Modern business managers make many decisions involving the interplay of time, money, energy, and materials. Since most business systems are complex, sophisticated decision making methods that will increase efficiency are needed. The allocation of resources, like the description of physical processes, can be represented and analyzed mathematically. Specialists in operations research and engineering can use their knowledge of mathematical concepts to develop and apply the appropriate techniques.

An automobile manufacturer, for example, might be able to save millions of dollars a year by identifying and eliminating bottlenecks in an assembly line. An airline would improve its ability to forecast passenger demand and adjust its schedules accordingly-filtering more seats and producing greater revenues. A hospital could more efficiently schedule the use of its operating rooms, lowering costs and improving the quality of patient care. These are the kinds of problems that can be solved by experts in operations research and engineering. As work becomes more complex, and the demands of the economy require a more efficient use of resources, a growing number of specialists in this field will be needed.