N B PRAKASH TIRUVEEDULA
Asst. professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Vignan’s Foundation for Science, Technology & Research
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Contents
1 Introduction
2 Objectives and Outcomes
3 Definition
4 Characteristics, Models and Phases
5 Scope of OR in Industry
6 Applications of OR
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Introduction
Operations
• The activities carried out in an organization.
Research
• The process of observation and testing
Operations Research is a quantitative approach to
decision making based on the scientific method of
problem solving.
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Course Description
This course deals with various management techniques
including linear programming, transportation, assignment,
sequencing, replacement, game theories, queuing theory,
Inventory and simulation problems in industry as well as
real time situations.
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Objectives
1. Understand Operations Research models and apply them to
real-life problems
2. Analyze managerial problems in industry so that they are
able to use resources more effectively
3. Formulate mathematical models for quantitative analysis of
managerial problems in real time industry
4. Use computer tools to solve a mathematical model for a
practical problem
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Outcomes
• Understand the characteristics of different types of decision
making environments
• Formulate and solve engineering and managerial situations
as LPP
• Build and solve Transportation and Assignment models
• Illustrate various examples from daily life related to
sequencing & replacement models
• Apply game theory & queuing theory for performance
evaluation of engineering and management systems
• Apply the inventory management tools in managing inventory
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Definition
An operation may be called a set of acts required for
achievement of a desire outcome.
Operation research rather simply defined is research of
operation.
Operation research is a scientific approach to problem
solving for executive management.
------- H.M. Wagner
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Characteristics of Operations Research
• System or executive orientation
• The use of interdisciplinary teams
• Application of scientific method
• Uncovering of new problems
• Improvement in the quality of decisions
• Use of computer
• Quantitative solutions
• Human factors
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Its system orientation
This means that an activity by any part of an organization has some effect
on the activity of every other part.
Therefore, to evaluate any decision, one must identify all possible
interactions and determine their impact on the organization as a whole.
The use of interdisciplinary teams
that it is performed by a team of scientists whose individual members have
been drawn from different scientific and engineering disciplines.
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Application of Scientific Method
Operation research and characteristics the use of scientific method to solve the
problem under study.
Most scientific research, such as chemistry and physics can be carried out well
in the laboratories, under controlled conditions, without much interference
from the outside world.
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Uncovering of New Problems
which is often overlooked, is that solution of an OR problem may uncover a
number of new problems.
These uncovered problems need not be solved at the same time.
However, in order to derive maximum benefit, each one of them must be
solved.
The results of Operation research study pertaining to a particular problem need
not wait until all the connected problems are solved.
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Improvement in the quality of decisions
OR gives bad answers to problems, to which, otherwise, worse answers are
given.
It implies that by applying its scientific approach, it can only improve the quality
of solution but it may not be able to give perfect solution.
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Use of computers
Another characteristics of OR is that it often requires a computer to solve the
complex mathematical model or to manipulate a large amount of data or to
perform a large number of computations that are involved.
Quantitative solutions
OR approach provides the management with a quantitative basis for decision-
making.
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Human factors
In deriving quantitative solutions we do not consider human factors, which
doubtlessly play a great role in the problems posed.
Definitely an Operation research study is incomplete without a study of
human factors.
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Models in OR
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Phases of OR
The Judgment phase
Phases of
The Research Phase Operation
Research
The Action Phase
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
The Judgment Phase
• Ascertaining the operation
• Establishing the objective
• Determining the appropriate measures
• Formulating the problem
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Research Phase
• Observation & Collection of data
• Hypothesis or Assumption formulation
• Model formulation
• Analyzing the available data
• Testing & Verifying the accuracy of the hypothesis
• Generalizing the results
• Considering the alternative methods
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Action Phase
After the above two phases are complete and an optimal solution
has been obtained, in the Action Phase, recommendation are made to
the top management for accepting the proposed solution.
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Scope of OR in Industry
• Industrial Management
• Defense Operation
• Agriculture Sector
• Big & Small Organization
• Etc…
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
Applications
1. Scheduling airlines, including both planes and crew
2. Deciding the appropriate place to site new facilities such as a
warehouse, factory or fire station
3. Managing the flow of water from reservoirs
4. Identifying possible future development paths for parts of the
telecommunications industry
5. Establishing the information needs and appropriate systems to
supply them within the health service
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
16ME402 Operations Research Introduction
