Book Description
Available July 31, 2004

The 8th edition of Introduction to Operations Research remains the classic operations research text while incorporating a wealth of state-of-the-art, user-friendly software and more coverage of business applications than ever before.The hallmark features of this edition include clear and comprehensive coverage of fundamentals, an extensive set of interesting problems and cases, and state-of-the-practice operations research software used in conjunction with examples from the text. This edition will also feature the latest developments in OR, such as metaheuristics, simulation, and spreadsheet modeling. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Excellent!
Maybe not enough explanations behind maths. I didn't find the answers for the cases. Everything else is excellent. The DVD is very useful with Lingo / Lindo included.

A must-have if you like Operations Research.

The best resource on Operations Research for beginners, intermediates, and advanced knowledge seekers
I hesitated a long time before I bought this book, and I am very sorry about that. I started my M.Sc. in Operations Research and Decisions at the Tel Aviv University 3 years ago, and the first course I took was Optimization. I was a new immigrant to Israel, and I had difficulty in understanding the subject in Hebrew (it is not that easy even when you master the language!) The course book was this one; therefore, I decided to put all my efforts in the book rather than in the classes. Thanks god!

IMHO, Hillier and Lieberman make it clear that Operations Research is the father/mother of all the mathematical and statistical models that support decision making. They wrote the book in a way that all these models (including game theory, Markov models, decision trees, simplex, and others) seem closely linked to, or maybe even a consequence of, the development of Operations Research. The authors do not only explain models and techniques, they tell the story of the introduction of mathematics and statistics into the decision making world.

I read this book from upside down ten times and I really enjoyed it. The examples are so well chosen and interesting that I still remember them. But the biggest advantage of the book is its wide range of subjects, each treated in-depth. I have used the book for three important courses during my masters: Optimization, Stochastic process, and Decision theory. For all these courses, this book was the most comprehensible and interesting resource (though sometimes it was only an introduction, and I had to find more detailed material). The subjects discussed on the book go from an introduction to Operations Research, through modeling techniques, linear programming (Simplex), duality theory, the transportation problem, network optimization, dynamic programming, integer programming, nonlinear programming, game theory, decision analysis, Markov chains, queueing theory, and inventory theory.

Don't hesitate, if you got to this page you probably are looking for a good resource on Operations Research. This tome serves beginners, intermediates, and advanced knowledge seekers in the field.

No solutions to the exercises - the downside...
I haven't read the whole book, only selected chapters. Good book with thorough explanations (but may be considered by some too long winded). Very wordy in style, but OTOH has many examples (very important!) The style is for practioners - it's not a math or algorithms book.

The bad side: no solutions on the back of the book, and no solutions manual to buy. Only instructors have access to the solutions manual. So, for self-study, you might want to look at the competition...ISBN: 0534380581

Excessively long-winded
The book may be suitable for some people but I found the explanations excessively long-winded. I frequently found myself crossing out an entire paragraph and a writing summary sentence in the margin. I do not think it will make a good reference because it is very easy to get lost in its verbosity. This is problematic in the real world when you need to refresh your memory of a small detail under time pressure. This book is useful for learning new concepts for the first time but you will quickly outgrow it.

Definite keeper for future reference!
Although we used the 8th ed in a recent course, it is probably the most well thought out O.R. intro you will find - good relevant case study material for the interested practitioner as well.Not too mathematically rigorous w.r.t. research, but examples are detailed enough, and the book also has a great selection of seemingly real-life practice problems.I especially appreciate ancillary chapters (e.g. crystal ball, project mgmt) being kept on the CD-ROM, it makes it a lot easier to carry and read on the train! ... Read more

Book Description

Tackling the broad range of allocation problems that actually confront engineers, programmers and analysts in today's business and industrial worlds, this book takes readers step-by-step through all the mathematical programming techniques--including the trailblazing Karmarkar algorithm--needed to excel in any operations research course. It's easy to see why the first edition of this invaluable study guide sole more than 35,000 copies! It cuts down study time while it builds essential skills.

Customer Reviews (5)

Schaum's Outline of Operations Research (Purchased on 09/29/2007)
Very good classical book for operational research. I would like to find informations about value of information using markov chains and linear programing.

not enough
First of all, be careful, this is not a text book. It has a good presentation for problem solution. First, there are a some solved problems, then supplementary problems are coming. The answers of supplementary problems are at the end of the book.

