Operations Research

An Introduction
Dr. Harshad Sonar
Mail: [email protected]
Syllabus 2

• Introduction to OR and Applications

• Assignment Models and Problems
• Transportation Models and Problems
• Decision Theory
• Queuing Theory
• Simulation Model
• PERT/CPM
• Linear Programming: Graphical and Simplex
• Forecasting Techniques
Aim of Study 3

After Studying this, you should be able to:

• Understand the meaning, purpose, and tools of Operations
Research
• Describe the history of Operations Research
• Describe the Stages of Operations Research
• Explain the Applications of Operations Research
• Describe the Limitations of Operation Research
What you Should Know about Operations
Research 4

• How decision-making problems are characterized

• OR terminology
• What a model is and how to assess its value
• How to go from a conceptual problem to a quantitative
solution
Objectives 5

• Decision making and improve its quality.

• Identify optimum solution.
• Integrating the complex systems.
• Improve the objectivity of analysis.
• Minimize the cost and maximize the profit.
• Improve the productivity.
• Success in competition and market leadership.
Topics 6
Introduction to Operational Research
History of Operation Research
Operation Research in India
Definition of Operation Research
Features of Operation Research
Scope of Operation Research
Methodology/Approaches of Operation Research
Tools/Techniques of Operation Research
Operation Research Models
Limitations of Operation Research
 What is Operations Research? 7

Operations
The activities carried out in an organization.
 
Research
The process of observation and testing characterized
by the scientific method. Situation, problem statement, model
construction, validation, experimentation, candidate solutions.
 
Operations Research is a quantitative approach to decision
making based on the scientific method of problem solving.
 What is Operations Research? 8

 Operations Research is an Art and Science.

 The art of mathematical modeling of complex
situations
 The science of the development of solution
techniques used to solve models
 It had its early roots in World War II and is flourishing
in business and industry with the aid of computer
 Primary applications areas of Operations Research
include forecasting, production scheduling, inventory
control, capital budgeting, and transportation.
Introduction to Operational Research 9

•Operational Research is a systematic and analytical approach to

decision making and problem solving.
•Operational Research as termed in Europe, is a Branch of applied
mathematics that uses techniques and statistics to arrive at Optimal
solutions to solve complex problems.
•It is typically concerned with determining the maximum profit, sale,
output, and efficiency
•And minimum losses, risks, cost, and time of some objective
function. It have also become an important part of INDUSTRIAL
ENGINEERING PROFESSION.
 What Do We do 10

1. OR professionals aim to provide rational bases for decision

making by seeking to understand and structure complex
situations and to use this understanding to predict system
behavior and improve system performance.
2. Much of this work is done using analytical and numerical
techniques to develop and manipulate mathematical and
computer models of organizational systems composed of
people, machines, and procedures.
 Terminology 11
• The British/Europeans refer to “Operational Research", the Americans
to “Operations Research" - but both are often shortened to just "OR".
• Another term used for this field is “Management Science" ("MS"). In
U.S. OR and MS are combined together to form "OR/MS" or "ORMS".
• Yet other terms sometimes used are “Industrial Engineering" ("IE") and
“Decision Science" ("DS").
• The decisions are taken simply by common sense, judgment and
expertise without using any mathematical or any other model in simple
situations
• Complex and heavily responsible situations
• The main purpose of O.R. is to provide a rational basis for decisions
making in the absence of complete information, because the systems
composed of human, machine, and procedures may do not have
complete information
History of OR 12

• Operational Research has been existed as a science since 1930‘s.

• But as a formal discipline, Operational Research originated by the
efforts of military planner during World War II .
• The analytical study of military problems was undertaken to
provide scientific basis for decisions to improve military operations.
• Because of the war effort, there was an urgent need to allocate
scarce resources to the various military operations and to the
activities within each operation in an effective manner.
• In the decade after World War-II the techniques began to be applied
more widely in problems of business, industries and societies.
History (continued…) 13

• Through their research on how to better manage convoy and

antisubmarine operations, they also played a major role in winning
the Battle of the North Atlantic.
• A key person in the post-war development of OR was George B
Dantzig. In 1947, he developed linear programming and its solution
method known as simplex method.
• Besides linear programming, many other tools of OR such as
statistical control, dynamic programming queuing theory and
inventory theory were well developed before the end of the 1950s.
 History (continued…) 14

