THE OPERATIONS-RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CYCLE

Numerous recent laments that operations research (OR) has lost its pro blem solving origins are reviewed. This study verifies these claims by examining popular introductory OR textbooks, and finds that they are overwhelmingly devoted to OR algorithms rather than the problem solvin g process. It is proposed that the complete Systems Development Life C ycle used in developing business information systems can serve as a su itable model for a (13-step) OR Application Development Cycle. A propo sed alternate approach for the traditional ''tools oriented'' syllabus of the introductory OR course is modeled after the management informa tion systems course in Systems Analysis and Design. Coverage of the co mplete development cycle from problem observation through complete imp lementation serves as the ''backbone'' of the course. In a broader con text, it is observed that research reported in professional journals t ends to report the solutions to problems, rather than the problem solv ing process.