discuss what the management science approach to problem solving encompasses

Explain the Management Science Approach

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Developed during World War II to find solutions to warfare issues, the management science approach uses mathematical models to solve problems. Also known as a quantitative approach, the approach analyzes a mix of feasibilities, constraints and cost to enable management to make decisions. The management science approach is a type of organizational environment theory. It combines rational thought with intuitive insight to resolve management concerns such as cost, production and service levels.

What is Management Science Theory?

As reported in Cleverism , management science is primarily concerned with exploring how a business can manage itself with the aim to maximize productivity. Through adopting a system that allows assimilation of scientific thought, the managers and owners solve or prevent the range of problems and issues arising from managerial weaknesses, which can be primary reasons small firms are viewed as marginal or unprofitable businesses.

The core function of the management science approach is to compare possible outcomes. Businesses that don't apply quantitative management perspectives run the risk of remaining small in terms of the number of employees, production ratio and market share.

Importance of Management Science for Business

Small-business owners and mangers can use the management science approach to design specific measures that identify and evaluate the effectiveness of certain processes or decisions. For example, they can develop basic computer applications that can help predict and analyze some management issues that may arise at various levels of the organization.

The Management Study Guide recommends that managers use the techniques and tools of this quantitative approach to management to plan, organize, lead and control operations within the workplace. For the company, the approach can result in increased production, industrial peace and benefits of specialization.

Conversely, workers might be more motivated and experience improved working conditions because the approach focuses on maintaining clean and safe work environments and involves differential wage systems.

Is It the Only Answer?

Employees play an integral role in any organization, and they are the ones most affected by the management science approach. One drawback of this approach is that employees have little say in the management process. Decisions are handed down after a recommendation from the analysis phase is selected. Also, the fragmentation of work by giving out individual tasks may not work for small businesses, because it hinders any team-building interventions.

Another disadvantage is that the issues involved in some scenarios can't be quantified; therefore, managers might quantify the pieces that they can and draw conclusions. The decisions they arrive at may not produce optimum results because all issues were not considered.

The Way Forward

To gain the best from the management science process, managers gather and process information about the target market. For emerging businesses, the management science approach is an effective model that can be used to direct facilities, marketing, purchasing, personnel allocation, research and development. Business owners who select and use the proper tools and techniques place themselves in a position to maximize profitability.

However, the ultimate test of this approach is based on whether better decisions are made regarding the overall management of the organization.

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The Management Science Approach

Churchman, Ackoff, and Arnoff define the management science , or operations research (OR), approach as (1) an application of the scientific method to problems arising in the operation of a system and (2) the solution of these problems by solving mathematical equations representing the system. 33 The management science approach suggests that managers can best improve their organizations by using the scientific method and mathematical techniques to solve operational problems.

Since World War II, large companies have used the management science approach to solve logistical or operational problems. Now, with advances ...

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• Management Science – The Definitive Guide

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Management is a core function of every business and a number of theories try to explain how the processes of management can be best utilized to help the organization to succeed. Management science is one such approach and in this guide, we’ll explore the history of this approach.

We’ll explain the definition and core elements of the style, as well as compare the benefits and disadvantages of implementing this strategy.

Finally, we’ll look into the different ways it has been applied in the past and the steps you need to take to implement it in your organization.

THE HISTORY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCE

Management science has an interesting history and the approach has evolved over the years to its current concept, which we’ll explore further in the next section. The roots of management science can be found in a concept of operations research , which was a system developed during World War II. The War, like other wars before and after it, involved plenty of operations outside of the traditional fighting on the battlefield. Warfare changed from the First World War and scientists from different fields were part of the effort to gain the upper hand on both sides of the war.

Operation research or operational research saw the scientists trying to apply analytical methods in order to enhance the decision-making processes. The approach was highly used by the Allied forces, with Britain engaging nearly 1,000 men and women in operation research during the war. The basis of operation research was on different mathematical models, which were used to make predictions that would improve military operations.