• Since the time Operational Research has expanded into a field widely
used in industries ranging from petrochemical to airlines, finances,
logistics and government.
• Now it has become an area of active academic and industrial research
• The techniques of Operational Research have been applied and proven
in many industries under different names.
For instance :-
• ‘Lean’ in manufacturing.
• ‘Supply Chain’ in logistics and
• ‘Yield Management’ in airlines.
1890 1900 1910 1920
Frederick Taylor
15
•Henry Gannt •F. W. Harris •William Shewart
Scientific [Project Scheduling] [Inventory Theory] [Control Charts]
Management •Andrey A. Markov •E. K. Erlang •H.Dodge – H.Roming
[Industrial [Markov Processes] [Queuing Theory] [Quality Theory]
Engineering] •Assignment
[Networks]

1960 1950 1940 1930

•John D.C. Litle •H.Kuhn - A.Tucker •World War 2 Jon Von Neuman –
[Queuing Theory] [Non-Linear Prog.] •George Dantzig Oscar Morgenstern
•Simscript - GPSS •Ralph Gomory [Linear [Game Theory]
[Simulation] [Integer Prog.] Programming]
•PERT/CPM •First Computer
•Richard Bellman
[Dynamic Prog.]
ORSA and TIMS

1970 1980 1990 2000

•Microcomputer •H. Karmarkar •Spreadsheet •Onwards
[Linear Prog.] Packages
•Personal computer •INFORMS
•OR/MS Softwares
History of OR (India) 16

• Late 1930’s that operational research began in a systematic

fashion, and it started in the UK.
• India was one the few first countries who started using
operations research. In India, Regional Research Laboratory
located at Hyderabad was the first Operations Research unit
established during 1949.
• 1953, Operations Research unit was established in Indian
Statistical Institute, Calcutta, with the objective of using
Operations Research methods in National Planning and Survey.
• In 1955, Operational Research Society of India was formed,
which is one of the first members of International Federation of
Operations Research Societies.
 17

The industries have engaged OR teams and are using OR techniques.

Some of them are
• Hindustan Lever Ltd
• Union Carbide
• TELCO
• Hindustan Steel
• Imperial Chemical Industries
• Tata Iron and Steel Company
• Sarabhai Group
• FCI
• Kirloskar Company, etc
Why Operations Research 18

• You may ask, “Why must we learn the Operations Research techniques?”
Here are a few motivating reasons:
• Organizations are becoming more complex, Huge numbers of choices and
relentless time pressures and margin pressures make the decisions you face
more daunting and more difficult.
• Environments are changing so rapidly that past practices are no longer
adequate. Meanwhile, new enterprise applications and software are
generating massive amounts of data – and it can see like an overwhelming
task to turn that data into insight and answers.
• The costs of making bad decisions have increased.
19
20
21
Operations Research Helps 22

• Deciding where to invest capital in order to grow

• Getting more value out of ERP(Enterprise Resource Planning), CRM
(Customer Relationship Management), and other software systems
• Figuring out the best way to run a call center
• Locating a warehouse or depot to deliver material s over shorter
distances at reduced cost
• Forecasting sales for a new kind of product that has never
marketed before
• Solving complex scheduling problems
Continued… 23

• Planning for a potential terrorist attack

• Deciding when to discount, and how much
• Getting more cycles out of manufacturing equipment
• Optimizing a portfolio of investments, whether it contains financial
securities or pharmaceutical product inventory
• Deciding how large a budget to devote to Internet vs. traditional sales
• Planting crops in the face of uncertainty about weather and
consumer demand
OR Definitions 24

• According to the Operational Research Society of Great Britain

(l962), Operational Research is the “attack of modern science on
complex problems arising in the direction and management of
large systems of men, machines, materials and money in industry,
business, government and defense”.
• Randy Robinson stresses that Operations Research is the
“application of scientific methods to improve the effectiveness of
operations, decisions and management”.
• Morse and Kimball have stressed O.R. is a “quantitative approach
and described it as “a scientific method of providing executive
departments with a quantitative basis for decisions regarding the
operations under their control”.
Continued… 25

• Saaty considers O.R. as “tool of improving quality of answers.

