Operations Research at Arthur D. Little, Inc.: The Early Years

Magee, John F.

doi:10.1287/opre.50.1.149.17796

Cited by 3 publications

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“…He pointed to the possibilities of crossover with engineering, reintroducing possible applications of servomechanism theory to "man-machine systems," and stressing the potential of automated datahandling using digital computing. He suggested collaboration with professors from 15 Although Arthur D. Little's first OR consulting work had been a recent and successful study of Sears' mailorder catalogue distribution policies (Magee 2002), Brooks himself seems to have had little experience with the subject. 16 Although Morse later took complete control of OR at MIT for over a decade, he made clear at the time that he viewed his leadership in the matter as an interim measure in the absence of action on the part of SIM.…”

Section: Theology Psychology and Psychoses: Bringing Science To Manmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finally, MIT's neighbors on the Charles River Basin, the Arthur D. Little consulting firm, had just established its own nascent OR program. On the continuation of the wartime group, see Tidman 1984; on the Arthur D. Little group, see Magee 2002; and Thomas 2007, chap. 5.…”

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confidence: 99%

“… 15 Although Arthur D. Little's first OR consulting work had been a recent and successful study of Sears’ mail-order catalogue distribution policies (Magee 2002), Brooks himself seems to have had little experience with the subject.…”

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The Epistemologies of Non-Forecasting Simulations, Part I: Industrial Dynamics and Management Pedagogy at MIT

Thomas

Williams

2009

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ArgumentThis paper is the first part of a two-part examination of computer modeling practice and philosophy. It discusses electrical engineer Jay Forrester's work on Industrial Dynamics, later called System Dynamics. Forrester developed Industrial Dynamics after being recruited to the newly-established School of Industrial Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which had been seeking a novel pedagogical program for management for five years before Forrester's arrival. We argue that Industrial Dynamics should be regarded in light of this institutional context. Unlike economics, as well as operations research and management science (twin fields which were also gaining traction at that time), Industrial Dynamics was not meant to be applied by mathematicians and technical specialists in consultation with managers, but by managers themselves. This concern shifted the emphasis in modeling from the specialist act of analysis of a crucial problem to the managerial act of choosing which problems were crucial and developing effective policies around them.

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Section: Theology Psychology and Psychoses: Bringing Science To Manmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Epistemologies of Non-Forecasting Simulations, Part I: Industrial Dynamics and Management Pedagogy at MIT

Thomas

Williams

2009

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John F. Magee

Gass

2011

International Series in Operations Research &Amp; Management Science

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Operations Research vis-à-vis Management at Arthur D. Little and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the 1950s

Thomas¹

2012

Bus. Hist. Rev.

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Operations Research vis-à-vis Management at Arthur D. Little and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the 1950sThis article examines the establishment of the fi eld of operations research (OR) at the Arthur D. Little consulting fi rm and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. OR advocates envisioned the fi eld as a new kind of bureaucratic organ dedicated to general studies of business problems, staffed by trained scientists who could employ sophisticated methods if needed. The crux of their promotional strategy was to use their appreciation of general managerial practice to overcome the tensions to be expected from their claims to apply generic scientifi c methods to nonscientifi c activities. However, they discounted possible intellectual competition with established professions. This competition ultimately confi ned OR's identity to a jurisdiction defi ned by novel mathematical techniques.uring World War II scientists were employed by British, Canadian, and American military services in "operations research" (OR) groups to study military tactics and the use of technology in combat, and to advise on the suitability of policies and practices in light of upto-date evidence. 1 These wartime studies were designed to address whatever questions might bear on high military offi cers' deliberations, which could mean simply parsing statistics, or, when necessary, undertaking I am grateful to David Kaiser and Spencer Weart and to the editors and referees of this journal for crucial guidance and comments; to the staff of the MIT Archives and Special Collections, and the National Academies archives;

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Operations Research at Arthur D. Little, Inc.: The Early Years

Cited by 3 publications

References 2 publications

The Epistemologies of Non-Forecasting Simulations, Part I: Industrial Dynamics and Management Pedagogy at MIT

The Epistemologies of Non-Forecasting Simulations, Part I: Industrial Dynamics and Management Pedagogy at MIT

John F. Magee

Operations Research vis-à-vis Management at Arthur D. Little and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the 1950s

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