In Europe they call it Operations Research (OR). OR is the discipline of applying advanced analytical methods to help make better decisions.

By using techniques such as mathematical modeling to analyze complex situations, operations research gives executives the power to make more effective decisions and build more productive systems based on:

* More complete data
* Consideration of all available options
* Careful predictions of outcomes and estimates of risk
* The latest decision tools and techniques

Read The Executive Guide to OR Research by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences.