Operations research (OR) is an analytical method of problem-solving and decision-making that is useful in the management of organizations. In operations research, problems are broken down into basic components and then solved in defined steps by mathematical analysis.

The process of operations research can be broadly broken down into the following steps:

  1. Identifying a problem that needs to be solved.
  2. Constructing a model around the problem that resembles the real world and variables.
  3. Using the model to derive solutions to the problem.
  4. Testing each solution on the model and analyzing its success.
  5. Implementing the solution to the actual problem.