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Russell Lincoln Ackoff

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Profiles in Operations Research

Part of the book series: International Series in Operations Research & Management Science ((ISOR,volume 147))

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Abstract

Russell Lincoln Ackoff had a distinguishedand influential career in two disciplines and in (at least) two continents. With his mentor, colleague, and friend, West Churchman, he established the path-breaking Operations Research Group at Case Institute of Technology. In 1957, they were joint authors (with Leonard Arnoff) of the famous textbook Introduction to Operations Research, the first integrated operations research (OR) text. A founding member of the Operations Research Society of America (ORSA), Russ served as its president (1956) and was the recipient of ORSA’s Kimball Medal. He was awarded the Silver Medal of the U.K. Operational Research Society (ORS) and was inducted into the International Federation of Operational Research Societies’ (IFORS) Hall of Fame.

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Kirby, M.W., Rosenhead, J. (2011). Russell Lincoln Ackoff. In: Assad, A., Gass, S. (eds) Profiles in Operations Research. International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, vol 147. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6281-2_21

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