Dr Frances O'Brien
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 2020-2021
Business Analytics
- IB9HW0: Project Skills
- IB94UB: Strategy Analytics
Business with Operations Management
- IB9HS0: Operations Analytics
Distance Learning MBA
- IB820P: Modelling and Analytics for Management
Executive MBA
- IB9A00: Digital Innovation Analytics for Leadership
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
- 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
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