Past Awards
R. M. Oliver and A. H. Samuel, "Reducing Letter Delays in Post Offices," Operations Research, Vol. 10, No. 6, Nov.-Dec. 1962, page 839.
The Committee regards the Oliver-Samuel paper as an excellent example of a case history, involving a combination of model development and data analysis. The problem treated is one which has an effect on the daily lives of all of us; the industry involved is a "classical" one, which has in the past received limited formal analytical study. The Committee considers that the authors developed the necessary model and mathematical background with considerable skill; although the models are basically simple, they are adequate for the purpose, and are substantiated by a series of experiments described in the paper. The end results are practical, and should make an effective contribution to improving the system under study. The Committee agreed with screeners' views concerning the clarity of exposition and the general excellence of the paper.