From operational research towards decision aid: A quest for the philosophers’ stone?

The literature has been, and is still, replete with grandiose promises of what Operational Research (OR), Management Information Systems, Decision Support Systems,...can do for management. But many of these promises are far beyond what can be seen in practical reality. The object of this paper is to discuss some of the important steps that were climbed by humans on the road that leads from Operational Research to Decision Aid Paragraph 1 gives a historical background. Paragraph 2 is devoted to the general nature and methodology of traditional Operational Research OR. In paragraph 3, some of the important improvements brought to the traditional Operational Research OR view of decision making are presented. Paragraph 4 refers to the Operational Research OR crisis and to its consequences. Paragraph 5 concerns some of the ideas that have been the starting point of a decision-aid science. Finally, paragraph 6 gives some conclusions, noting in particular that the small incremental gains in decision making were reached when trying to understand decision making processes and human thought and applying technology tools to support the processes.