One example of the operation research use was the application of ‘ effectiveness ratios ’, which compared the flying hours of Allied planes with enemy U-boat sightings in a given area. By studying these numbers, the military was able to distribute the planes to productive patrol areas and map out enemy positions more efficiently.

After the war, the operation research model became implemented in the corporate sector. As businesses and other organizations begun using analytical research as part of the decision-making process, the term management science was coined. In 1967, Stafford Beer said the field of management science is essentially “ the business use of operations research ”.

At this initial stage, management science involved around the application of different scientific methods and findings in order to solve management problems and streamline the processes of management. The broad approach meant the system used operation research, system analysis as well as the study of management-information systems as part of the implementation. Since then, the definition and scope of management science has become more defined.

THE CORE CONCEPTS OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCE

Now that we’ve looked into the history of management science, we can move on to exploring the current definition of the practice together with its core concepts.

The definition of management science

According to Lancaster University , management science can be defined as a concept that is “ concerned with developing and applying models and concepts that help to illuminate issues and solve managerial problems ”. The approach is essentially interested in looking at an organization and finding ways it can manage itself better and improve its productivity.

The core aim of the approach is to use scientific concepts and methods in order to solve management-related issues. It does this by focusing on analyzing different management approaches, comparing them with existing possibilities and offering possible outcomes of which the organization can pick to improve productivity.

While management science is mainly a mathematical approach to solving problems, the application of it requires the examination of different fields. Management science uses analytical data, statistics and methods for increasing efficiency of management systems and it finds the tools from fields like:

• Business Administration
• Mathematics

The key to management science is the visualization of management as a logical action. Since the approach views management through this lens, it means the process can be quantified and described with the help of symbols, measurements and relationships. The approach basis its theory on the decision theory approach and rational decision-making models and it can provide organizations with a model that helps identify goals and the roadmap for achieving them.

Management science makes a few general assumptions of management , which are the basis for its framework. The assumptions are:

• Management is a problem-solving mechanism, which can be boosted by mathematical tools and techniques.
• Problems in management can be quantified and described in mathematical terms. This includes areas such as system analysis, but also human behavior.
• Managerial problems can best be resolved through mathematical tools, simulations and models.

If you’re interested in the future of management science, then watch the video of Andrew McAfee discussing the possibilities future improvements in Information Technology can provide to management science.

The four core areas of research

The management science approach relies on four core areas of research. These four are the steps an organization must take in order to properly implement management science and they are the four core elements defining the system.

The first one is about discovering, developing, defining, and evaluating the goals and policies that lead to these objectives . This requires the organization to examine the goals it has set, the goals it could set and the current and possible methods and processes it could use in order to achieve them. This is about the initial step of understanding what the company wants to do, what the company is doing, and what the company could be doing.

The second core element is about ensuring the organization adopts those policies . Once the processes and policies have been chosen from the selection of options, science management requires the company to enforce them. This might require additional policy decisions and changes in the way the organization operates, but the key is to implement the processes as identified during the initial phase.

After the policies are being implemented, management science calls for scrutinizing the effectiveness of the policies . Management science doesn’t just provide the tools for making better decisions and streamlining the management procedures within the organization. It can also help with monitoring of the viability of these approaches and decisions.

Finally, the fourth element is about initiating changes to the policies in case they are found ineffective . If the processes are not working as intended and the organization is not achieving the predicted outcomes, management science provides the framework for figuring out the failing parts. The analytical approach doesn’t just measure how things might be, but it can help identify why certain outcomes weren’t achieved. This will help make changes on the go and shift the focus to the processes that will guarantee the achievement of the objectives.

In the final section, we’ll return to examining how the above can be implemented in the most effective manner.

THE BENEFITS OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCE

When it comes to the benefits of implementing a management science approach, organizations can expect a number of advantages. Management science can reduce the overall efficiency of the organization and make decision-making easier and more defined .

