SHIFTING PRODUCTION BOTTLENECKS: CAUSES, CURES, AND CONUNDRUMS Journal Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • We examine the phenomenon of shifting production bottlenecks from an analytic perspective. We quantify the propensity of a work center to be a bottleneck, defined as maximal queue length, using a simple Jackson production network model. Comparison of the analytic model against an empirical simulation‐based model shows that the two are in good agreement. A scalar measure of bottleneck shiftiness is proposed and used to investigate several policies for mitigating shiftiness. Simulation experiments show that several commonly observed managerial policies for coping with shifting bottlenecks actually increase shiftiness, but that shiftiness declines when the capacity of nonbottleneck resources is increased.

publication date

  • March 1, 1994

has restriction

  • green

Date in CU Experts

  • June 15, 2014 10:55 AM

Full Author List

  • LAWRENCE SR; BUSS AH

author count

  • 2

Other Profiles

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1059-1478

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1937-5956

Additional Document Info

start page

  • 21

end page

  • 37

volume

  • 3

issue

  • 1