This book might be useful for beginners. For every topic, there are easy problems, not specific problems similar to case studies. If you are over beginner degree, this book will not be useful for you. Especially, integer programming sections are not satisfactory. For instance, there isn't any facility location problem solution.

To sum-up this book may be useful for a beginner as a workbook.

Doubles as inexpensive textbook on operations research
Some of the primary tools used by operations researchers are statistics, optimization, stochastics, queueing theory, game theory, graph theory, and simulation. Because of the computational nature of these fields operations research also has ties to computer science, and thus this outline is useful to people from both fields. OR is concerned with optimization problems in which one seeks to maximize or minimize a specific quantity. The first part of this book is on optimization vialinear, integer, and nonlinear programming. Next, network analysis is covered. Network analysis is the general name given to certain specific techniques which can be used for the planning, management and control of projects. Two different techniques for network analysis were developed independently in the late 1950's -PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) andCPM (Critical Path Management). These techniques are also covered in the outline. The next subject tackled is that of inventory models - allowing shortages, allowing price discounts, risk conditions, etc., and their mathematical modeling. Game theory, decision theory, and dynamic programming are all explained in the context of inventory models and forecasting. Finally, there is coverage of Markov chains and queueing theory. Queuing Theory arises from the use of mathematical analysis to theoretically describe production processes along with statistical/probabilistic techniques to account for varying dynamic patterns within the stages of a productive process. The problem to be met is simply entitled "congestion", what happens when a system does not operate smoothly or efficiently.
I really liked this Schaum's outline, and I used it to teach myself most of the mathematical processes covered without the need for any additional resources. The theory is given in small doses along with very illustrative examples. The mathematics starts with simple algebra and works up to nothing more complex than probability and statistics. I highly recommend it for anybody enrolled in an operations research class as well as computer scientists and mathematics students that are studying any subset of the topics covered in this book.

Schaum's Outline of Operations Research
i found this book to be a very helpfull tool a long with my text book.it excels in its simplicity and a wide varity of examples and solved problems written in plain english.
hope you like it too.
thank you.
M. Madain.

Solved problems book
Originally the book of Richard Bronson(1982) was very useful for the solution ofsimpleproblems, then a difficult one,but it is always required a text bookaccompanythis. The students of my classes need all the time solved problems to practice. ... Read more

Book Description
This best-selling introduction to operations research now features the Windows versions of LINDO and LINGO.(LINDO, GINO, and LINGO software packages are also available with the book in Macintosh or DOS versions).Forward thinking in approach, this book emphasizes model-formulation and model-building skills.Winston includes material for a three-semester course, organized into self-contained units that provide flexibility in selecting material.Requiring a background in calculus, linear algebra, and statistics, OPERATIONS RESEARCH offers comprehensive coverage for applications-oriented courses in linear or mathematical programming and stochastic and probabilistic models and processes at the undergraduate and graduate level. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

THE BEST on Operations Research (Deserves 6 stars)
I think this book is the best up to date reference on Operations Research. The book is very well written, very didactic and addresses mainly the practical use of OR. That is, the book isnt so good for algorithm details but it is superb on modeling, interpretation and examples.

Good writing style
I am in my first semester of an MBA program.The required text for my OR/MS class (An Introduction to Management Science, 10th ed., by Anderson, Sweeney, Williams) left something to be desired.I work with the SAS programming language, and happened to be discussing the SAS/OR product with a SAS technical support rep.He recommended this Winston text.I think it explains concepts much better than my Anderson text and has helped me a lot in my OR/MS class.

From Deterministic to Stochastic
This is one of the excellent industrial engineering books. From deterministic and simple linear programming to stochastic systems such as queueing models or dynamic programming, you may read and "learn" lots of things about OR. However, for stochastic cases you will need extra help for its matematics. But if you want to learn something about industrial engineering or something related with it, that is the book you must buy.

A great book for undergraduate engineering students
I have used this book for five years in my Operation Research classes. Its emphasis is in the mathematical modeling. The explanations are complete and clean. But, the exercises are the best part: a lot of examples and modeling exercises. A very good book for engineering students.