He says, “O.R. is the art of giving bad answers to problems
which otherwise have worse answers”.
• Miller and Starr state, “O.R. is applied decision theory, which
uses any scientific, mathematical or logical means to attempt to
cope with the problems”.
 Significant features of OR 26

1. Decision Making: OR is addressed to managerial decision

making or problem solving.
2. Scientific Approach: OR employs scientific methods for the
purpose of solving problems, and there is no place for
whims and guesswork.
 The problem to be analysed is defined clearly
 Observation are made under varying conditions
 Hypothesis formulation
 To test hypothesis, experiment is designed and executed.
 Results of experiments are analysed.
 Significant features of OR 27

3. Objective: OR attempts to locate the best or optimal solution to the

problem under consideration.

4. Inter-disciplinary Team Approach: It requires team approach to a

solution to the problem.

5. Digital Computer: Use of computer is integral part of OR approach to

decision making. Computer may be required due to complexity of model.
Scope of Operational Research 28
 The scope of OR is not only confined to any specific agency
like defense services but today it is widely used in all
industrial organizations.
 It can be used to find the best solution to any problem be it
simple or complex. It is useful in every field of human
activities.
 Thus, it attempts to resolve the conflicts of interest among the
components of organization in a way that is best for the
organization as a whole.
Scope of Operation Research 29

(The Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Nature Of

Operations Research)
I. In Defense Operations
• Administration
• Intelligence
• Operations, And
• Training And Supply.
Fields 30

National Planning and Budgeting

Defense Services
Industrial Establishment and Private Sector Units
R & D and Engineering
National Planning and Budgeting 31
OR is used for the Preparation of-
Five Year Plans
Annual Budgets
Forecasting of Income and Expenditure
Scheduling of Major Projects of National Importance
GDP
Population
Employment and Generation of Agriculture Yields, etc.
Defense Services 32
Basically formulation of OR started from USA Army, so it has wide
application in the areas such as:
Development of New Technology
Optimization of Cost and Time
Tender Evaluation
Setting and Layouts of Defense Projects
Assessment of “Threat Analysis”
Strategy of Battle
Effective Maintenance and Replacement of Equipment
Inventory Control,
Transportation
Supply Depots, etc.
Industrial Establishments and Private
Sector Units 33

OR can be effectively used in-

Plant Location and Setting Finance Planning

Product and Process Planning
Facility Planning and Construction
Production Planning and Control
Purchasing
Maintenance Management
Personnel Management, etc.
R&D and Engineering 34

Research and development being the heart of technological

growth, OR has wide scope and can be applied in-

Technology Forecasting and Evaluation,

Technology and Project Management,
Preparation of Tender and Negotiation,
Value Engineering,
Work/Method Study and so on.
 35

II.IN INDUSTRY
• Applications of operations research in the area of management
1. Production Management : The production manager can apply OR methods for
• The remunerative policy with regard to time and piece rate.
• Determination of optimum product mix.
• Production, scheduling and sequencing the production run by allocation of
machines.
• Work study operation including time study.
• Selecting plant location and design of the sites.
• Distribution policy.
• Loading and unloading facility for road transportation.
• Maintenance crew sizes.
 36

2. MARKETING MANAGEMENT
• The marketing manager can apply OR method for
• Product selection, timing and formulation of competitive
strategies.
• Marketing research.
• Distribution strategies.
• Sales forecasting.
• Sales promotion.
• Selection of advertising media and terms of cost and time factor
• To find optimum number of Salesmen.
 37
3. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
• The financial manager can apply OR method for
• Apply cash flow analysis for capital budgeting.
• Formulate credit policies, evaluate credit risks.
• Determine optimum replacement strategies.
• Frame claim and complaint procedures.
• Frame policies regarding capital structure.
• Long range capital requirement.
• Investments portfolio.
• Dividend policies.
 38

4. PERSONAL MANAGEMENT
• The personal manager can apply OR method for
• Forecasting the manpower requirement, framing of recruitment
policies, assignment of jobs to machines or workers etc.
• Selection of suitable personnel with due consideration for age,
education skills training etc.
• Determination of optimum number of persons for each service centre.
• The promotional policies.
• Mixes of age and skills.
 39

5. PURCHASE DEPARTMENT
• The purchased department can apply OR method for
• Determining the quantity and timing of purchase of raw
materials, machinery etc.
• Bidding policies.
• Rules for buying and supplies under varying pries.
• Equipment replacement policies.
• Determination of quantities and timing of purchases.
 40

6. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

• The research and development department can apply OR
method for
• Determining the areas for research and development.
• Scheduling and control of R & D projects.
• Resource allocation and crashing in projects.
• Project selection.
• Reliability and alternative design.
 41

7. MANUFACTURING DEPARTMENT
• The manufacturing department can apply OR method for :
• Inventory control
• Projection marketing balance.
• Production scheduling
• Production smoothing.
 42

8. ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT
• The accounting department can apply OR method for
• Cash flow and fund flow planning.
• Credit policy analysis.
• Planning of delinquent account strategy.
Stages of Development of Operations Research 43

• Step I: Observe the problem environment

• Step II: Analyze and define the problem
• Step III: Develop a model
• Step IV: Select appropriate data input
• Step V: Provide a solution and test it
• Step VI: Implement the solution
Step I: Observe the problem environment
• This step includes different activities; they are conferences, site
visit, research, observations etc. These activities provide sufficient
44
information to the O.R. specialists to formulate the problem.
Step II: Analyze and define the problem
• The objectives, uses and limitations of O.R. study of the problem
also defined. The outputs of this step are clear grasp of need for a
solution and its nature understanding.
Step III: Develop a model
• The models are basically mathematical models, which describes
systems, processes in the form of equations, formula/relationships.
• The different activities in this step are variables definition,
formulating equations etc. The model is tested in the field under
different environmental constraints and modified in order to work.
Step IV: Select appropriate data input
• The activities in this step include internal/external data analysis, fact
analysis, and collection of opinions and use of computer data banks
45
• The objective of this step is to provide sufficient data input to operate
and test the model developed in Step_III.
Step V: Provide a solution and test its reasonableness
• This solution is not implemented immediately, instead the solution is
used to test the model and to find there is any limitations.
• Suppose if the solution is not reasonable or the behavior of the model
is not proper, the model is updated and modified at this stage.
• The output of this stage is the solution(s) that supports the current
organizational objectives.
 46

Step VI: Implement the solution

• At this step the solution obtained from the previous step is
implemented.
• The implementation of the solution involves so many
behavioral issues.
• Therefore, before implementation the implementation
authority has to resolve the issues
 Problem Solving Process
Formulate the
Problem
Goal: solve a problem Situation Problem
• Model must be valid
Implement a Solution Statement
• Model must be tractable
Data
• Solution must be useful
Construct
a Model
Implement
the Solution

Model

Procedure
Find
a Solution
Establish
a Procedure

Test the Model

and the Solution Solution Tools

47
The Situation 48
• May involve current operations or proposed
developments due to expected market shifts
• May become apparent through consumer
Situation
complaints or through employee suggestions
• May be a conscious effort to improve efficiency or
respond to an unexpected crisis
Data

Example: Internal nursing staff not happy with their schedules;

hospital using too many external nurses.
Problem Formulation 49
Formulate the
Problem
Situation Problem
Statement

Data

• Describe system • Define variables

• Define boundaries
• State assumptions • Define constraints
• Select performance measures • Identify data requirements

Example: Maximize individual nurse preferences subject to demand requirements

or minimize nurse dissatisfaction costs.
 Constructing a Model 50

• Problem must be translated from verbal, qualitative

terms to logical, quantitative terms Situation Problem
statement
• A logical model is a series of rules, usually Formulate the
embodied in a computer program Problem
Data

• A mathematical model is a collection of functional

relationships by which allowable actions are delimited Construct
a Model
and evaluated.

Model
Example: Define relationships between individual nurse assignments and
preference violations; define tradeoffs between the use of internal
and external nursing resources.
Solving the Mathematical Model 51

• Many tools are available as discussed

Model
• Some lead to “optimal” solutions
• Others only evaluate candidates  trial Find a
and error to find “best” course of action solution

Example: Collect input data -- nurse profiles and demand Solution Tools
requirements; apply algorithm; post-process results
to get monthly schedules.
Implementation 52

• A solution to a problem usually implies changes for

some individuals in the organization
• Often there is resistance to change, making the
implementation difficult
• Those affected should go through training

Example: Implement nurse scheduling system in one unit at a

time. Integrate with existing HR systems. Provide
training sessions during the workday.
Advantages of Models 53

• Generally, experimenting with models (compared to

experimenting with the real situation):
• requires less time
• is less expensive
• involves less risk
Computer Software 54