The broad advantage of the approach is its ability to design measures that can be used to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of the processes currently in use. Management science looks at the current situation and compares it with other possibilities, creating measurable predictions.

The analysis of processes and decision-making can help the organization identify the problem areas, as well as the systems that are already working efficiently. The identification of these will guarantee the organization is using processes and decision-making approaches that provide the best results in terms of the achieving the organization’s objectives.

Furthermore, the management science approach can help more specifically in the following core areas of any business:

• Planning – The management science approach can be used in the planning because it identifies and predicts the results of certain processes. The approach makes it easier to understand the future needs of the organization based on the current and future models, as well as the objectives the organization is looking to fulfill.
• Organizing – Creating systems that efficiently focus on the specifically defined processes and tasks. Furthermore, it makes it easier to direct resources to their right places.
• Leading and controlling operations – Since the approach focuses on management, it can boost the way the organization leads. It can help individual managers focus on the most important aspects of the organization and improve their decision-making skills.

Efficiency in the following core areas of business will provide boosts in productivity, industrial peace and enhance the organization’s ability to specialize its products and services . Productivity results from the efficiency in planning, organizing and leading, as the processes are streamlined and different parts of the organization focus on the areas that maximize their efficiency.

Furthermore, the higher productivity can result in increased wages as well, since the organization doesn’t need to worry about time-wasting and inefficient workforce. As wages improve, employee motivation is likely to improve, creating a system of reinforced productivity.

In terms of industrial peace, management science enforces better co-operation between the management and the labor. The enhanced processes create an environment of clarity in the workplace and provide more security to the workforce in terms of knowing their position and the health and safety of the employee. If relations between the management and the labor are harmonious and built on trust and respect, industrial disputes are less likely to take place.

Employee motivation and productivity are also boosted through the safer work environment, as alluded above. The approach identifies the most efficient and the safest ways to produce products and services. This can have a meaningful impact on the working conditions and thus increase industrial peace further.

Specialization is improved through enhanced understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. Management science helps identify the processes, which work, notice the areas of weakness, and realize the future possibilities and needs of the organization’s consumer base. The approach makes the utilization of resources easier, since the framework can notice the availability of resources and the proper use of them.

As the above shows, management science can be beneficial for the organization by improving the way it operates, but also guaranteeing better relations between the different stakeholders. With improved efficiency, productivity will increase and further create a situation for higher profits.

Here is a great talk of how data will transform businesses .

THE DISADVANTAGES OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCE

What about the downside to management science? Despite the above advantages, certain drawbacks need to be taken into account before an organization starts using the approach. The disadvantages should be taken seriously, even though many of these drawbacks can be limited and controlled with proper implementation and planning.

Management science controls the decision-making process within the organization. Decisions are made based on the findings of the framework, using analysis of different factors and implementing a variety of methodologies. This can lead to reduced employee-involvement in decision-making , as the process is not controlled by discussion and opinion, but focus is on numbers and scientific predictions.

In its essence, management science supports a top-down decision-making process. If you read management expert opinions, many champion the opposite to the traditional top-down approach. Author Peter Diamandis is among the proponents of collective decision-making, stating, “ collective management will build companies – not top-down decision-making ”.

The problem with transferring the decision-making completely away from employee input is how it creates situations where people feel disengaged. Since you don’t have any voice, you can more easily feel uncomfortable with the decisions. Even if you wouldn’t get your way with the decisions, the ability to influence or discuss the decision can be enough to make you feel more engaged.

Management science also requires an understanding of the process, which is something the employee doesn’t necessarily have. The employees might not have a good grasp of how the decisions were made and the justification behind the conclusion, which can make the management’s approach seem further disengaging and confusing.

The framework also looks at individual components and therefore breaks down the tasks into smaller objectives. This can create fragmentation throughout the organization , which can have a few defining impacts. First, the fragmentation of objectives means each employee is closely associated with a single unit of action. In short, employees have a task and the instructions on how to do it.

