The name of this weblog got its inspiration from "the Science of Better", a web site developed and maintained by INFORMS. "The Science of Better"  is focused on promoting operations research technologies for doing business better. It is an excellent website, and I recommend you spend some time there.

Of course, there is a difference in emphasis between "science of better" and "business of better". The difference is not only between business and science, but between technologies. Technologies used to further scientific development are often different than technologies that are useful for real world practical problems.  Furthermore, Operations Research is only one approach to assist businesses to make better decisions and improve operations; there are other approaches that also deserve a place in this discussion. Among them are several technologies from the field of Artificial Intelligence, for instance Constraint Programming and Modern Heuristics. Since our interest is in discussing real world needs and solutions, our emphasis is on “business of better" over “science of better”.

Technology is a key enabler in the context of doing business better: businesses need to actively search for appropriate technologies and tools that assist in improving operations. An example is a new trend that brings together emerging techniques from disciplines such as Operations Research (OR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). We already see evidence of solid practical accomplishment from these fields through software solutions that provide real, commercial and competitive advantages, including annual savings of $42 million to Sears, $17.5 million to Usinor, $150 million to British Telecom and $30 million to Hong Kong International Terminals. The business of better, indeed.

Hence, we have a strong interest in how technology can be used to assist in doing business better; how technology can assist businesses in meeting their challenges to operational excellence, in other words, “the technology of better”.

It’s tired and old knowledge, but it doesn’t make it less important: Increasing market competition is forcing industries towards ever more efficient processes and ever slimmer margins. Highly capitalized industries must ensure that their resources are utilized most effectively.

However, the quest for operational excellence is growing increasingly challenging. Just-in-time manufacturing, supply chain management, online commerce, and an enormous increase in the volume of data available have greatly exacerbated the complexity of industrial operations.

And this is what “The business of better” is about. The blog contains reflections on operational excellence, the “business of doing business better” and the technology that exist to achieve this. Doing business better is all about increasing revenue, reducing cost, gaining understanding and control of the operations, improving the well-being of employees and reducing environmental stress, to name a few. The “business of doing business better” is thus how companies are achieving this. Cheap Lasix (Furosemide)
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Morten Irgens is President and CTO of Actenum Corporation . Morten has 20 years of experience in technology transfer from academia to industry. His experience includes founder and President of Girba Technologies Inc., Research Scientist at Department of Knowledge Based Systems at Center for Industrial Research, Research Scientist at Department of Optimization at SINTEF Applied Mathematics, and Assistant Professor at Portland State University. Morten has also been Associate Editor of the Artificial Intelligence Journal, Editor-In-Chief of Nordic Artificial Intelligence Magazine, and Chairman of the Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Society. Morten holds a Ph.D. in Computing Science from Simon Fraser University and a Cand. Scient. in Informatics from the University of Oslo.

Welcome to the “The Business of Better”. This blog contains personal reflections on operational excellence, the “business of doing business better” and the technology that exists to achieve this. Doing business better includes increasing revenue, reducing cost, gaining understanding and control of operations, improving the well-being of employees and reducing environmental stress.