Management Sciences Research Project Western Management Science Institute Working Paper No.90 LABOR AND MACHINE LIMITED PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

摘要

A number of investigations have been performed with models of machine limited production systems. In the main, the work has centered upon evaluation of alternative queue disciplines. In this paper, a model is proposed for studying systems in which both machines and labor are limiting resources. The proposed model includes several design and control factors which offer promising subjects for research. These factors relate to labor and job assignment procedures and control, labor force training, and system flexibility as determined by equipment purchasing and employment policies. Results are reported for an initial set of experiments in which the labor assignment procedure and the size of the labor force are variables. Suggestions are given for further research.