The employee just needs to fulfill the objective and the task is done. Since each person is in charge of their own objective, tasks don’t have much spill over. This can lead to a situation where teamwork is non-existent . Employees are only focused on the specific tasks they’ve been given, without the need to discuss or co-operate with others. While this might suit certain types of employees, others might find it disengaging again. The second problem of fragmentation follows directly from the lack of teamwork.

If team-building and co-operation are diminished, creativity within the organization can suffer . People don’t communicate with each other in the same way, creating a system where the team starts relying on the feedback from the management science framework. Ideas are not thrown around, but rather people wait for the management science framework to come up with the best approaches.

The above points deal with the disadvantages in terms of employee engagement and creativity. But management science can have a few drawbacks on a more practical, operational sense as well. First, the approach generalizes that things can be quantified. For the model to work and make effective predictions, things should be quantifiable and easily measured. If they are, then mathematical calculations will work accurately and the outcomes can be analyzed with care.

But certain issues and problems won’t be easily quantified or standardized . For example, while resources and equipment can be standardized, human behavior is much harder to generalize, as certain people can perform well in specific conditions in which someone else might fail. Therefore, by creating artificial generalization and standardization, the management will reduce the effectiveness of the predictions. If the set of processes analyzed is not correctly quantified, the outcomes might not be the most accurate. In effect, this means the resulting decisions might not yield the optimum results.

In addition to the above, management science has a problem with scaling . Since the framework requires plenty of data and the data has to be as accurate as possible, the implementation process can be much easier for smaller organizations. Creating a process for data collection, analysis and prediction is easier when you have only a limited number of data available with a small organization. The process can be easier to establish and the results can be faster to achieve since analyzing won’t take forever. On the other hand, the cost of establishing an efficient management science system can be high and the expensive element of the framework can make it unattractive for smaller firms.

Watch this interesting case study on how management science could be applied to understanding mobile users (warning: only for super nerds like me)

APPLICATION OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCE

Management science has a number of benefits, which has meant that different fields have started using it to enhance operational and managerial efficiency. Since its early start as part of a core approach to the military, the application has found its way to industries as varied as medical, political, public administration and business. Management science has provided solutions and identified deeper insights into the industries in a number of ways. The following examples are among the best examples of how management science can be applied in a meaningful manner:

• The airline industry has used management science to create the scheduling systems for airlines. This has created the system for ensuring the planes are utilized more efficiently, together with guaranteeing the crew is rotated in the most efficient way.
• A number of information systems currently in use by organizations are a result of management science. The approach has been used to identify and understand the correct information system strategies.
• Public administrations have also used management science to identify the flow of water from water reservoirs. The process identifies the most efficient routes and cost-effective ways to manage the flow.

As the examples show, there are different ways to utilize management science. The application of the framework helps organizations create enhanced efficiency in areas such as cost, production and the level of service by solving the different managerial problems.

In terms of applying management science in business, there is a six-step formula for making the most of it. The steps will help streamline business operations and create a process-based environment for the organization.

Source and Copyrights: World Health Organisation website

1. Identifying business processes in use

The organization must first identify the different management processes it currently has in place. By identifying each process, it’s also possible to notice the strengths and weaknesses of the individual management operation.

For example, you’ll identify all the management teams and understand its positive impact on the workforce. As you identify the processes, you’ll start noticing the patterns of management and the specific aspects that require changing or tweaking.

2. Analyze the individual processes

As you’ve identified the problem areas, as well as the management processes that are working effectively, you can start using management science to modify the process. By implementing the analytical approach, you will notice which processes need scaling, implementation or adjustment.

This step is the key part of management science; it is about diagnosis and the identification of the solution. In some instances, it can even help with creating systems that prevent future problems.