• A variety of software packages are available for solving

mathematical models, some are:
• Spreadsheet packages such as Microsoft Excel
• The Management Scientist (MS)
• Quantitative system for business (QSB)
• LINDO, LINGO
• Quantitative models (QM)
• Decision Science (DS)
Application Areas 55

• Strategic planning
• Supply chain management
• Pricing and revenue management
• Logistics and site location
• Optimization
• Marketing research
Applications Areas (cont.) 56

• Scheduling
• Portfolio management
• Inventory analysis
• Forecasting
• Sales analysis
• Auctioning
• Risk analysis
Examples of OR Applications 57

• Rescheduling aircraft in response to groundings and delays

• Planning production for printed circuit board assembly
• Scheduling equipment operators in mail processing &
distribution centers
• Developing routes for propane delivery
• Adjusting nurse schedules in light of daily fluctuations in
demand
Example: Iron Works, Inc. 58

Iron Works, Inc. (IWI) manufactures two products made from

steel and just received this month's allocation of b pounds of
steel. It takes a1 pounds of steel to make a unit of product 1
and it takes a2 pounds of steel to make a unit of product 2.
Let x1 and x2 denote this month's production level of product
1 and product 2, respectively. Denote by p1 and p2 the unit
profits for products 1 and 2, respectively.
The manufacturer has a contract calling for at least m units
of product 1 this month. The firm's facilities are such that at
most u units of product 2 may be produced monthly.
Examples 59

• British Telecom used OR to schedule workforce for more than 40,000

engineers. The system was saving $150 million a year from 1997~ 2000.
The workforce is projected to save $250 million.
• Sears Uses OR to create a Vehicle Routing and Scheduling System which to
run its delivery and home service fleet more efficiently -- $42 million in
annual savings
• UPS use O.R. to redesign its overnight delivery network, $87 million in
savings obtained from 2000 ~ 2002; Another $189 million anticipated over
the following decade.
• USPS uses OR to schedule the equipment and workforce in its mail
processing and distribution centers. Estimated saving in $500 millions can
be achieve.
A Short List of Successful Stories (1) 60
• Air New Zealand
• Air New Zealand Masters the Art of Crew Scheduling
• AT&T Network
• Delivering Rapid Restoration Capacity for the AT&T Network
• Bank Hapoalim
• Bank Hapoalim Offers Investment Decision Support for Individual Customers
• British Telecommunications
• Dynamic Workforce Scheduling for British Telecommunications
• Canadian Pacific Railway
• Perfecting the Scheduled Railroad at Canadian Pacific Railway
• Continental Airlines
• Faster Crew Recovery at Continental Airlines
• FAA
• Collaborative Decision Making Improves the FAA Ground-Delay Program
A Short List of Successful Stories (2) 61
• Ford Motor Company
• Optimizing Prototype Vehicle Testing at Ford Motor Company
• General Motors
• Creating a New Business Model for OnStar at General Motors
• IBM Microelectronics
• Matching Assets to Supply Chain Demand at IBM Microelectronics
• IBM Personal Systems Group
• Extending Enterprise Supply Chain Management at IBM Personal System
s Group
• Jan de Wit Company
• Optimizing Production Planning and Trade at Jan de Wit Company
• Jeppesen Sanderson
• Improving Performance and Flexibility at Jeppesen Sanderson
A Short List of Successful Stories (3) 62
• Mars
• Online Procurement Auctions Benefit Mars and Its Suppliers
• Menlo Worldwide Forwarding
• Turning Network Routing into Advantage for Menlo Forwarding
• Merrill Lynch
• Seizing Marketplace Initiative with Merrill Lynch Integrated Choice
• NBC
• Increasing Advertising Revenues and Productivity at NBC
• PSA Peugeot Citroen
• Speeding Car Body Production at PSA Peugeot Citroen
• Rhenania
• Rhenania
Optimizes Its Mail-Order Business with Dynamic Multilevel Modeling
• Samsung
• Samsung Cuts Manufacturing Cycle Time and Inventory to Compete
Case 1: Ford Motor Prototype Vehicle Testing 63

• Problem: Developing prototypes for new cars and modified

products is enormously expensive. Ford sought to reduce
costs on these unique, first-of-a-kind creations.
 Ford Motor (con’t) 64