Another great text by Dr. Winston
A wonderful compendium of Ops algorythms.It has everything from linear programming to queing theory. ... Read more

Book Description
The market-leading textbook for the course, Winston's OPERATIONS RESEARCH owes much of its success to its practical orientation and consistent emphasis on model formulation and model building. It moves beyond a mere study of algorithms without sacrificing the rigor that faculty desire. As in every edition, Winston reinforces the book's successful features and coverage with the most recent developments in the field. The Student Suite CD-ROM, which now accompanies every new copy of the text, contains the latest versions of commercial software for optimization, simulation, and decision analysis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Complete Book for Hard OR
Operations Research is an emergent science!!!
This book provides a complete approach to Hard OR, like modelling and all the required Mathematics...
Winston is an old fox at this area. His books are previoulsy accredited!

Standard Text - Riddled with Flaws
I'm guessing you're on this page because this is your textbook. It works reasonably well for a text, but there are many, many errors. One important problem you should check IMMEDIATELY when you get your copy: some versions double printed pages 705-736 and did not print 737 to 768. These would be the first sections of chapter 13 -- Decision Making under Uncertainty. It is pretty important for the stochastic course, but not so important for the deterministic course (the first part of the book). There are websites that have errata, but even the errata sheets I've found are incomplete. Hopefully your prof should be aware of the flaws. I would NOT recommend this book if you have a coice in the matter. Many of the errors are very confusing to new students. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is specifically designed to change the way deterministic optimization is taught to introductory students. Toward this end, it exposes students to the broad scope of the topic,reinforces the basic principles, sparks students' enthusiasm about the field, provides tools of immediate relevance and develops the skills necessary to use those tools.

Customer Reviews (16)

Book Contents
The "Search inside this book" feature was not available for this book when this review was published. Hope it helps.

Table of Contents
1. Problem Solving with Mathematical Models
2. Deterministic Optimization Models in Operations Research
3. Improving Search
4. Linear Programming Models
5. Simplex Search for Linear Programming
6. Interior Point Methods for Linear Programming
7. Duality and Sensitivity in Linear Programming
9. Shortest Path and Discrete Dynamic Programming
10. Network Flows
11. Discrete Optimization Models
12. Discrete Optimization Methods
13. Unconstrained Nonlinear Programming
14. Constrained Nonlinear Programming

If you need more information, Professor Rardin (Purdue University) maintains a website that can be easily located using any web search tool.

A Clear and Concise Textfor OR
Rardin was the first book I used for OR and I keep a copy in my personal library. It offers a series of examples that are followed up throughout the book, chapter by chapter, to provide insight into the application of mathematics to real world problems. By building the level of complexity, on an ogoing basis through the use of specific examples, Rardin shows the extrmely practical side to why Operations Research is such a fundamentaluse of applied mathematics. The book is easy to read and should easily meet the needs of any upperlevel undergraduate course in Operations Research.

Good operations research book
This book presents the subjects in a different and novel way which provides many new insights.

In it, there is a great concern with the practical, professional use of operations research, as can be easily seen in the modeling examples. This book could be named "Optimization theory with realistic applications". This book certainly enables the students to apply the theory learned in practical situations, while providing the necessary mathematical foundations.

Rardin exposes the subject in a very clear and non-orthodox manner, unifying all algorithms through the use of the improving-search framework. The text is also innovative, containing sections on Genetic Algorithms, Simulated Annealing, Tabu Search and Branch and Cut.

But if you want to go deeper in some subject (linear programming for example) you will need another book.

Master piece
It is both useful for graduates and for undergraduates.

Explanations are easy to follow but at the same time they don't lack detail or correctness. The book is full of examples and it covers different fields of OR.

For me, the best is Rardin's approach to teach OR: he begins from the base and he builds newer contents over that base. In this way, you feel like "that works!". And for graduates, there are some sections called "primers" where Rardin explains subjects outside the scope of the book, but very useful for beginners.

The book is very well written. A good big effort.

PhD student in IE
Review after 2 years of using this book:AMAZING BOOK.There has never been a better book (and probably never will be) in explaining OR.

