Read the article footnoted in Sec. 2.4 that describes an OR study done for IBM and the resulting computer system Optimizer.

(a) Summarize the background that led to undertaking this study.

(b) List the complicating factors that the OR team members faced when they started developing a model and a solution algorithm.

(c) Briefly describe the preimplementation test of Optimizer.

(d) Briefly describe the field implementation test.

(e) Briefly describe national implementation.

(f) List the various tangible and intangible benefits that resulted from the study.