IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/oropre/v58y2010i6p1535-1547.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

OR FORUM---High Leverage Interventions: Three Cases of Defensive Action and Their Lessons for OR/MS Today

Author

Listed:
  • David C. Lane

    (London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, United Kingdom)

Abstract

This paper has two aims. First, to present cases in which scientists developed a defensive system for their homeland: Blackett and the air defense of Britain in WWII, Forrester and the SAGE system for North America in the Cold War, and Archimedes' work defending Syracuse during the Second Punic War. In each case the historical context and the individual's other achievements are outlined, and a description of the contribution's relationship to OR/MS is given.The second aim is to consider some of the features the cases share and examine them in terms of contemporary OR/MS methodology. Particular reference is made to a recent analysis of the field's strengths and weaknesses. This allows both a critical appraisal of the field and a set of potential responses for strengthening it. Although a mixed set of lessons arise, the overall conclusion is that the cases are examples to build on and that OR/MS retains the ability to do high stakes work.

Suggested Citation

  • David C. Lane, 2010. "OR FORUM---High Leverage Interventions: Three Cases of Defensive Action and Their Lessons for OR/MS Today," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 58(6), pages 1535-1547, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:oropre:v:58:y:2010:i:6:p:1535-1547
    DOI: 10.1287/opre.1100.0887
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/opre.1100.0887
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/opre.1100.0887?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hugh J. Miser, 1963. "Operations Research in Perspective," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 11(5), pages 669-677, October.
    2. Tony Tinker & Tony Lowe, 1984. "One-Dimensional Management Science: The Making of a Technocratic Consciousness," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 14(2), pages 40-56, April.
    3. W. Peyton Cunningham & Denys Freeman & Joseph F. McCloskey, 1984. "OR Forum—Of Radar and Operations Research: An Appreciation of A. P. Rowe (1898–1976)," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 32(4), pages 958-967, August.
    4. Joseph F. McCloskey, 1987. "OR Forum—The Beginnings of Operations Research: 1934–1941," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 35(1), pages 143-152, February.
    5. Harold Larnder, 1984. "OR Forum—The Origin of Operational Research," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 32(2), pages 465-476, April.
    6. Jonathan Rosenhead, 1996. "What's the Problem? An Introduction to Problem Structuring Methods," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 26(6), pages 117-131, December.
    7. Richard J. Ormerod, 1996. "Information Systems Strategy Development at Sainsbury's Supermarkets Using “Soft” OR," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 26(1), pages 102-130, February.
    8. Eden, Colin & Ackermann, Fran, 2004. "Cognitive mapping expert views for policy analysis in the public sector," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 152(3), pages 615-630, February.
    9. Russell L. Ackoff, 1981. "The Art and Science of Mess Management," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 11(1), pages 20-26, February.
    10. Peter C. Bell & Chris K. Anderson, 2002. "In Search of Strategic Operations Research/Management Science," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 32(2), pages 28-40, April.
    11. Joseph F. McCloskey, 1987. "U.S. Operations Research in World War II," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 35(6), pages 910-925, December.
    12. Joseph F. McCloskey, 1987. "OR Forum—British Operational Research in World War II," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 35(3), pages 453-470, June.
    13. Thomas E. Caywood, 1970. "How Can We Improve Operations Research?," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 18(4), pages 569-576, August.
    14. K. Brian Haley, 2002. "War and Peace: The First 25 Years of or in Great Britain," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 50(1), pages 82-88, February.
    15. Philip M. Morse, 1986. "The Beginnings of Operations Research in the United States," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(1), pages 10-17, February.
    16. Mingers, John & Rosenhead, Jonathan, 2004. "Problem structuring methods in action," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 152(3), pages 530-554, February.
    17. Merrill M. Flood, 1962. "New Operations Research Potentials," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 10(4), pages 423-436, August.
    18. ManMohan S. Sodhi & Christopher S. Tang, 2008. "The OR/MS Ecosystem: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 56(2), pages 267-277, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. David C. Lane, 2022. "Fons et origo: reflections on the 60th anniversary of Industrial Dynamics," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 38(3), pages 292-324, July.
