Great Ideas of Operations Research

Operations research is a broad area of mathematics, defined more by what mathematics is used in industry rather than the type of mathematics. Although not all areas of mathematics considered operations research is covered in this book, Singh covers the most significant. He does an excellent job in explaining what the topics are and some of the basic ways in which they are applied. The topics covered are: *) Statistical summarization - topics such as the mean, median, mode and standard deviation of a set of numbers. *) Statistical specification - different ways data can be distributed. *) Statistical inference - the basic ways in which hypotheses can be put forward and tested using statistical techniques. *) Network analysis - looking at a flow diagram to determine where potential bottlenecks can occur. *) Linear programming *) Theory of games: The logic of rational decisions *) Queuing theory: How to handle bottleneck problems *) Monte Carlo simulations *) The confrontation theorem - this is an examination of how to manage a single-line railroad track where trains going opposite directions could confront each other. *) Operations research and the language question - this is a short mathematical analysis of how much cerebral power is needed to process language. This book is an excellent introduction to the area of mathematics that has led to improvements that have saved billions of dollars in industrial processes and the movement of goods.

This little-know book, first published in 1968, holds a wealth of ideas and information about building models to better understand what's going on in your organization. While only 221 pages long, the book manages to provide an introduction to statistics: Statistical Specification and Inference; and an overview of Game Theory, Queuing Theory and Monte Carlo Simulation. If your math skills are a little rusty, be warned, the author is not afraid to break out the Calculus to prove the validity of the statements he is making. However, Mr. Singh writes so well and provides enough narrative overview that you can safely skip the proofs and still walk away with a wealth of knowledge. If you are looking for the latest treatment of any of the subjects mentioned above, please keep in mind that this book was written in 1967, and a great deal of advancement has been made in the subjects covered. Additionally, none of the subjects are covered in enough depth to enable the direct application to most real-world problems. However, Great Ideas of Operations Research provides a fantastic starting point for anyone interested in improving the workings of their organization. Finally, I have to admit, I adore a well written book that tells a great story. Mr. Singh is a lovely writer and the case studies he uses from his time at India's Northeast Frontier Railway, Moghalsarai Rail Yard and the Assam Railway, leave you with the impression of having been on a mysterious adventure. His writing alone makes this book worth reading.