Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, November, 1994. / Title from PDF t.p.

Report (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. M.S. 1992. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-136). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1961. / Title from title screen (viewed July 17, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. [162]-167).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2005. Directed by Phillip Allen. / Morley, Thomas, Committee Member ; Leach, Marshall, Committee Member ; Ayazi, Farrokh, Committee Member ; Rincon-Mora, Gabriel, Committee Member ; Allen, Phillip, Committee Chair. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1961. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [162]-167).

Thesis (M.S. in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy)--Joint Forces Staff College, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, 2005. / "13 May 05." Electronic version of original print document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 78-81).

Thesis (M.S. in Systems Technology)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2005. / Thesis Advisor(s): Shelly Gallup. Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-95). Also available online.

Thesis (M.Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in electronic version.

Thesis (M.S. in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy)--Joint Forces Staff College, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, 2007. / Title from title screen; viewed on July 9, 2007. "17 May 2007." Electronic version of original print document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 69-71).

This thesis begins by considering the nature of research in Operations Management, the methods that are employed and the types of problems it addresses. We contend that as the discipline matures and it extends its boundaries the research challenges become more complex and the reductionist techniques of Operations Research become less appropriate. To explore this issue we use the concept of wicked problems. Wicked problems were developed by Rittel and Webber during the 1970’s. They suggest the existence of a class of problems which could not be solved using the techniques of Operations Research. They describe Wicked Problems using ten properties or characteristics, which, after a thorough review of their descriptions, we have condensed to six themes. We consider the current state of the “Wicked Problem” literature and have identified the paucity relating to Operations Management. Thus we develop our research question: “what are the characteristics of wicked operational problems?” We investigate this question using a single extended case study of an operation experiencing significant unresolved performance issues. We analyse the case using the tenets of systems thinking, structure and behaviour, and extend the empirical literature on wicked problems to identify the characteristics of wicked operational problems. The research indicates that elements of wicked problems exist at an operational level. The significance of this finding is that reductionist techniques to problem solving e.g. lean and six sigma may not be applicable to the challenges facing operational managers when confronted with the characteristics of a wicked operational problem.