    2. Weaver, Miles W & Crossan, Kenny & Tan, Hock B & Paxton, Steven E, 2018. "A systems approach to understanding the perspectives in the changing landscape of responsible business in Scotland," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 268(3), pages 1149-1167.
    3. David C. Lane & Birgit Kopainsky & David C. Lane & Birgit Kopainsky, 2017. "Natural Resource Management: Contributions of System Dynamics to Research, Policy and Implementation," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(4), pages 378-385, July.
    4. David C. Lane & Jim Duggan, 2020. "Addressing public health and security challenges with system dynamics," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(6), pages 867-874, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. David C. Lane, 2022. "Fons et origo: reflections on the 60th anniversary of Industrial Dynamics," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 38(3), pages 292-324, July.
    2. Michael Yearworth & Gordon Edwards, 2014. "On the Desirability of Integrating Research Methods into Overall Systems Approaches in the Training of Engineers: Analysis Using SSM," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 47-66, January.
    3. 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.
    4. Lane, David C. & Rouwette, Etiënne A.J.A., 2023. "Towards a behavioural system dynamics: Exploring its scope and delineating its promise," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 306(2), pages 777-794.
    5. Sébastien Damart, 2010. "A Cognitive Mapping Approach to Organizing the Participation of Multiple Actors in a Problem Structuring Process," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 19(5), pages 505-526, September.
    6. Gomes, Luís S. & Santos, Sérgio P. & Coelho, Luís Serra & Rebelo, Efigénio L., 2023. "Using MCDA to assist an Intermunicipal community develop a resilience strategy in face of the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PB).
    7. Ulrike Reisach, 2016. "The creation of meaning and critical ethical reflection in operational research," EURO Journal on Decision Processes, Springer;EURO - The Association of European Operational Research Societies, vol. 4(1), pages 5-32, June.
    8. G A Hindle & L A Franco, 2009. "Combining problem structuring methods to conduct applied research: a mixed methods approach to studying fitness-to-drive in the UK," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(12), pages 1637-1648, December.
    9. Vieira, Fabiana C. & Ferreira, Fernando A.F. & Govindan, Kannan & Ferreira, Neuza C.M.Q.F. & Banaitis, Audrius, 2022. "Measuring urban digitalization using cognitive mapping and the best worst method (BWM)," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    10. David C. Lane, 2012. "What Is a ‘Policy Insight’?," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 590-595, November.
    11. Mingers, John, 2011. "Soft OR comes of age--but not everywhere!," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 729-741, December.
    12. Eden, Colin & Ackermann, Fran, 2018. "Theory into practice, practice to theory: Action research in method development," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 271(3), pages 1145-1155.
    13. Maurice W. Kirby, 2000. "Operations Research Trajectories: The Anglo-American Experience from the 1940s to the 1990s," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 48(5), pages 661-670, October.
    14. William Jones & Mahesh Sooriyabandara & Mike Yearworth & Angela Doufexi & R. Eddie Wilson, 2016. "Planning For 5G: A Problem Structuring Approach for Survival in the Telecoms Industry," Systems Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(4), pages 301-321, July.
    15. Vanessa B. Schramm & Fernando Schramm, 2018. "An Approach for Supporting Problem Structuring in Water Resources Management and Planning," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 32(9), pages 2955-2968, July.
    16. Konsti-Laakso, Suvi & Rantala, Tero, 2018. "Managing community engagement: A process model for urban planning," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 268(3), pages 1040-1049.
    17. F O'Brien & M Meadows, 2007. "Developing a visioning methodology: Visioning Choices for the future of operational research," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 58(5), pages 557-575, May.
    18. Annielli Cunha & Danielle Morais, 2019. "Problem structuring methods in group decision making: a comparative study of their application," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1081-1100, December.
    19. L A Franco, 2007. "Assessing the impact of problem structuring methods in multi-organizational settings: an empirical investigation," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 58(6), pages 760-768, June.
    20. Johann Meckenstock & Ana Paula Barbosa‐Póvoa & Ana Carvalho, 2016. "The Wicked Character of Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Evidence from Sustainability Reports," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(7), pages 449-477, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:oropre:v:58:y:2010:i:6:p:1535-1547. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.