A comprehensive, class-tested text covering all aspects of operations research/management science. Designed for students pursuing business careers requiring managerial ability and decision-making skills, it strongly emphasizes applications through numerous real-life examples and illustrations, chapter outlines, discussion questions, problem sets, and ``application reviews'' which describe scenarios involving actual companies that have benefited from each method discussed. The material is presented in a concise, straightforward manner at a suitable mathematical level, i.e., that of finite mathematics and basic algebra. The mathematical foundation for each quantitative method is clearly set forth and illustrated by means of examples. Appendixes contain brief reviews of calculus and matrix algebra. In addition, the text describes how to apply several well-known and readily available microcomputer software packages to operations research/management science problems. Also includes end-of-chapter glossaries, lists of references, tables, and diagrams.