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The secret of better decision making in a complex world

"It allowed us to seize the initiative in the marketplace. We have moved forward like a bullet train and it is our competitors that are scrambling not to get run over."

– Launny Steffens, Vice-Chairman, Merrill Lynch and Company

Executives in every kind of organization – large and small, private and public, for-profit and not-for-profit – are using operations research (O.R.) to unlock the value in their data, model complex systems, and make better decisions with less risk. Whether O.R. is used to inform high-level strategy or improve day-to-day operations, the results speak for themselves:

• Insight into difficult problems
• Improved processes, productivity, and performance
• Millions in cost savings and increased revenues
• More (and better) options
• Accurate predictions, plans, and forecasts
• More profitable pricing
• Greater market share
• Higher quality
• Better asset utilization
• Superior ROI
• Faster payback
• Breakthrough efficiencies.

     The list goes on and on.

This site will get you started
Here, you can learn what you need to know about operations research:

What O.R. is and how it's unique.

What it can do for you – the value it’s delivered for others, and signs you could benefit.

How to start using it, including identifying the opportunity and structuring a project.

Finding an O.R. professional with the expertise you and your organization need.

For a condensed version of this site that you can print out to read any time, download the Executive Guide to O.R.

The site was created for you by INFORMS, the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences. A primary part of our mission is to help people use the power of O.R. to improve their organizations.