Previous Review upon purchase:
If you are taking a graduate or an undergraduate course in OR, this book is a must!I have not seen ANY book able to present OR with such simple, direct examples and WITHOUT sacrificing theory.
This is the best written textbook I have ever read.When I compare it with the hundereds of dollars I spend on badly written books, even as a PG (poor graduate) student I would gladly pay twice of what this book is priced at. ... Read more

Book Description
This text, the second volume of Wayne Winston's successful OPERATIONS RESEARCH: APPLICATIONS AND ALGORITHMS, Fourth Edition, covers probability models with recent contributions from financial engineering, computational simulation and manufacturing. The specific attention to probability models with the addition of recent practical breakthroughs makes this the first text to introduce these ideas together at an accessible level. Excellent problem sets abound. The text provides a balanced approach by developing the underlying theory while illustrating them with interesting examples. All of the necessary mathematical requirements are reviewed in Chapter 1. ... Read more

Book Description
Risk Analysis: Foundations, Models, and Methods fullyaddresses the questions of "What is health risk analysis?" and "Howcan its potentialities be developed to be most valuable to publichealth decision-makers and other health risk managers?" Risk analysisprovides methods and principles for answering these questions. It isdivided into methods for assessing, communicating, and managing healthrisks. Risk assessment quantitatively estimates the health risks toindividuals and to groups from hazardous exposures and from thedecisions or activities that create them. It applies specializedmodels and methods to quantify likely exposures and their resultinghealth risks. Its goal is to produce information to improve decisions.It does this by relating alternative decisions to their probableconsequences and by identifying those decisions that make preferredoutcomes more likely. Health risk assessment draws on explicitengineering, biomathematical, and statistical consequence models todescribe or simulate the causal relations between actions and theirprobable effects on health. Risk communication characterizes andpresents information about health risks and uncertainties todecision-makers and stakeholders. Risk management applies principlesfor choosing among alternative decision alternatives or actions thataffect exposure, health risks, or their consequences. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent reading
The book covers all essential stages of quantitative risk analysis, from identifying risk sources to calculating rational decisions under risk. Though it announces health risks as its main target, the methods and techniques are equally applicable to other areas, e.g. finance and engineering.

The book is well written using a clear and rigorous style. However, it is not an easy-reading. A reader is supposed to be closely familiar with basic concepts of calculus, linear algebra, probability and statistics, and differential equations. Reading the book with pen and paper would bring much more than just glancing through. The resulting benefits worth these efforts.

The book is best for deep studying of risk analysis, and as a handbook for skilled professionals. I would also recommend it to everyone wishing to gain clear understanding of quantitative decision-making under risk.

Review ofBook by Dr. LA Cox, jr.
This book is essential to all serious users of risk assessment and management. It is accessible, well written and hasmanyexamples that illustrate the issues discussed. Dr. Cox'sbook spans from cancer model to decision and game theory. Its broad coverage and depth make the book an essential companion to those who must account for uncertainty and variability when assessing the potential outcomes ofalternative choices. Because the book consider the single decision makers, as well as situations characterized by several decisionmakers, it isof much importance to current debates having to do with uncertain causation in health and environmental decisionmaking.I now look forward to a text on ecological risk assessment by this Author because this area of risk assessmentrequires a unifying framework, much like he has done for human health.

Unreadable!
I note that the first reviewer is Daniel Byrd, a colleague that Dr Cox works with at times.

I cannot agree with Dr Byrd's view. I found this book to be impossible to read. It is highly mathematical, poorly laid out, written in a very heavy, formal style and focuses entirely on human health risk, which is not apparent from the book title.

I also know that some of the analyses that were performed in the book, and models Dr Cox created, have turned out to be extremely dubious, if not simply wrong.

I am afraid that I cannot recommend this book at all.

Unreadable!
I note that the first reviewer is Daniel Byrd, a colleague that Dr Cox works with at times.

I cannot agree with Dr Byrd's view. I found this book to be impossible to read. It is highly mathematical, poorly laid out, written in a very heavy, formal style and focuses entirely on human health risk, which is not apparent from the book title.

I also know that some of the analyses that were performed in the book, and models Dr Cox created, have turned out to be extremely dubious, if not simply wrong.

I am afraid that I cannot recommend this book at all.

THE DEFINITIVE TEXT IN RISK ANALYSIS
Louis A. Cox, Jr., Ph.D., President of Cox Associates and Professor at the University of Colorado, published Risk Analysis: Foundations, Models, and Methods approximately a year ago.The book is volume 45 of the International Series in Operations Research & Management Science.Order this magnificent text here.Armed with the ISBN number, 0792376153, which the book does not display, I could not locate this gem on the Kluwer Academic Publishers net site.The book costs a little too much in the hardbound version for most of us to purchase just
for extra informational purposes.