3. Redesign the processes

With the analysis done, the focus should move to identifying the right process for achieving the right results. Management science tends to present a number of solutions and predictions, which means the organization has to identify the most effective processes for its needs.

4. Ensure the right resources are in place to improve the processes

Once you’ve identified the processes and the solutions to the management problems, you need to ensure the organization has the right resources at hand. Redesigning of the processes might require additional resources, either in terms of money or labor. Ensure the appropriate amount and type of resources is identifying to guarantee the newly established processes work as planned.

5. Implement the identified processes

The fifth step is about implementation of the above processes. As mentioned in the section about the disadvantages of management science, the system can easily cause fragmentation if the organization is not careful.

Therefore, at this step, you must ensure there’s a community wide buy-in and proper information available for people to understand the changes, the reasoning behind them, as well as the new processes themselves.

6. Review and analyze the effectiveness of the new processes

Finally, the implemented processes require constant analysis and review. Management science will provide answers and prediction, but just like any other approach to management, it’s not a magic pill to fix everything.

Therefore, you must make sure you continue to collect data and analyze the effectiveness of the processes in place. Only this will guarantee they are working as intended and will provide the organization better chances of tweaking the approach as you go.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Management science is a logical and analytical approach to management and how it impacts an organization. The approach has been used in a variety of industries since its inception during World War II. By using the approach, an organization is able to identify different management processes and whether they are working as efficiently as they could.

It can provide new ways to approach management issues and it helps streamline the decision-making process by creating models the organization can use. While management science can provide plenty of benefits in terms of improvements in productivity and cutting costs, the implementation can also have drawbacks on the workplace.

Employee satisfaction can suffer and the organization has to deal with the fragmentation of processes. The approach is not a quick remedy for solving issues, but when it is applied correctly, the results can lead to success.

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Chapter 1. Management Science

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What Is Management Science? + How to Enter This Field

Discover what management science encompasses and the career options in this interdisciplinary field.

What is management science?

Management science is the study of problem-solving and decision-making in organisations. It applies the scientific method to management, enabling managers to make decisions for an organisation and improve its performance. For example, healthcare facilities can use management science to determine the necessary information systems, while airlines can use it to schedule planes and crew. 

Management science is important because it helps organisations identify issues they must solve, streamline management efforts, use resources more effectively, and develop roadmaps for achieving goals. Several assumptions or principles of management science guide professionals in this field, including:  

Problem-solving is central to management. 

Managerial problems can be quantified and described in mathematical terms. 

Mathematical tools, techniques, simulations, and models can enhance problem-solving.

Originating from operations research, management science is interdisciplinary, involving two or more academic or professional disciplines. The disciplines that management science intersects with include engineering, game theory, psychology, project management, data science, and supply chain management. 

Did you know? Operations research, management science’s predecessor, was developed during WWII when the Allied Forces (mainly Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union) used mathematical models to improve military operations.

In your research into management science, you may come across similar terms like scientific management or business analytics . Note their distinctions in the table below: 

Careers in management science

With a degree in management science, you can work in various fields, from marketing and branding to finance, human resources, and data science. Salaries and job outlook may depend on the specific role you apply for. For example, according to the job site Glassdoor, a marketing manager's average salary in India is ₹14,10,000 [ 1 ]. However, salary varies with experience, location, and job responsibilities. According to Glassdoor, marketing managers might expect a salary range from ₹8,00,000 to ₹19,00,000. 

With a management science degree, you can work in many job positions. Common job titles include:

Business analyst: A business analyst studies the market, determines a business’s profitability, and identifies solutions to its challenges. 

Data analyst: Gathers and interprets data, highlights important trends, and reports findings to management. 

Finance analyst: Assesses the performance of stocks, bonds, and investments to advise businesses and individuals on their investment decisions

Programmer analyst: Tests, analyses, and maintains software applications to help businesses achieve their goals 

Risk analyst: Analyses financial documents and economic conditions to determine the risk involved in business decisions and planned activities. 

