CO RPO RATE P RO F I LE
to optimizing inbound logistics. This tool
is being expanded to support its use by
all vehicle programs early in the vehicle
development process.
With the exponential growth in data,
the ever-expanding digital connection to
customers and the introduction of exciting new vehicles technologies, this is an
exciting time for operations research at
GM. With so many research-rich opportunities, the team is always mindful of the
characteristics that are key to successfully applying O.R. methods and achieving
organizational excellence, including the
ability to:
• choose the right problem to address;
• see and convince others that a
complicated problem is important
and solvable;
• work as part of a team toward a
common and well-defined goal;
• have tenacity in chasing down details
and data, and then equal tenacity in
the implementation of a solution;
• get the model to the right level of detail
for the purpose at hand so it is not
too complex, nor too data intensive,
but sufficiently detailed to capture the
salient characteristics and trade-offs;
• engage the key stakeholders in
the process of development and
implementation, in order to gain joint
ownership. Technology transfer is
something that takes place between
consenting adults; and
• deliver an O.R. solution to decisionmakers in a form or format that they
can understand and act upon.
O.R. practitioners who embody these
characteristics can have a profound impact on their organization, help their company rise above the competition, and most
importantly provide increased value to
customers. As the world goes global – as
innovation strives to create more, faster,
better and at less cost; as new business
and technology paradigms emerge – endless opportunities abound to take advantage of operations research and reap the
substantial good that can be realized from
its practice.
Jonathan H. Owen is director of Operations
Research at GM R&D. David J. VanderVeen,
now director of analytics in GM Global Product
Development, was formerly director of GM R&D
Operations Research. Lerinda L. Frost leads
executive communications and business support
at GM R&D. Owen and Vander Veen are members
of INFORMS.
Request a no-obligation INFORMS Member Benefits Packet
For more information, visit: http://www.informs.org/Membership
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