EXPLAIN IT BETTER

"Operations Research" and "The Science of Better"

When we're marketing our profession, we'll build stronger recognition and understanding if we all use the same language to introduce what we do. The INFORMS Marketing the Profession Committee developed the following recommendations based on extensive research, discussions with members, and collaboration with a marketing firm that specializes in reaching sophisticated audiences with complex messages.

Use one name consistently:
Operations Research (O.R.)
Market research has shown that "operations research" (and its abbreviation "O.R.") is the discipline's most recognizable umbrella name for the audiences we want to reach. We'll build stronger recognition and understanding if we all use this term.

A NOTE ABOUT THE NAME: All of us understand the sensitivities involved in choosing a single name. Here are three important points about the INFORMS board's decision to move forward with "operations research."

• We've done our homework. Significant research has been done on the naming issue. A 2002 study involving more than 700 INFORMS members showed 78 percent of respondents found the name "O.R." attractive or acceptable, and it outscored MS and OR/MS. We also performed 40 in-depth interviews with O.R. professionals, customers, and prospects. The fact is, O.R. has the most equity and is the de facto global name for the profession.
• A new name wasn't an option. We considered multiple possibilities, but changing a professional name takes years and millions of dollars. HP's spin-off of Agilent cost $1 million to name, and tens of millions more to communicate. INFORMS just isn't in a position to make that kind of investment.
• There's no time to waste. Our profession has never been more important, yet its visibility has been experiencing continued erosion in academia and business. It's nearly impossible to promote something unless you know what it's called: that means having a clear identity and true consistency. To create a timely impact with our promotional efforts, we had to unify behind a single name that would enable the most rapid impact on the problem.

Does this mean everyone in our profession must change the names of their titles, departments, and businesses? Certainly not. The purpose of unifying the profession's name is to communicate consistently through the marketing campaign – speaking to the world with one voice and sending a clear message.

Use our new tagline: The Science of Better
When asked about the name, one high-ranking executive at a Fortune 50 company answered simply, "Whatever it's called, you need to help people understand what the value is."

We developed the tagline "The Science of Better" as a compelling way to introduce the transformative power of O.R. and to generate desire for its benefits. The tagline communicates that O.R. is a disciplined way to improve your current situation, with limitless possibilities relevant to nearly any organization. Best of all, its open-ended feel encourages audiences to complete the phrase with their own challenges, opportunities, and goals.