In having a group of university students applying Team Syntegrity, an assessment is obtained. In so doing, the methodology is proven to be an excellent means for organising effective co-operative work and for having a group of people making the best possible use of its members' joint capacity. Besides its synergetic effects, Team Syntegrity is easy and straightforward to grasp, learn, and apply. Further, the participants turn out to be very satisfied with the procedures and activities of the methodology. Team Syntegrity is also very robust and it is possible to make modifications according to the actual situation. Team Syntegrity can still be improved and developed, for example, by more intensive use of information technology, and its application area can be considerably enlarged.

Team Syntegrity assessment

Operations Research (OR) became a concept in Sweden in the early 1950s. Some of the factors and activities related to the growth of OR in Sweden are discussed in this article. The OR concept used in this article corresponds to the overall approach of SORA, the Swedish Operations Research Association. The development of OR is followed in different organizations, such as SORA, FOA (National Defense Research Institute) and universities and industries in Sweden. It is shown that FOA has played a fundamental role in Swedish OR as both a pioneer and user. SORA has always tried to maintain strong international contacts, which are probably a guarantee for a dynamic OR concept. There is no chair in OR in Sweden and thus no unique view of OR at universities today. Mathematical departments may have a more traditional view of OR, while business economists may use quantitative methods without mentioning the word OR.

Operations research in Sweden

: Head Policy, Guidance and Analysis (HPGA) seeks to develop a strategic planning framework to better support Defence decisionmaking. This paper was written in response to HPGA's request for advice on the potential role of Operations Research (OR) and analysis in such a framework. A broad interpretation of OR is proposed that includes qualitative analysis of problems that are not amenable to the quantitative methods with which OR is more traditionally associated. Cultural and ownership issues that must be addressed if OR is to be successfully incorporated into Defence's decisionmaking processes are discussed. It is argued that OR and analysis should be conducted with a decision perspective, and that analysis should be embedded in all aspects of a strategic planning framework. Working definitions of terms and concepts are presented to provide a common lexicon for those involved in the development of long-range planning. (2 figures, 17 refs.)

The Role of Operations Research and Analysis in Concept-led Long-Range Planning

In management science, we have a debate about the role of a priori structures and my stand in this dilemma is that no reasonable synthesis may be produced without a simultaneous consideration of explicit structures and a mood of making sense of those. A balance has to be struck. I recognise that a structure may be produced early or late in a project. What I find important is that a structure appears at all, so that the make sense will refer to something visible. So that democracy and audit can have a chance. This way of thinking creates freedom and varieties for control. The more you know about how to make sense, to yourself and to others, as analyst or as client, the more variety you can permit your procedures for thinking and choice. To be explicit both about the perspective and about how the parties make sense of it, that is the methodological idea. It is tested and it provides a help to avoid paroichal and corrupt decisions.

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Flexible sense-making

This paper gives an account of an institute for applied research so as to enable comparisons to be made with other institutes: such comparisons need not be limited to defence establishments. In elaborating the methodology of the institute its local concepts are applied, a conceptualisation which has proven useful outside defence [I]. Defence methodology still creates civilian spin-off.

PS Agrell

Papers

Operational research at the National Defence Research Institute of Sweden (FOA)