By invitation from the Editor of IIE Transactions, a research forum was established in 1987 to develop and prepare this article: The objective to write on the directions, needs and challenges for research by the IE community in applying computer and information sciences. The motivation: realizing the major advancements in computer and information sciences in the recent decade and their significant impact on the IE profession, it is vital to examine how IE research activities can respond effectively to current and emerging needs. This article is viewed as a useful contribution to such an examination. Forum members were invited from academia, government and industry based on their experience in and commitment to research in this area. The forum was chaired by Shimon Y. Nof and the members are the co-authors of this article. Forum members communicated and deliberated throughout 1987 and met for a review and planning session during the IIE Conference in Washington, D.C. in May, 1987 (Forum, 1987). The following article summarizes the contributions and recommendations of the forum members, and was reviewed by four guest reviewers. The reviewers, invited by the Editor, have provided comments that have been incorporated into this article.
