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O.R. and Social Sciences: A Story of ON-OFF Relationships

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Operational Research and the Social Sciences
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Abstract

The Conference in Cambridge on Operational Research and the Social Sciences — “The 1964 Conference” — with the Conference book containing the text of the papers and a very adequate account of the proceedings and discussions (Lawrence 1966) — in retrospect marks the high point in the relationship between O.R. and social science. The theme was chosen for the Operational Research Society’s first international conference because of widespread recognition of the need for better integration of the closely related interests, needs and resources of O.R. and various social sciences (see especially “Editor’s Preface” in Lawrence 1966). John Lawrence’s account of these needs is as valid and important now as when it was written. The calibre of the participants was outstanding; so was the quality of the papers and discussions. Today, most of the papers are well worth re-reading; several continue to be of real importance. The present paper owes much to that Conference, as background and still more as stimulus.

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References

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© 1989 Plenum Press, New York

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Stansfield, R.G. (1989). O.R. and Social Sciences: A Story of ON-OFF Relationships. In: Jackson, M.C., Keys, P., Cropper, S.A. (eds) Operational Research and the Social Sciences. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0789-1_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0789-1_18

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8083-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-0789-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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