Stochastic optimal control for staffing and backlog policies in a two-stage customized service supply chain

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Anderson, Edward G., Jr.; Morrice, Douglas J.; Lundeen, Gary
• 署名单位: University of Texas System; University of Texas Austin
• 刊物名称: PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1059-1478
• 发表日期: 2006
• 页码: 262-278
• 关键词: service supply chains; COORDINATION; staffing planning; stochastic optimal control theory

摘要

Motivated by an oilfield services industry case study, we investigate the dynamic behavior of customized service supply chains by developing a two-stage serial staffing model. Each stage holds no finished goods inventory, but rather only backlogs that can be managed by adjusting staffing levels. We develop optimal control policies to balance backlog costs against hiring and firing personnel costs-assuming shared backlog information-under both centralized and decentralized control. We examine when there is sufficient economic incentive for two completely decentralized stages to begin: (1) to share backlog information without centralizing control, or (2) to completely centralize control. These switching points are determined by the relative service and personnel costs of the two stages. From these results, we show that decentralizing control in many cases does not materially worsen performance, so long as information is shared. Moreover, in some cases, even sharing information is of only marginal benefit.