Too bad!

Right now, Cox's Risk Analysis is the definitive text in risk analysis.You can purchase it, study it, and with sufficient time, pull together additional source materials to gain a comprehensive understanding of this exciting new discipline.At last the community has an advanced text about the analysis of human health effects risk analysis that covers modeling, causality, and management in a coherent way.Tony Cox's book covers many topics, including ones like multicriteria decision making, so that it has a real world feel and appropriate complexity.Where else can you find a text that moves, in an integrated way, from a detailed treatment of data to estimate human mortality risks to applications of principles of ethics in managing the same risks, such as utilitarianism, game theory, prisoners' dilemma, and moral hazards? ... Read more

Book Description

• Excel add-ins - Almost all of the examples in the text are solved with Excel, and solution files are included in the CD. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

great OR book
This is a grat book, it covers a broad area of operations research. It is equally good for students, professors and profesionals. Very good explanations and applied exercises from real life.
Definetly a must buy.

Very thorough and comprehensive
Love the text. Has a lot of basic information starting from basic algebra. Any one who is interested to learn Non-linear programming needs to have this book. Great content. ... Read more

Book Description
METHODS OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH PHILIP M. MORSE IKOFRShOU OK Im SHS MASSAC in M, rrs ivsrrii LI OF ri, c iiNOLO FOHMKHLl IMH1 TOR OK m.-K Hril WE PONS SlHlM-M A H AFION SHIM 1 OKKICK OK rilK SKCHhrVKk OK DKKKNSh GEORGE E. KIV1HAIJ IKOKI-SSOK OF III MlSlU OLlMHI IMVMiSlI FOKMI HI 1 1. IM l i D1UKCTOK orhii noNs IA IA rioN CHOI I MTK1 hTAri-Ji NAN FIRST EDITION REVISED Publinhod jointly by THE TECHNOLOGY PRESS OF MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY and JOHN WILEY SONS, INC. - NEW YORK CHAPMAN HALL, LTD. - LONDON Chapters I and VIII copyrighted 1951 by The Technology Press Chapters II through VII appear herein through the courtesy of the Office of Scientific Research and De velopment and the United States Navy SECOND PRINTING JULY, 1 95 1 PREFACE IN A sfcNSE, this book should have no authors names or else several pages of names Parts of the book were written by various persons during and at the end of World War II. What the undersigned have done is to collect the material, rewrite some in the light of later kno ledge, expand some to make it more generally intelligible, add chapters on organization and general procedures, and cement the mosaic into hat is hoped to be a fairly logical structure Since the undersigned were members of the Operations Research Gtuup, U. S, Navy, it is perhaps not surprising that the examples given are draun chiefly from the work of this group, though an effort has been made to include examples from the work of other groups Many persons have helped by discussions and editorial criticism, including members of other operations jf ear I roujis in this country and in Kngland To mention a few ould slight many others, so none l l c named. During the war the scope, methods, and triumphs of operations research ere not appreciated by most scientists or by most military men because no information was freely available If e are not to lose this valuable experience and background, some of it must be made available to the scientists and engineer as well ax to the artried services This is particularly important if the methods of operations research have important peacetime applications as it is believed they do. The first publication of this woik as in classified form, just after World War II. To further the purposes mentioned in the preceding paragraph, hem ever, the 1 volume has now been declassified, after suitable modification of a feu examples. The first and last chapters have been entirely rewritten, to bring the discussion up to date, in particular with respect to nonmihtury applications There has been growing interest in the application of the techniques of operations research in industry and other nonmihtary operations. This is evidenced by the formation of a committee on operations research of the U. S. National Research Council and of an Operations Research dub in London, and by the institution of classes in operations research in several American Universities. It is hoped that the present, unclassified edition of MKTHODB OF OPERATIONS HUBKARCH vill be equally of interest and of use to industrial, merchandising, and nonmihtary govern mental executives as the earlier, classified edition seems to have been in military circles. PHILIP M. MOIIHK GEORGK K KIM BALL Wa hington, D. C., April 1950 CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE 1 Introduction . .... 1 2 Probability . . . . . . . .... 11 3 The Use of Measures of Effectiveness . . 38 4 Strategical Kinematics . . . . ... .61 5 Tactical Analysis . . . . 81 6 Gunnery and Bombardment Problems . . . 110 7 Operational Experiments Auth Equipment and Tactics . . . 129 8 Organizational and Procedural Problems . . 137 Tables . . . .146 Bibliography . . . 154 Index . . . . ... ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

