In his lecture for the Dean Jose E. Velmonte Professorial Chair (UP College of Business Administration) in 1977, Prof. Juan B. Uy stated: (1)
Systems engineering does not seem to have had as well defined birth and development as (Operations Research), but the engineering of systems has been going on ever since man started to put components together to make up the machine. Unfortunately the practice did not go outside the engineering fields and, therefore, did not have a fair chance to be much publicized, discussed and used in some other fields of endeavor.
In what ways do the two fields converge and diverge?
Convergence
Prof. Uy notes that the systems engineering process consists of: (2)
1. defining the problem
2. synthesis of postulated solution
3. test of solution
4. development of components
5. test of the system with the developed components
6. establishment of the system
7. operation of the system
8. analysis of system performance
On the other hand, RL Ackoff says that the major phases of an OR project are: (3)
1. defining the problem
2. constructing and solving the model
3. deriving solutions from the model
4. testing the model and solution
5. controlling the solution
6. implementation
Prof. Uy comments that the methodologies are “similar in most respects . . . Both aim to find the best way of doing a job with a ‘systems point of view’ . . . Both are faced with multidisciplinary problems. (4)
Both employ the scientific method; emphasize the systems approach rather the component approach; are staff elements of the organization; and aim to analyze and improve operations. Both OR and systems engineering espouse the use of mathematical models. Operational data are important to both.
Divergence
Prof. Uy, follows up his note on the similarity of the two methodologies with the comment “except that the latter starts work on the components and moves toward the system, whereas the former takes on the entire system at once. This is due to the fact that in almost all cases, OR deals with an existing system, while systems engineering usually deals with a system that is yet to exist. This is perhaps the major difference between the two.” (5)
The advantage of systems engineering over OR is that “the by-products in the investigation phase could be more easily incorporated in the system.” Systems engineering “is not limited to the present design” but “is intended to improve on it.” (6)
The difference between OR and systems engineering “lies more in the people who do the work rather than in the concept, philosophy or procedure.” (7)
According to RH Roy, OR is concerned with procedure while systems engineering, equipment; OR is devoted to operations; systems engineering, man-machine systems; OR is the study of operations and systems in being while systems engineering is the study of operations and systems in prospect. (8)
Nevertheless, Prof. Uy stresses that the similarities are more important than the differences. Their common identity is most important, according to RH Roy, which is the “organization assignment of multidiscipline teams of scientists and scholars to the mission of operations and system analysis by the method of science.” (9)
_________________
Footnotes:
Systems engineering does not seem to have had as well defined birth and development as (Operations Research), but the engineering of systems has been going on ever since man started to put components together to make up the machine. Unfortunately the practice did not go outside the engineering fields and, therefore, did not have a fair chance to be much publicized, discussed and used in some other fields of endeavor.
In what ways do the two fields converge and diverge?
Convergence
Prof. Uy notes that the systems engineering process consists of: (2)
1. defining the problem
2. synthesis of postulated solution
3. test of solution
4. development of components
5. test of the system with the developed components
6. establishment of the system
7. operation of the system
8. analysis of system performance
On the other hand, RL Ackoff says that the major phases of an OR project are: (3)
1. defining the problem
2. constructing and solving the model
3. deriving solutions from the model
4. testing the model and solution
5. controlling the solution
6. implementation
Prof. Uy comments that the methodologies are “similar in most respects . . . Both aim to find the best way of doing a job with a ‘systems point of view’ . . . Both are faced with multidisciplinary problems. (4)
Both employ the scientific method; emphasize the systems approach rather the component approach; are staff elements of the organization; and aim to analyze and improve operations. Both OR and systems engineering espouse the use of mathematical models. Operational data are important to both.
Divergence
Prof. Uy, follows up his note on the similarity of the two methodologies with the comment “except that the latter starts work on the components and moves toward the system, whereas the former takes on the entire system at once. This is due to the fact that in almost all cases, OR deals with an existing system, while systems engineering usually deals with a system that is yet to exist. This is perhaps the major difference between the two.” (5)
The advantage of systems engineering over OR is that “the by-products in the investigation phase could be more easily incorporated in the system.” Systems engineering “is not limited to the present design” but “is intended to improve on it.” (6)
The difference between OR and systems engineering “lies more in the people who do the work rather than in the concept, philosophy or procedure.” (7)
According to RH Roy, OR is concerned with procedure while systems engineering, equipment; OR is devoted to operations; systems engineering, man-machine systems; OR is the study of operations and systems in being while systems engineering is the study of operations and systems in prospect. (8)
Nevertheless, Prof. Uy stresses that the similarities are more important than the differences. Their common identity is most important, according to RH Roy, which is the “organization assignment of multidiscipline teams of scientists and scholars to the mission of operations and system analysis by the method of science.” (9)
_________________
Footnotes:
(1) Juan B. Uy, “Operations research or Systems Engineering,” Professorial Chair Lectures Monograph No. 28; UP Press, QC; 1977; p. 2
(2) Ibid.
(3) Ibid.
(4) Ibid. p. 3
(5) Ibid.
(6) Ibid. p. 6
(7) Ibid. p. 7
(8) Ibid.
(9) Ibid.
(8) Ibid.
(9) Ibid.
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