Research analyst: This person collects data from varied sources to help organisations determine target markets and ideal pricing for products and services. 

Your management science career path 

If you want to draw from multiple disciplines to solve business problems, take on a leadership role, and use analytical and critical thinking skills, management science could be an aligned career path for you. 

You can follow the steps below to get started. 

1. Get a management science qualification.

Getting a qualification in management science or a related field, such as business statistics or international marketing, can expose you to the important concepts, methods, skills, and techniques for pursuing a rewarding career. Depending on the degree programme, you can expect to take courses in statistics, financial accounting, systems analysis, data analysis, research design, statistics, marketing, operations research, decision risk analysis, and more. 

When researching management science degree programmes, decide what criteria will make a programme a good fit for you. Several universities in India have departments dedicated to management sciences, such as the Department of Management Science (PUMBA) at Savitribai Phule Pune University. Each department will have a unique set of degree offerings. For example, PUMBA offers Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees focused on Biotech and Executive MBA degrees. 

2. Hone your management science skills. 

In addition to earning your degree, you can benefit from continuing to build skills, knowledge, and industry insight in the broad field of management science. In continuing your education, you can better narrow down an area of focus or identify a specific career track for applying your management science training, such as data science or project management. 

Here are four approaches you can take: 

Become an Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) member. 

Attend INFORMS conferences and events, take the organisation’s professional development courses, and consider becoming a Certified Analytics Professional® .  

Attend conferences from other organisations listed on the Conference Index . 

3. Build a management science resume. 

Once you decide on a focus area or specific career track, the next step is to build a resume representing your capabilities. Be sure to list your education, certifications, specific skills, conferences you’ve attended, memberships in professional organisations, and other qualifications. 

4. Apply for management science jobs. 

Start by researching job openings on various career sites, including general sites like Glassdoor, Indeed, or LinkedIn. Try search queries like "management science careers," "management science jobs," "management scientist," or roles in your chosen area of focus.

For each job listing, pay close attention to salary information, qualifications required, and the tasks and responsibilities you’d be responsible for. Tailor your resume to each position—practice interviewing skills like answering different questions and researching a company. 

Learn management science with Coursera

Online courses can be a great way to gain knowledge and skills in management science before or during your pursuit of a bachelor’s or advanced degree in this field. 

If you’re ready to pursue an advanced degree, check out the Master of Science in Management programme from the University of Illinois. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is management science a good degree ‎ ‎.

Management science can be a good degree to earn for several reasons. First, consider your interests and talents and how they might align with management science. Management science can be a rewarding career path if you want to work in a field that intersects with different disciplines, helps businesses perform better, and builds leadership and critical thinking skills. ‎

What can you do with a management science degree? ‎ ‎

Management science is interdisciplinary and applies to various career paths that generally involve helping businesses improve performance and make scientifically informed decisions. Job titles you might come across in your job search include data analyst, business analyst, finance analyst, risk analyst, and more. Search job sites to discover opportunities you may have with a management science degree. ‎

Article sources

1. Glassdoor. “ Marketing Manager Salaries in India , https://www.glassdoor.co.in/Salaries/marketing-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,17.htm?clickSource=careerNav.” Accessed May 8, 2024.

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This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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Management Science – Concept, Characteristics and Tools

July 11, 2020 | By Hitesh Bhasin | Filed Under: Management

Management science is an interdisciplinary study that involves and helps in decision making and problem-solving in human organizations. It is found to have strong links to multiple streams such as economics, management, engineering, business consulting, etc.

Management science is known to use multiple scientific and research-based principles and analytical methods which include but is not limited to statistical learning algorithms and mathematical modeling which will help to improve the ability of an organization to solve complex problems and arrive at a rational decision.

Management science acts as a medium that helps businesses to achieve rational goes with the use of multiple scientific methods.

Table of Contents

What is Management Science?