The decision technologies, tools and theories of Operations Research and Management Sciences have long been applied to a wide range of issues and problems within health care. To date, however, there has been no single handbook that synthesizes the wide applicability of such techniques. The Handbook of Operations Research and Health Care now makes available to practitioners, students, and researchers a comprehensive handbook volume that will help them improve their ability to apply these decision technologies. In addition, the handbook will present new state-of-the-art techniques, explore new issues and challenges, and examine new avenues for research.
This handbook will fill these needs in a three-fold approach: It reviews health care systems (in the U.S., other developed countries, and developing countries), their structure, environment, and evolution. It reviews key issues, problems, and challenges experienced today and to be expected in the future. It synthesizes decision technology applications published in the last 10 years. It describes which health care delivery issues, problems, and challenges were addressed in the past, while highlighting areas for future operations research/management science work in health care. It provides a comprehensive series of state-of-the-art applications - each of which are written by a leading authority - detailing the problem area, the methodology (or methodologies) employed, the implementation, the results, and the issues/avenues raised for future research.

Book Description
The field of Operations Research (OR) grew out of World War IIoperations to improve the effectiveness of newly introduced weaponsand equipment, and to solve logistical problems for the war effort.Since its beginnings, OR has rapidly become a robust set ofdecision-making methodologies widely used in business, engineering,and governmental sectors. Nevertheless, many of OR's military anddefense contributions have remained confined to classified reports.This book is a systematic, state-of-the-art treatment of militaryoperations research (MOR). It has been written for those interested inlearning about the applications of OR techniques to military problems,and within these discussions theoretical concepts needed for analysisof military issues are presented. The book examines issues that relateto both tactical and strategic levels. Several examples have beensolved in each chapter to illustrate the application of the techniquesof MOR to military systems. The data used in these examples arehypothetical. They do not correspond to any existing weapon ormilitary situations. They are used strictly to illustrate anapplication of MOR in defense decision-making. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Land Power Military Operations Research
Jaiswal provides the most recent land power-focused military operations research volume.He provides a basic survey of the field, beginning with a very brief discussion of the origins of OR in the military.His topics include search and detection, military simulation, cost effectiveness analysis, optimization, the Analytic Hierarchy Process, Lanchester equations, and a quantified approach to intelligence analysis.The reader should be aware that his coverage of various specific military simulation models is a bit dated, as one should expect in a book, and limited in scope.Beyond that topic, his treatment is broad and therefore less sensitive to the passage of time.The book is a survey, so depth of treatment is not present.But it fills the intended role of pulling together disparate topics of land-based military OR.It also provides some perspective on non NATO defense issues.It must be challenging to decide what to exclude, but surprisingly there is no coverage of network flows, queuing theory, decision analysis, or game theory which have clear military applications.The focus is also on operations rather than the logistics of military analysis.

Excellent and Only Text on Military OR
This book is by far the only book that comprehensively deals with Military Operations Research (MOR). The OR/SA field despite its origins in Military Operations has not seen as many books and texts as the business OR or Theory of OR. This can be attributed to the confidential nature of work the practitioners of MOR carry out.

The book by Dr Jaiswal fills a huge gap by covering major areas of MOR field. What is really appreciable about this book is that the author covers areas such as analytical modeling, simulation, wargames to complex theories of Combat Modeling as reflected in two chapters on Lanchester Theory. However the icing on the cake are the chapters on Strategic Decision Making and Threat analysis. The coverage is comprehensive and remarkably lucid. To include so much variation and to control the overflow that normally happens to knowledgable authors, Dr Jaiswal is able to give us a book that will serve the cause of MOR field for years to come.The book has already shown its importance and is already on its way to becoming a classic, as exemplified by adoption of the book in various universities teaching MOR around the world.

