IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/jorsoc/v62y2011i5d10.1057_jors.2011.2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Supporting the strategy process: a survey of UK OR/MS practitioners

Author

Listed:
  • F O'Brien

    (University of Warwick)

Abstract

This paper reports the results of an online survey conducted with practitioner members of the UK Operational Research (OR) Society. The purpose of the survey was to explore the current practice of supporting the strategy process in terms of activities supported and tools used. The results of the survey are compared to those of previous surveys to explore developments in, inter alia, the use of management/strategy tools and ‘soft’ Operational Research/Management Science (OR/MS) tools. The survey results demonstrate that OR practitioners actively support the strategy process within their organisations. While a wide variety of tools, drawn from the OR/MS and management/strategy fields, are used to support the strategy process within organisations, the findings suggest that soft OR/MS tools are not regularly used. The findings also demonstrate that tools are combined to support the strategy process from both within and across the OR/MS and management/strategy fields. The paper ends by identifying a number of areas for further research.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jorsoc:v:62:y:2011:i:5:d:10.1057_jors.2011.2
    DOI: 10.1057/jors.2011.2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/jors.2011.2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/jors.2011.2?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. D I Calvert & R Kaufman, 2008. "Using analysis to influence strategic-decision making: option valuation at ECGD," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 59(2), pages 198-202, February.
    2. Fran Ackermann & Colin Eden & Terry Williams, 1997. "Modeling for Litigation: Mixing Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 27(2), pages 48-65, April.
    3. Peter C. Bell & Chris K. Anderson & Stephen P. Kaiser, 2003. "Strategic Operations Research and the Edelman Prize Finalist Applications 1989--1998," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 51(1), pages 17-31, February.
    4. 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.
    5. Dyson, R. G. & Foster, M. J., 1983. "Effectiveness in strategic planning revisited," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 146-158, February.
    6. J Pollack, 2009. "Multimethodology in series and parallel: strategic planning using hard and soft OR," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(2), pages 156-167, February.
    7. Robert G Dyson, 2000. "Strategy, performance and operational research," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 51(1), pages 5-11, January.
    8. Hamalainen, Raimo P., 1990. "A decision aid in the public debate on nuclear power," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 66-76, September.
    9. R Fildes & J C Ranyard & W R Crymble, 1999. "The management of OR groups: results of a survey," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 50(6), pages 563-580, June.
    10. A A Namen & C T Bornstein & J Rosenhead, 2009. "Robustness analysis for sustainable community development," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(5), pages 587-597, May.
    11. D C Lane & C Monefeldt & J V Rosenhead, 2000. "Looking in the wrong place for healthcare improvements: A system dynamics study of an accident and emergency department," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 51(5), pages 518-531, May.
    12. Mingers, John & Rosenhead, Jonathan, 2004. "Problem structuring methods in action," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 152(3), pages 530-554, February.
    13. E G Tsagalidis & A C Georgiou, 2009. "Using simulation modelling to support decisions in hail suppression programmes with airborne means," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(1), pages 14-22, January.
    14. I Munro & J Mingers, 2004. "Response to Richard Ormerod," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 55(1), pages 90-93, January.
    15. Stuart Hart & Catherine Banbury, 1994. "How strategy‐making processes can make a difference," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(4), pages 251-269, May.
    16. Paul Goodwin & George Wright, 2001. "Enhancing Strategy Evaluation in Scenario Planning: a Role for Decision Analysis," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(1), pages 1-16, January.
    17. van Gennip, C.E.G. & Hulshof, J.A.M. & Lootsma, F.A., 1997. "A multi-criteria evaluation of diseases in a study for public-health planning," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 99(2), pages 236-240, June.
    18. G A Hindle & T Hindle & S Souli, 2009. "Modelling and assessing local area differences in road casualties: a case study in England," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(6), pages 781-788, June.
    19. Dyson, R. G. & Foster, M. J., 1980. "Effectiveness in strategic planning," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 5(3), pages 163-170, September.
    20. R Ormerod, 2004. "The practice of UK OR practitioners," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 55(1), pages 90-90, January.
    21. Stenfors, Sari & Tanner, Leena & Syrjanen, Mikko & Seppala, Tomi & Haapalinna, Ilkka, 2007. "Executive views concerning decision support tools," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 181(2), pages 929-938, September.
    22. Sheu, Jiuh-Biing, 2007. "Microscopic modeling and control logic for incident-responsive automatic vehicle movements in single-automated-lane highway systems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 182(2), pages 640-662, October.
    23. I Munro & J Mingers, 2002. "The use of multimethodology in practice—results of a survey of practitioners," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 53(4), pages 369-378, April.
    24. 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.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. 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.
    2. Santos, Sérgio P. & Belton, Valerie & Howick, Susan & Pilkington, Martin, 2018. "Measuring organisational performance using a mix of OR methods," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 18-30.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. Wiek, Arnim & Walter, Alexander I., 2009. "A transdisciplinary approach for formalized integrated planning and decision-making in complex systems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 197(1), pages 360-370, August.
    8. 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.
    9. 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.
    10. E D Adamides & P Mitropoulos & I Giannikos & I Mitropoulos, 2009. "A multi-methodological approach to the development of a regional solid waste management system," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(6), pages 758-770, June.
    11. Trutnevyte, Evelina & Stauffacher, Michael & Scholz, Roland W., 2012. "Linking stakeholder visions with resource allocation scenarios and multi-criteria assessment," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 219(3), pages 762-772.
    12. 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).
    13. 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.
    14. 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.
    15. Maurice W. Kirby, 2007. "Paradigm Change in Operations Research: Thirty Years of Debate," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 55(1), pages 1-13, February.
    16. 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).
    17. Mingers, John, 2011. "Soft OR comes of age--but not everywhere!," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 729-741, December.
    18. 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.
    19. Zhichang Zhu, 2022. "Paradigm, specialty, pragmatism: Kuhn's legacy to methodological pluralism," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(5), pages 895-912, September.
    20. 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.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    strategy; practice of OR; survey;
    All these keywords.

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:pal:jorsoc:v:62:y:2011:i:5:d:10.1057_jors.2011.2. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ .

    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.