A bibliography of applications of operational research in West Africa

Abstract

There is considerable interest in the potential for using operational research (O.R.) in developing countries. One sign of this is the formation of new societies for O.R. scientists in countries and regions where no such society had existed. Since 2003, such societies have been formed in several parts of Africa. This paper focuses on West Africa, and presents a bibliography of papers relating to applications of O.R. in the nations of this part of the continent. The paper describes the way in which the bibliography was collated and discusses the overall picture that the list of papers presents of the state of O.R. in the 18 countries that are considered. © 2008 The Authors.