This reviewer salutes the author for coming out with an excellent text which fills up a yawning gap in the field. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

The Best Book, Period!
I just want to respond to the CS major from Denmark.If he/she is that knowlegeable about what OR should or should not include, what is he/she doing taking an introductory course in the subject?This is not a book about writing computer codes for algorithms to please CS majors.It is a book that offers a comprehensive treatment of all three aspects of operations research (theory, applications, and computations), and it does it admirably.Also, if the CS major has read past the first few chapters, he/she will find all the LP/IP theory he/she desires.I belive that TORA is one of the best tutorial programs I (and my students) have ever used.It is easy to use and it gives instant feedback to actions initiated by the user.Also, as far as I know, TORA always gives the correct answers. I am currently teaching an introductory class from Taha's book, and I am very pleased with it (not to mention that its page count is about half the size of the competition -- without loss of substance, I must add)

An excellent book
I have used this book as a student some 20 years ago and continue to use it today in my line of work.I was surprised to read a CS student complaining that the book does not provide any LP theory.Huh! Apparently the reviewer did not go past the first two chapters because Chapter 7 gives all the necessary mathematical foundation for linear programming.The reviewer also talks about "signedness" difficulty in the book, something I don't understand because "signedness" is not a word in English.As for TORA, true the software is not an "orthodox" Windows development per se particularly for CS majors, but I find it refreshing that it is desigend to eliminate the need for a user manual. And this perhaps is the reason TORA is designed that way.It is very easy to use, and it can be used interactivly (with instant feedback) to help the reader understand the algorithmic details of the different OR techniques.I might also add that I used TORA's LP and IP modules many many times and have compared the results with those from AMPL and Excel Solver.Contrary to the CS reviewer claim,TORA always gave the correct answers. In summary, this book explains the basics of OR (theory, applications and computations)in a clear, concise, and straightforward manner using multitudes of examples.It is no wonder that it has been a leading textbook worldwide for over 35 years.

Good book for introductory course
This is a good book for an Management Science course book which does not go deep into theory. Primarily its good for business majors, however there are better books for business majors who dont want to be involved with the math using Excel exclusively. Ragsdales book comes to mind.

However, there are plenty problems solved and so if you are one of those people who learn through solving problems this is a decent book.

For theory and math pick Bazraas book on LP and NLP or Model Building by Paul Williams which I think is an excellent book.

Avoid this one...
I'm a student at a CS school in Denmark, doing a course in OR, and this book served as my first introduction to the subject. The book has several flaws making it virtually useless as teaching material. From the very start, he stumbles, as he tries to explain the simplex algorithm, yet he doesn't even give a single mathematical explanation of the process. There are two whole chapsters, devoted to simplex, yet there is no single "algorithmic" presentation in pseudo-code, of the algorithm. Other books (such as Introduction to Algorithms, 2nd ed, managers this fine.)

Many of the more subtle points of OR are badly explained. How duality relates the primal is explained theoretically in virtually a single five centimeter space, far from sufficient to explain the many aspects of duality (a key issue in OR). Further, one of the initially very confusing aspects of LP solving, is the signedness of variables. There are several approaches in the industry, and Taha follows one. This is all good and all, but that he fails to explain, how the algorithms change, depending on what signedness one uses, is totally unforgivable in an introductory text. It makes it very confusing initially (and still) to read other authors text, since it's not clear how procedures vary from one text to another.

The book's single saving grace, is that it has countless examples, but when you're looking for the mathematical reasoning behind a procedure, this book falls far short. A book that proudly proclaims on the backcover: "Complex mathematical concepts are explained by means of carefully designed numerical examples, essentially eliminating the need for [...] mathematical proofs." is not something you want. LP/IP programming IS math heavy, if you do not learn the theory, you will learn a very rigid and inflexible tool.

Further the CD comes with a Visual Basic program, the likes of which I have never seen, except perhaps ten years ago on download.com. It's Windows only, and it has the poorest interface ever (it's so obvious that this used to be a console program, quickly ported to Windows). And what's worse, is that it gives /incorrect/ solutions! Our school has an installation of CPLEX, an industrial strength program for solving LP problems. Of course, one doesn't expect TORA (the name for Tahas LP solver) to handle as big cases as CPLEX can, but it seems only fair to expect it to give the correct results.

operatiom research
i want a key of operation research by hamdy taha(sixth edition)
in which all odd and even no of question are solved.
i will be very thankfull to u
m2sajan@hotmail.com ... Read more