In defence of Soft OR: Reflections on teaching Soft OR

Fran Ackermann, James Alexander, Ashley Stephens and Brandon Pincombe

Journal of the Operational Research Society, 2020, vol. 71, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Soft Operational Research (OR) methods, despite providing considerable benefit to organisations in tackling a range of problems, are not widely utilised by OR practitioners. Reasons include a lack of awareness of both methods and their benefits, perceptions that the methods lack the robustness of their “Hard” OR cousins and challenges in learning the methods. The research presented in this article seeks to better understand these issues and their implications for teaching Soft OR through (a) the development and delivery of a pedagogically informed bespoke training program in the Soft OR method Strategic Options Development and Analysis to analysts working in a Defence environment and (b) reflecting upon the training through analysis of learning diaries and trainee feedback. The findings contrast the challenges faced by post-experience and undergraduate students in learning Soft OR methods, and encompass (i) tailoring programs to match students’ experience, (ii) appreciating the significance of context in the adoption of Soft OR approaches, and (iii) identifying mechanisms for gaining competence and confidence in these approaches. The research aims to improve uptake of Soft OR methods, addresses a literature gap on the challenges of Soft OR from a learner perspective, and extends research in this area into the Defence domain.

Date: 2020
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/01605682.2018.1542960 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:tjorxx:v:71:y:2020:i:1:p:1-15

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/tjor20

DOI: 10.1080/01605682.2018.1542960

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of the Operational Research Society is currently edited by Tom Archibald

More articles in Journal of the Operational Research Society from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().