Operational research is a discipline that deals with development and implementation of methods that find optimal solutions on the basis of mathematical modeling, statistic modeling and heuristic approaches in various different fields of activity. Among the classical problems of operational research – "traffic problem", "traveling salesman problem”, scheduling task, etc.
A characteristic feature of operations research is a comprehensive approach towards the problem and its analysis. A systemic approach is the main methodological principle of operations research: any task should be considered in terms of impact on the criteria of the system as a whole. An important feature of operations research is a pursuit to find the optimal solution of the problem. However, the limited existing resources and lack of methods for finding the optimal solution compel to compromise between the effectiveness of solutions and expenses for their search. Operational research provides tools for searching such compromise.
Operational research is closely linked with the science of management (Management Science), system analysis, mathematical programming, game theory, theory of optimal solutions, heuristic methods and artificial intelligence methods, such as the satisfaction theory of constraints and neural networks.
Operational research is mainly used by large foreign companies for solving production planning problems (controlling, logistics, marketing and other complex tasks). Application of operations research in economics will reduce costs and even improving of the performance of the company (sometimes several times). Operations research using military and governments of many developed countries for solving complex problems of armies supplying, development of new weapons, the development of international trade mechanisms, prediction of the state, etc.
The course of modern operational research and its mathematical methods gives the opportunity for students to learn basic concepts of this discipline, an overview of basic mathematical methods and techniques that are used in it. The lecturers will present the effectiveness of the reviewed mathematical methods for operational researches with the examples of its implementation for control and improving quality of production, predicting of credit risk and financial processes, modeling of a human’s genes interaction and so on.
Language of the course — English.
Tutor of the course:
Prof. G. W. Weber, METU, Turkey