Frances O'Brien - Associate Professor of Operational Research | Staff Directory

Associate Professor of Operational Research

Research Interests

The strategic development process; the use of frameworks, methods and models to support strategy development, in particular scenario planning and visioning methodologies. Current practice within the UK of supporting strategic development. The design of creative approaches to scenario and vision development. The influence of methods and models on individual learning.

View Dr. O'Brien's publications on Google Scholar:

Dr. Frances O'Brien publications

Purchase Supporting Strategy: Frameworks, Methods and Models

Teaching in 2021-2022

Business Analytics

IB9HW0: Project Skills
IB94P0: Strategy Analytics

Business with Operations Management

IB9HS0: Operations Analytics

Distance Learning MBA

IB820P: Modelling and Analytics for Management

MSc Business

IB9JU0: Business Analytics for Managers

Undergraduate

IB3860: International Business in Context
IB3490: Operational Research for Strategic Planning
IB4080: Operational Research for Strategic Planning
IB3A70: The Practice of Operational Research

Operations Group

Email: Frances.O-Brien@wbs.ac.uk / Tel: 024 765 22095 / Room: 0.208

Biography

Experience in the development and use of frameworks, modelling and analytical approaches to supporting organisational strategic development. In particular scenario planning for assessing future uncertainty and visioning approaches for developing organisational direction. Consultancy experience working with senior management teams in education, recruitment and not-for-profit sectors. Fellow,of the Operational Research Society. Chair of the Women In OR & Analytics Network of the UK Operational Research Society. Conference organisation for the UK Operational Research Society annual conference

Publications

Journal Articles

Dyson, R. G., O’Brien, F. and Shah, D. B. (2021) "Soft OR and practice : the contribution of the founders of Operation Research", Operations Research, 69, 3, 727-738
Meadows, M. and O'Brien, F. A. (2020) "The use of scenarios in developing strategy : an analysis of conversation and video data", Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 158, 120147
Wright, G., Cairns, G., O'Brien, F. A. and Goodwin, P. (2019) "Scenario analysis to support decision making in addressing wicked problems : pitfalls and potential", European Journal of Operational Research, 278, 1, 3-19
Kunc, M. and O'Brien, F. A. (2019) "The role of business analytics in supporting strategy processes : opportunities and limitations", Journal of the Operational Research Society, 70, 6, 974-985
Kunc, M. and O'Brien, F. A. (2017) "Exploring the development of a methodology for scenario use : combining scenario and resource mapping approaches", Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 124, 150-159
O'Brien, F. A., Meadows, M. and Griffiths, S. (2017) "Serialisation and the use of Twitter : keeping the conversation alive in public policy scenario projects", Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 124, 26-40
Torres, J. P., Kunc, M. and O’Brien, F. (2017) "Supporting strategy using system dynamics", European Journal of Operational Research
Torres, J. P., Kunc, M. and O'Brien, F. A. (2017) "Supporting strategy using system dynamics", European Journal of Operational Research, 260, 3, 1081-1094
Penn, M. L., Currie, C. S. M., Hoad, K. and O’Brien, F. (2016) "The use of case studies in OR teaching", Higher Education Pedagogies, 1, 1, 16-25
Frances O'Brien (2015) "On the roles of OR/MS practitioners in supporting strategy", Journal of the Operational Research Society, 66, 2, 202-218
Hoad, K., Monks, T. and O'Brien, F. A. (2014) "The use of search experimentation in discrete-event simulation practice", Journal of the Operational Research Society, 66, 7, 1155-1168
O'Brien, F. A. and Meadows, M. (2013) "Scenario orientation and use to support strategy development", Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 80, 4, 643-656
Frances O'Brien (2011) "Supporting strategy : a survey of UK OR/MS practitioners", Journal of the Operational Research Society, Vol.62, No.5, 900-920
Franco, L. A., O'Brien, F. and Bell, P. (2011) "Supporting strategy : contributions from OR", Journal of the Operational Research Society, Vol.62, No.5, 815-816
O'Brien, F. A., Dyson, R. G. and Kunc, M. (2011) "Teaching operational research and strategy at Warwick Business School", INFORMS Transactions on Education, Vol.12, No.1, 4-19
O'Brien, F. and Meadows, M. (2007) "Developing a visioning methodology: visioning choices for the future of operational research", Journal of the Operational Research Society, Vol.58, No.5, 557-575
Meadows, M. and O'Brien, F. A. (2006) "Under pressure: Visioning in a regulated environment", SYSTEMIC PRACTICE AND ACTION RESEARCH, 19, 6, 537-551
O'Brien, F. A. and Mingers, J. (1997) "A heuristic algorithm for the equitable partitioning problem", Omega - International Journal of Management Science, 25, 2, 215-223
Mingers, J. and O'Brien, F. A. (1995) "Creating Student Groups with Similar Characteristics : A Heuristic Approach ", Omega - International Journal of Management Science, 23, 3, 313-321
Frances O'Brien (1995) "Understanding future uncertainty", OR Insight, 8, 3, 9-14