In a rapidly developing field like Operations Research, its easy to get overwhelmed by the variety of topics and analytic techniques. Paul Jensen and Jonathan Bard help you master the expensive field by focusing on the fundamental models and methodologies underlying the practice of Operations Research. Bridging the gap between theory and practice, the authors presents the quantitative tools and models most important to understanding modern operations research. You'll come to appreciate the power of OR techniques in solving real-world problems and applications in your own field. You'll learn how to translate complex situations into mathematical models, solve models and turn models into solutions. A CD (included free, inside the cover) contains advanced topics, as well as robust, yet easy-to-use, Excel add-ins that support the methods discussed in the text. Features * Divide each subject into methods and models, giving you greater flexibility in how you approach the material. * Concise and focused presentation highlights central ideas. The first CD includes advanced topics and applications. * Excel add-ins on the accompanying CD will help you solve almost all of the problems and exercises in the book. * Many examples throughout the text will help you better understand mathematical material. * Trial versions of software on the CD allow you to use some of the commercial tools available to OR practitioners. These include Premium Solver for Education from Frontline Systems, Inc., MPL Modeling System from Maximal Software, Inc., and the Extended Simulation System from Imagine That, Inc. * A comprehensive website for the book offers step-by-step procedures for many of the methods discussed in the book.