ORTEC, one of the largest providers of advanced planning and optimization solutions and services, has become the main sponsor of the International Conference Operations Research (OR 2013), which takes place from 3 to 6 September in Rotterdam. The ceremonial signing of this agreement between ORTEC and Erasmus School of Economics took place at the headquarters of ORTEC in Gouda on 29 April, 2013.
This conference will be one of the largest in the area of Operations Research with an expected number of participants between 700 and 1000. The conference is part of the annual meetings organized by the German Operations Research Society (GOR), which are sometimes organized by a sister organization of the GOR in a neighbouring country.
The theme of OR 2013 is “Impact on People, Business and Society”, which emphasizes the importance of Operations Research as an applied science. Within the International field of Decision Making, The Netherlands has a leading position, both in academic research and in successful innovative applications. Regularly, Dutch experts win prestigious international prizes. Partly in view of the Centennial celebrations of Erasmus School of Economics, OR 2013 offers an excellent opportunity to emphasise these performances.
Complexity in business and society has increased over the years en will continue to increase because of ever faster changing economic, regulatory, political and social environments. The ability to manage increased complexity is one of the most important factors for success. Increased complexity requires companies and societies to be flexible and adapt by creating new business models and learning new. Complexity is not only a threat it brings out new possibilities, new opportunities both for business and society. Identifying and harnessing these possibilities is not an easy task. Adapting to and embracing -new- technologies is essential. New technologies enable for changing business models, process improvements and opening up new markets, while at the same time creating new challenges. How do we use them in day-to-day planning and decision making? Operations Research, best known as optimization, makes this ever increasing complexity accessible.
Operations Research has proved to be the best answer to handle complexity many times in the past. It came into existence during the 2nd world war, where mathematicians entirely without military experience, revolutionized the way wars are waged and won by applying mathematics to almost any challenge in warfare. Today, Operations Research has found its way in many applications that impacts people, business and society. It is applied in designing schedules for public transport, cancer treatment, managing assets and liabilities for pension funds. It is used to determine the most economic heights for dikes and the most efficient trucking schedule for line haulers. Operation Research has shown its value to society. Some people say it is the least known most influential scientific practice of our time.