The scope of management science is wider than the main disciplines put together because it encompasses much more than solving problems and developing models. Management science is known to make a much greater contribution to a broader area that is the application of management science models for the purpose of decision making at all levels of management may it be top, middle or lower management levels.

There are three best combinations which help for planning organizing controlling and directing the activities of companies which are:

• Experience of manager
• Business forecasting
• The output from the mathematical model

The managers are complex activities that are present in the business and management science helps to apply the scientific method to study these activities and predict their outcome. It is a well-known fact that operations research and industrial engineering are two important disciplines that are closely associated with the functioning of management science.

Management science is credited to the work of Frederick Taylor who is considered as the father of modern scientific management . It is because of Taylor that systematic management techniques were developed in Philadelphia around the year 1880.

Taylor described that management science is nothing but an integrated approach to the application based scientific research methods that can be used to solve the problems arising in business.

There are levels in which management science research can be conducted:

• The first level is termed as fundamental levels which are situated in the three disciplines of mathematics. Those three levels are optimization, probability, and theory of dynamical systems.
• The second is termed as modeling level which is termed about business models . This is also about analyzing those models mathematically and gathering the data and analyzing the data along with the implementation of models on computers and experimenting with them and solving them. All of this can be considered as a part of management science on the modeling level. The primary drivers for this level are economics and statistics because this level is considered as instrumental.
• The third and the final level is called an application level which is just like any other economics for engineering disciplines. This level strives to make an impact on the real world and tries to be a driver for change.

Characteristics of management science

Primarily there are five characteristics of management science. These five characteristics are as follows:

1. Functional relationships examination from an overview of systems

It is a well-known fact that the activity of one department will have some of the other effects on the activity of another department. This is why it is necessary to identify all the interactions which are important and find out their impact on your organization as a whole.

In the initial phases, the functional relationship of management science project deliberately expanded in order to have significant interaction between their parts and also between their related components and it is ensured that all of them are combined in a single statement of the problem.

The entire area which is under the control of the manager is examined by systems overview. These are the process which provides the basis for starting inquiries into the problems which are affecting the performance at multiple levels.

2. Interdisciplinary approach

The primary principle of management science is that it looks at a problem from multiple angles and approaches it from multiple directions. With this simple principle, it is able to solve multiple problems.

For example, a chemical scientist might solve a problem with the help of different theories while an engineer might look at the manufacturing process, or a mathematician might approach the problem with different mathematical relationships between consumer demand and manufacturing department.

A chartered accountant may see the problem in inventory management relationship between cost component and the balance sheet of the organization by considering different costs such as the cost of overheads, expenses, direct labor costs, etc.

This is why it is emphasized that management is an interdisciplinary approach because of the individual aspects that a problem can have are understood and solved by different experts in different fields like biological, accounting, economics, mathematics, engineering, statistical, psychological, etc.

3. Understand and uncover different problems for studies:

This is the third characteristic of management science which says that because there are multiple disciplines involved in management science it may be possible that while solving one problem on your problem may be surfaced.

Because many problems are interrelated with each other all of them must be approached with different perspectives and the first thing is to realize that a problem exists. However, it should be noted that all the interrelated problems cannot be solved in one way and different ways should be used.

This is to ensure that maximum benefits are obtained.

4. Using the modeling process approach for solving problems

Management science makes the use of a systematic approach in order to solve a problem. It also uses a modeling process approach which is a type of mathematical model in order to solve a problem.

5. Application of science to decision making

As stated earlier, management science uses science and combines it with the decision making process . There are many decisions taken the day in and day out in a business. These decisions are complex and based on different departments as well as different models and situations in business.

Most of the times because of the complexity of the problem, the company requires the use of management science to solve the problem. This decision-making process are important to the company and should be applied carefully because they affect the organization at multiple levels.

This is the reason why the use of management science is very crucial in decision making.

Management science tools

The following are a few of the tools which are designed specifically to solve the problems of management with the help of management science.

