A Review of Obstacles Observed while Applying Optimisation and Information Systems in Practice

Abstract

For many years, as a natural extension to their teaching activities and scientific research, the author and his team have been offering development of non-standard and complex software applications and information systems, and information technology related consultancy. They have experienced in their home country the communist times, time of war, transitional economy and finally the status of a country in European Union. Through all these times, optimization and/or software support to decision-making have been among their preferred tasks, often actively offered to users. During these years, a significant number of cases have demonstrated obstacles that were hindering this activity. The paper attempts an analysis of these obstacles, which are rarely clearly visible and nearly never explicitly expressed. Some of them may have become obsolete, although there is evidence in revered literature that in even the most developed economies similar wrong practices still exist. Emerging of Big Data and Cloud services may remove some obstacles but it is probably not a cure for all. The reasons for obstacles principally may be located in wrong, insufficient or contrary motivation, in ignorance, and in natural resistance to any change. Motivating management practices can help in surmounting some of the obstacles.