The role of Operational Research in less developed countries: A critical approach

Concern over OR’s ‘implementation problem’ in less developed countries has largely focussed on cultural obstacles to the assimilation of techniques from ore advanced societies. However, there are other more material factors operating. Underdevelopment is not just a state of mind, or even a set of interlocking vicious circles (poverty, overpopulation, underinvestment...). Underdevelopment is, rather, a set of relationships between developed and less developed countries. In this paper OR’s problem is treated within this context as one example of technology transfer. A selective survey indicates the limited extent to which this framework has been incorporated into OR’s practice and attempts at self-understanding. Some characteristics are suggested of a more ‘appropriate’ Operational Research OR technology-which would also have advantages for categories of Operational Research OR work in more developed countries.