy process: a survey of UK OR/MS practitioners," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(5), pages 900-920, May.
    7. M H Kunc & J D W Morecroft, 2009. "Resource-based strategies and problem structuring: using resource maps to manage resource systems," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(2), pages 191-199, February.
    8. M Pidd, 2006. "Reply to R Ormerod," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 57(1), pages 120-121, January.
    9. White, Leroy, 2016. "Behavioural operational research: Towards a framework for understanding behaviour in OR interventions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 249(3), pages 827-841.
    10. Anthony Ween & Peter Dortmans & Nitin Thakur & Cayt Rowe, 2019. "Framing cyber warfare: an analyst’s perspective," The Journal of Defense Modeling and Simulation, , vol. 16(3), pages 335-345, July.
    11. E A J A Rouwette, 2011. "Facilitated modelling in strategy development: measuring the impact on communication, consensus and commitment," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(5), pages 879-887, May.
    12. R Ormerod, 2006. "The OR/MS contribution to strategy development and policy-making," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 57(1), pages 117-120, January.
    13. Stewart, Theodor J. & French, Simon & Rios, Jesus, 2013. "Integrating multicriteria decision analysis and scenario planning—Review and extension," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 679-688.
    14. Mingers, John & White, Leroy, 2010. "A review of the recent contribution of systems thinking to operational research and management science," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 207(3), pages 1147-1161, December.
    15. J Bryant & J Darwin & C Booth, 2011. "Strategy making with the whole organisation: OR and the art of the possible," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(5), pages 840-854, May.

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