CURRENT ISSUES IN OR/MS CAREER PATHS IN INDUSTRY

GARY C. McDONALD

October 28, 1995 

Consumer and Operations Research Department 
Research and Development Center 
(810) 986-1085 * 8-226-1085

OUTLINE 

  • What's Not Taught in School
  • Main Issue -- Using OR/MS to Gain a Competitive Edge -- Why is this Important?
  • Where does OR/MS Fit in this Framework?
  • Some Examples of "Successful" Projects
  • Useful Guidelines for Project (Activity) Selection
    •

    WHAT'S NOT TAUGHT IN SCHOOL? 

  • Race between obsolescence and retirement!
    •  
  • continuing education
    •
  • What to read before job interview
  • What to read and what to join after beginning job 
  • Other skills to be developed:
    •  
  • communication (written, verbal, slapstick) 
  • interaction 
  • attitude 
  • work habits 
  • reading & memory 
  • details of business including competitors 
  • computer usage 
  • how to deal with change 
  • how to work through others 
  • listening clearly 
  • systems thinking
    •      EVOLVING GLOBAL NATURE OF BUSINESS
    • culture
    • language
    • social norms

    WHY IS THE COMPETITIVE EDGE IMPORTANT? 

    • ONLY TRUE BASIS FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF AN ACTIVITY
    • BENEFITS EXCEED COSTS BY SUITABLE MARGIN IS THE

      • SUSTAINING FACTOR OF ANY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS 
    • PROVIDES A COMMON FOCUS (LANGUAGE)
    • PROVIDES A STIMULUS FOR DOING GOOD WORK
    • INCORPORATES MANY FACETS
        •  
      • QUALITY
      • COST 
      • LEAD TIME 
      • ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS 
      • SERVICE

    WHERE DOES OR/MS FIT IN THIS FRAMEWORK?

    ALMOST EVERYWHERE!!

    EXAMPLES INCLUDE 

    • REDUCING LEAD TIME
    • IMPROVING QUALITY & RELIABILITY OF PRODUCTS
    • ASSESSING CONSUMER TRENDS
    • REDUCING PRODUCTION COSTS
    • MEETING ENVIRONMENTAL & ENERGY DEMANDS
    • ALLOCATING RESOURCES

    WHERE DO OR/MS

    PROFESSIONALS FIT??

    NOT AS CLEAR!!

    DIRECTIONS IN INDUSTRY 

    • MOVE TOWARDS CUSTOMER DRIVEN RELEVANT RESEARCH (3rd generation R&D)
    • OUTSOURCE RESEARCH
      • FOCUS ON SYSTEM/PROCESS 
      • FOCUS ON PROBLEMS, NOT METHODS 
    • TEAM ORIENTED
    • CONTINUE LEARNING

    SELECTED PROJECT DISCUSSIONS 

    USEFUL GUIDELINES 

  • PROBLEM SELECTION (AREA)
    • FIND ISSUES CRITICAL TO BUSINESS
    • SKETCH A "BUSINESS CASE" FOR PROJECT
    • KEEP ASKING "SO WHAT?
  • PROBLEM FORMULATION (SPECIFICS)
    • FOCUS ON WHAT REALLY MATTERS
    • DO GOOD WORK!
    • NURTURE AN "OPERATIONAL" CHAMPION 
    • JOINT REPORTING

      • DISSEMINATE CREDIT 
  • COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY & OFTEN
    • INTERPRET IN A "MEANINGFUL" LANGUAGE 

      • KEY CONTACTS 
      DON'T NEGLECT PERSONAL ASPECTS 
      BE TIMELY!
  •  PLAN THE END OF THE PROJECT
    • KNOW WHEN TO BE DONE 

      • INSURE LONGEVITY OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION 
      AFFECT THE SYSTEM 
  •  TRACK BENEFITS -- AT LEAST FOR A WHILE
    •

    SUMMARY 

    • "CURRENT" ISSUES ARE "OLD" ISSUES 
    • CAREER PATHING ENHANCED BY DEVELOPING A TRACK RECORD OF EFFECTIVE
      • PROBLEM SELECTION
      • PROBLEM FORMULATION
      • NURTURING OF "OPERATIONAL" CHAMPIONS
      • COMMUNICATION
      • PLANNING OF THE END OF PROJECTS
      • TRACKING OF BENEFITS