Analytics Magazine Analytics Magazine, March/April 2014 | Page 58

CO RPO RATE P RO F I LE 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray General Motors Using operations research and other advanced analytics to meet auto industry challenges and provide value to customers and company. BY JONATHAN H. OWEN (left), DAVID J. VANDERVEEN (right) AND LERINDA L. FROST I n today’s world, where globalization is a fact of business life, where competition is fiercely intense and where concerns such as energy security and climate change are global in scope, a science-based approach to decision-making and problem-solving is essential. 58 | A N A LY T I C S - M A G A Z I N E . O R G At General Motors, operations research provides that framework, particularly for complex issues and systems that involve multiple objectives, many alternatives, trade-offs between competing effects, large amounts of data and situations involving uncertainty or risk. In truth, for an entity the size of General Motors, W W W. I N F O R M S . O R G