摘要:

AbstractPart 1 of this paper answers the question "What is cybernetics?" A brief historical review introduces a somewhat formal statement about the nature of systems and the way they are controlled. The unifying topic in the study of control in every context is an underlying identity of system: an example is taken from learning machines.A comparably brief treatment of the question "What is operational research?" is given in Part 2. Operational research is thought to be the latest exemplification of scientific method rather than "a science". What is important about operational research is brought out through a description of an actual case study, and some of the activities which look like operational research but are not are mentioned. This leads to an attempted definition of operational research.Part 3 tries to draw the answers to the first two questions together, and to show how operational research and cybernetics are related. It is possible to pursue each activity in its own right; but it is also possible to practise operational research with essentially cybernetic models, and to study cybernetics by operational research techniques. This thought is generalized into the idea that cybernetics is the science of which operational research is the method.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1959.1

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1959

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractThe economics of hiring private telephone wires is considered in terms of the required grade of service, and the cost of the alternative public service. A maximum waiting time limitation is imposed and a simulation to determine the relationship between traffic offered to the private wire system and that accepted, is described.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1959.2

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1959

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractThis paper enumerates and discusses a number of quick, short-cut statistical tests that are available for two common problems. The first problem is testing the difference between the means of samples drawn from two populations whilst the second is testing a sequence of observations to see whether there is a trend present.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1959.3

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1959

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractThis paper considers the problem of making simultaneous bids for a number of objects against competition by an unknown number of competitors. A method of solution is given which has been successfully applied in practice.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1959.4

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1959

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractPassenger check-in systems at airports and town terminals are outlined and shown to be equivalent to combinations of, at most, four queueing processes of different types. The determination of the optimum system by using both theoretical and empirical methods is discussed. This is a case study, the results of which have been applied.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1959.5

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1959

数据来源: Taylor

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1959.6

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1959

数据来源: Taylor

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1959.7

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1959

数据来源: Taylor