Operations Research

Operations Research (OR) traditionally used to comprise the development and use of quantitative decision support methods and models. OR was shaped by the collaboration of mathematicians, economic and computer scientists.

This approach – today often referred to as Hard OR – does not reach far enough if tasks and challenges are characterised by uncertainty, complexity, non-linearity and incomplete data. We typically find such requirements in current and future scenarios with cultural, psycho-social, political or strategic problem definitions. Under the term Soft OR, qualitative and quantitative models and methods from human and social sciences are here used, suited to provide scientifically well-founded analysis support for decision-makers and staff, also in highly complex situations.