A Materialist Analysis of Operational Research

Accounts of the development and practice of operational research have commonly stressed its timeless universality as a method for rational decision-making. In this paper operational research is seen as one element in the managerial response to problems of complexity and uncertainty within an economi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of the Operational Research Society 1982-02, Vol.33 (2), p.111-122
Main Authors: Rosenhead, Jonathan, Thunhurst, Colin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Business and Management
Capital management
Capital surplus
Capitalism
Corporations
decision making
Development
economics
General Paper
General Papers
History
Industrial management
Labor
Management
Management science
Materialism
Operations research
Operations Research/Decision Theory
Production management
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Summary:Accounts of the development and practice of operational research have commonly stressed its timeless universality as a method for rational decision-making. In this paper operational research is seen as one element in the managerial response to problems of complexity and uncertainty within an economic system characterised by institutionalised conflict. Both the material and ideological functions of 'management science' in private and public enterprise are analysed, and characteristics are identified of an emergent 'workers science'. Editor's Note The title of this paper contrasts the materialistic approach with the idealistic approach, and the content of the paper disowns the latter. Evidently there are alternative but overtly political terms for both adjectives. It would be stupid if O.R. were to ignore the political facts of life which play so great a part in the decisions and policies with which O.R. is concerned. But, as the authors acknowledge, other interpretations of history than those presented here are at least possible. Contributions offering alternative schemata, or based on other paradigms, are invited and will be given careful consideration.
ISSN:0160-5682
1476-9360
DOI:10.1057/jors.1982.23