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The transformation competence perspective

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  • R J Ormerod

    (University of Warwick)

Abstract

Reflections on a number of participative projects have led to the conclusion that, when planning and conducting OR interventions, particular attention should be paid to the transformation to be attempted and to the competence of those who will be involved. The transformation required by a consulting project sets the scope of the ambition that is to be met by the craft skills and expertise of people, supported if appropriate by pre-defined methods. Competence refers to the skills, time and the ability to act of those involved in the intervention. In designing an intervention, activities have to be planned in the light of the transformation required, the competences of those involved and the pre-defined methods available. Pre-defined methods are characterized in terms of their transformation potential, the transformation that can be achieved by using the method in a specific context. The paper elaborates the proposed transformation competence perspective drawing on personal practical experience; its aim is to articulate an approach to the design of participative consulting interventions and compare it with alternatives.

Suggested Citation

  • R J Ormerod, 2008. "The transformation competence perspective," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 59(11), pages 1435-1448, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jorsoc:v:59:y:2008:i:11:d:10.1057_palgrave.jors.2602482
    DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602482
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Ormerod, Richard, 1999. "Putting soft OR methods to work: The case of the business improvement project at PowerGen," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 118(1), pages 1-29, October.
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    2. M. Nassereddine & M. A. Ellakkis & A. Azar & M. D. Nayeri, 2021. "Developing a Multi-methodology for Conflict Resolution: Case of Yemen’s Humanitarian Crisis," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 301-320, April.
    3. Hämäläinen, Raimo P. & Luoma, Jukka & Saarinen, Esa, 2013. "On the importance of behavioral operational research: The case of understanding and communicating about dynamic systems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 228(3), pages 623-634.
    4. Lowe, David & Espinosa, Angela & Yearworth, Mike, 2020. "Constitutive rules for guiding the use of the viable system model: Reflections on practice," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 287(3), pages 1014-1035.
    5. Ormerod, Richard J. & Ulrich, Werner, 2013. "Operational research and ethics: A literature review," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 228(2), pages 291-307.
    6. Franco, L. Alberto & Greiffenhagen, Christian, 2018. "Making OR practice visible: Using ethnomethodology to analyse facilitated modelling workshops," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 265(2), pages 673-684.
    7. Henao, Felipe & Franco, L. Alberto, 2016. "Unpacking multimethodology: Impacts of a community development intervention," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 253(3), pages 681-696.
    8. Rachel Jones & James Corner, 2012. "Stages and Dimensions of Systems Intelligence," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 30-45, January.
    9. Siebert, Johannes & Kunz, Reinhard, 2016. "Developing and validating the multidimensional proactive decision-making scale," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 249(3), pages 864-877.
    10. Harper, Alison & Mustafee, Navonil & Yearworth, Mike, 2021. "Facets of trust in simulation studies," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 289(1), pages 197-213.
    11. A. M. S. Al-Raqadi & A. Abdul Rahim & M. Masrom & B. S. N. Al-Riyami, 2017. "Sustainability of knowledge and competencies management on the perceptions of improving ships’ upkeep performance," International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, Springer;The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, vol. 8(1), pages 230-246, January.
    12. Franco, L. Alberto & Lord, Ewan, 2011. "Understanding multi-methodology: Evaluating the perceived impact of mixing methods for group budgetary decisions," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 362-372, June.
    13. Z Zhu, 2011. "After paradim: why mixing-methodology theorising fails and how to make it work again," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(4), pages 784-798, April.
    14. Small, Adrian & Wainwright, David, 2018. "Privacy and security of electronic patient records – Tailoring multimethodology to explore the socio-political problems associated with Role Based Access Control systems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 265(1), pages 344-360.
    15. J Luoma & R P Hämäläinen & E Saarinen, 2011. "Acting with systems intelligence: integrating complex responsive processes with the systems perspective," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(1), pages 3-11, January.
    16. 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.
    17. W Hobbs & N J Curtis, 2011. "Theory and application of perceptual positions to data collection and analysis in military environments," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(9), pages 1753-1764, September.
    18. Luoma, Jukka, 2016. "Model-based organizational decision making: A behavioral lens," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 249(3), pages 816-826.
    19. Ormerod, R.J., 2014. "Critical rationalism in practice: Strategies to manage subjectivity in OR investigations," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 235(3), pages 784-797.
    20. D Champion & J M Wilson, 2010. "The impact of contingency factors on validation of problem structuring methods," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 61(9), pages 1420-1431, September.

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    process of OR; practice of OR;

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