1. Decision matrices

A decision matrix is used to solve problems involving investment and allocation. Few numbers of solutions can be found with the help of tabular representation which is known as a decision matrix.

2. Decision tree

A decision tree is a mathematical model that is used to solve decision-making problems and is represented with the help of a tree.

3. Network models

These are the tools that are designed for controlling complex projects and also for their planning. CPM and pert or common techniques of network models. CPM is a method that is used to solve the problem of cost control and time, on the other hand, pert is a research and development project.

4. Mathematical programming

Mathematical programming is an attempt to maximize the level of attainment of one goal to pre-set limitations and requirements. Mathematical engineering has extensive applications in the field of military engineering business economics and public service.

Mathematical programming is used primarily as an aid to the allocation problems’ solution.

5. Branch and bound

Whether there is an infinite or large number of problems an alternative exists for a certain problem then this method is used. This is the step by step method to solve complex problems of managerial level.

6. Dynamic programming:

The primary aim of dynamic programming is to consider decisions that are sequential. Usually, a dynamic programming approach to decision making is made sequential in nature and if it is not sequential then it can be remade in order to be considered as sequential. It is considered a very powerful tool of decision making.

7. Game theory

This is the branch of mathematics that is used for the analysis of different strategies that deal with a competitive situation where the case of the outcome of the participant’s choice and his actions depend entirely on the actions of the other participants.

Game series primary satellite and different contacts of business, war, and biology and in business it is specifically used in case of management science decisions. John Forbes nash jr is attributed to the formation of game theory.

8. Markov chains

When the units or system change with time then Markov chains are used to predict the outcome.

9. Simulation models

These simulation models are used for the purpose of analysis of complex systems which do not yield result by the use of other models. Message primary and descriptive type simulation model which management science uses and all other models fail.

10. Queuing model

It is also termed as the waiting line model in which different problems which have different queues and have developed special descriptive models in order to predict their performance.

Applications of management science

Following are few of the fields where the application of management science can be found extensively:

1. Market analysis

The use of management science is extensively done in the field of market analysis which involves market strategy planning, program planning, preventive maintenance as manpower training.

2. Linear programming

It is also used in different presidents of product mix, oil refinery, operations, capital budgeting, advertising media assignments, etc.

3. Transportation and assignment models

Different assignment models such as manpower assignment, machine assignment, and product planning for physical product distribution make use of management science in order to arrive at the conclusion.

4. Goal programming

Different investment analyses, decisions relating to advertising investment and economic predictions.

5. Inventory models

Inventory management is perhaps an important factor in sales in every organization. If there is no proper inventory then it may affect the sales of the product which will further affect the revenue of the organization.

Management science can be used in the inventory models’ raw materials inventory and its planning for retail inventory along with its planning.

6. Dynamic programming

Sales distribution, complex system analysis, inventory planning, and planning production is where management science is used.

7. Network models

Pipeline routing, project budgeting, project scheduling, and communication network.

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Multidisciplinary Approach to Environmental Problems and Sustainability

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The environment is defined as the complex of physical, biotic, and chemical factors (such as living things, climate, and soil) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its survival and form (Merriam-Webster’s dictionary). It is derived from the French word environ, meaning external conditions or surroundings that favor the growth of flora and fauna, human beings, and their properties and protect them from the effects of pollution. According to Douglas and Holland ( 1947 ), the environment describes, in the aggregate, all of the extrinsic (external) forces, influences, and conditions, which affect the life, nature, behavior, and the growth, development, and maturation of living organisms. The “environment” includes land, water, air, and the interrelationship which exists between these elements and human beings, other living creatures, microorganism, plants, and property (Environmental Protection Act 1986 ).

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Edwards, G.I. (2019). Multidisciplinary Approach to Environmental Problems and Sustainability. In: Leal Filho, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sustainability in Higher Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63951-2_241-1

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63951-2_241-1

Received : 18 August 2018

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