American Foray Into Soft OR zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA An zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA Report zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA A zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA Operations Research - Vision and Reality As envisioned: - A quantitative problem solving approach on L e - Interdisciplinary teams Canduct of a Cape Study prcrmlcd d(hc zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA i n Partial Fulfillment ofthe Requirements for a P h . D . F’rogram Current reality: - Increasingly aligned to a handful of mathematically rigorous techniques Priscilla A Clasow - M I m E carpodon nlc Limited recognition and acceptance of the social and behavioral sciences’ contributions S)mpozium fwh4ilitryOpMljonil Research ~nlcmPlionnl Auguri 2000 - Difficult to provide timely, useful solutions to real world and quantitative problems that require both qualitative Purpose of the Case Study zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA techniques Selected Vehicle for Effecting Change The Education and Professional Development * To effect change within the U.S. military OR Colloquium of the Military Operations Research profession by: - Introducing soft OR concepts and techniques Society (MORS) . ‘ . . - MORS is the premier professional association Highlighting where such methods are currently used serving the U.S. military OR community Provides a professional forum for peer review of military OR studies and analyses Activities include symposia, workshops, publications, honoraria Selected Colloquium Theine Underlying Assumptions - There is value in considering alternative * Participation in the International Symposium of Military Operational Research held annually in the approaches United Kingdom * Soft methods might be useful if better understood Presentations that discussed some of the changes * Little education about soft OR is available and challenges facing the use of traditional Resistance to controversial theme anticipated quantitative OR techniques Unbiased results required that the case study be * Increased use and integration of soft methods into conducted independently of the Colloquium the traditional analyst’s toolkit a
Literature Review zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA Definitions - "Non-classical formal approaches for the support of SofiOR managerial problem-management activities" that seek relevance of its theories. tools. and lechniquq to real world Complementary integration of qualitative and - Methods that help understand, clarify. and communicate problems. (Ledington and Donaldson. 1997) quantitative methods Teaching approaches the problem where individuals hold different views on - Soft OR methods allow "small groups of people working what the problem may be. (Matthews and Benne% 1986) together to structure issues and explore different ways of improving the situation". (Ormerod. 1996) * Soft OR emphasizes problem structuring to understand the situation. (Jackson, 1991) in the Literature zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA * Analysis is only useful zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA maker. (Ackoff. zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA Historical Foundations of Soft OR The Nature of OR as a Discipline if * Lack of involvement of OR in social problems and the it provides insight and possible solutions to problems that are of interest to the decision absence of a working relationship with the social sciences @ando and Bennett, 1981) 1979) * Divergence of theoretical research and teaching from the Technology must incorporate nontraditional inputs. such as "subjective preferences, ethical positions, and aesthetic needs of practical application (Checkland. 1983) judgements". (Boland Tenkasi. and Te'eni. 1996) * It is a responsibility of the OR analyst to address in the analysis "nonquantitative aspects that may need consideration" by the decision maker. (Morse and Kimball. 1970) Rationale Supporting Broadening the Analyst's Toolkit Complementary Integration of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods Mil- and H Rorman and Wilson (as cited i n u b " , 1994) The OR community needs to redefme itselfin light of a - Conobomlc findings changing reality. (Ormerod, 1998) - Elaborate qunntitntive analyscs * The current trend of defming OR in terms of its models - - Examine uncxpstcd rmdings [and its use of technology] has sacrificed both relevance Creme. Cmcclli. and Graham (as cited in Crswdl. 1994) and breadth. (Abbott, as cited in Ormerod. 1998) - To achicvc convergence ofresulk wurces zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA * Nonquantitative methods may be used in OR to augment - To identify ovnlnpping f a c e that emerge upon clorn inspection traditional quantitative methods. (Keys, 1989) using multiple methods - Tosugmmltheinformation~ained * Soft OR offas methods that aid in resolving social h m a lheuscofaninitial approach conflicts and structuring complex problems. (Rosenhead - To identify and a m i n e conhadictions obtained from multiple 1986) - T o add scope and breadth to a rtudy 2
Qualitative and Quantitative Methods zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA Complementary integration recognizes that sharing and zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA between qualitative and quantitative approachn zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA by zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA “Each approach zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA Guidance for Integrating Teaching Literature , , the other approach” (Newman and Ben% zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA * Methods to conduct and assess Ihe Colloquium * O V R ~ P and do exist c a n - - Critical thinking (Firealone, 1987) - Peer learning adds to OUT body ofhowledge building on the mehodology lo use zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA - information derived from Socratic discussion - 1998) - Methods for eliciting balanced participation An appropriale mix of both methods can be used for problem solving - Graphic representations so that approaches and solutions are comprehensive and support a wider variely ofproblems (Jackson, 1991) Style Inventory Kolb Learning - ThinL creatively about the problem context before selecting a in ib solution. (Bmcklesby. 1995) Operations research practiboners must be flexible in how analytic rfmltp are provided 10 their decision maken and “se whalever methods (O’Keefe. 1989) bestsuit hose decision makers. * The theme was: zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA Colloquium Emphases Focus of Colloquiuin 2000 The Colloquium was held on 4-5 April 2000; Soft OR methods can be used to AUGMENT 44 participants representing all sectors of the U.S. traditional quantitative methods, butPO NOT military OR community REPLACE our traditional tools and.tethniques. - The purpose of the Colloquium was to EXPLORE Expanding the Sciencer - The Interdisciplinarity o f OR * The interdisciplinarity of interest was the the applicability of soft OR methods for the application of soft OR methods to military OR practice of military OR, not to advocufe their use. The Colloquium addressed many of the soft OR methods that figured largely in Uie British OR literature Colloquium Objectives The Importance of the Hidden Case Study - Provide tutorials to enhance participants’ - Strong objections from one member of the knowledge of soft OR methods. - Vehement opposition to the Colloquium theme organizing committee Demonstrate opportunities for use of soft OR methods through Application presentations. * Reported volatile interactions with soft OR * Examine the potential for inclusion of soft OR - Would not be p‘arty to any event that effectively proponents in the past - Hidden agenda - Conduct a case study to meet the methods in current military OR curricula. - Refused to participate in the Colloquium “diminished the heritage” of traditional OR program requirements of the Waldetl University Ph.D. program in Applied Management and Decision Science (Operations Research). 3
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