• Strategic Objectives and Requirements: Ford needs to

verify the designs of its vehicles and perform all necessary
tests. Historically, prototypes sit idle much of the time
waiting for various tests, so increasing their usage would
have a clear benefit.
Ford Motor (con’t) 65

• Model Structure: Ford and a team from Wayne State

University developed a Prototype Optimization Model (POM)
to reduce the number of prototype vehicles. The model
determines an optimal set of vehicles that can be shared and
used to satisfy all testing needs.
 Ford Motor (con’t) 66

• Project Value: Ford reduced annual prototype costs by

$250 million.
Case 2: American Airlines Revolutionizes Pricing 67

• Business Problem: To compete effectively in a fierce market,

the company needed to “sell the right seats to the right
customers at the right prices.”
 American Airlines (con’t) 68

• Strategic Objectives and Requirements: Airline seats are a

perishable commodity. Their value varies – at times of scarcity
they’re worth a premium, after the flight departs, they’re
worthless. The new system had to develop an approach to
pricing while creating software that could accommodate
millions of bookings, cancellations, and corrections.
 American Airlines (con’t) 69

• Model Structure: The team developed yield management,

also known as revenue management and dynamic pricing.
The model broke down the problem into three subproblems:
• Overbooking
• Discount allocation
• Traffic management
The model was adapted to American Airlines computers.
 American Airlines (con’t) 70

• Project Value: In 1991, American Airlines estimated a

benefit of $1.4 billion over the previous three years. Since
then, yield management was adopted by other airlines, and
spread to hotels, car rentals, and cruises, resulting in added
profits going into billions of dollars.
Techniques/Tools of Operational Research 71

Linear Programming
Queuing Theory
Sequencing
Transportation Problems
Integer Problems
Assignment Problems
Decision Theory and Games Theory
Replacement Problems
Symbolic Logic
Applıcatıons of O.R. 72
 Transportatıon and Travel

OR techniques are used by airlines and rail

companies to offer varying fares and make higher
revenues by filling more seats at different prices - an
OR technique known as Yield Management. All
airlines depend on the effective use of OR techniques
to make them operate at a profit.

73
 Retaılıng

In supermarkets, data from store loyalty card

schemes is analyzed by OR groups to advise on
merchandising policies and profitability improvement.
OR methods are also used to decide when and where
new store developments should be made.

74
 Health

Hospital managers use OR

to make decisions such as
determining the optimal
utilization of operating
rooms and personnel,
assessing the risks posed
by patients with various
medical conditions, and
deciding necessary levels
of perishable medicine in
stock.

75
Fınancıal Servıces

OR practitioners address
issues such as portfolio
and risk management,
planning and analysis of
customer service. They are
widely employed in Credit
Risk Management—a vital
area for lenders needing to
ensure that they find the
optimum balance of risk
and revenue.

76
 Government

OR is a key contributor in modernizing government

services and making them more efficient. Some OR
applications include modeling the impact of
performance related paying for teachers, evaluating
government call-centers, projecting the size of the
population, and national defense.

77
Advantages of OR 78
• Provides a tool for scientific analysis
• Provides solution for various business problems
• Enables proper deployment of resources
• Helps in minimizing waiting and servicing costs
• Enables the management to decide when to buy and how much to
buy?
• Assists in choosing an optimum strategy
• Renders great help in optimum resource allocation
• Facilitates the process of decision making
• Management can know the reactions of the integrated business
systems
• Helps a lot in the preparation of future managers
Limitations of OR 79
• The inherent limitations concerning mathematical expressions
• High costs are involved in the use of O.R. techniques
• O.R. does not take into consideration the intangible factors
• O.R. is only a tool of analysis and not the complete decision-
making process
Other limitations
• Bias
• Inadequate objective functions
• Internal resistance
• Reliability of the prepared solution
Limitations of Operations Research 80

• Distance between O.R. specialist and Manager

• Magnitude of Calculations
• Money and Time Costs
• Non-quantifiable Factors
• Implementation
 Books Prescribed 81

• Operations Research – An Introduction : Taha (PHI)

• Operations Research – Theory and Applications : J. K. Sharma (Macmillan)
• Introduction to Operations Research : Hillier, Lieberman (TMH)
• Operations Research : P.K. Gupta, D.S. Hira (S. Chand)
• Quantitative Techniques in Management : N. D. Vohra (McGrawHill)
 82

Thank You 