Search results

1 – 10 of over 6000
Per page
102050
Citations:
Loading...
Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 November 1993

Oya Icmeli, S. Selcuk Erenguc and Christopher J. Zappe

A survey of project scheduling problems since 1973 limited to workdone specifically in the project scheduling area (although severaltechniques developed for assembly line…

2321

Abstract

A survey of project scheduling problems since 1973 limited to work done specifically in the project scheduling area (although several techniques developed for assembly line balancing and job‐shop scheduling can be applicable to project scheduling): the survey includes the work done on fundamental problems such as the resource‐constrained project scheduling problem (RCPSP); time/cost trade‐off problem (TCTP); and payment scheduling problem (PSP). Also discusses some recent research that integrates RCPSP with either TCTP or PSP, and PSP with TCTP. In spite of their practical relevance, very little work has been done on these combined problems to date. The future of the project scheduling literature appears to be developing in the direction of combining the fundamental problems and developing efficient exact and heuristic methods for the resulting problems.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 13 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 December 1998

Linet Özdamar, Gündüz Ulusoy and Mete Bayyigit

Considers the resource‐constrained project scheduling problem where cash inflows and outflows are tied to the occurrence of events. The objective is the maximization of the…

1485

Abstract

Considers the resource‐constrained project scheduling problem where cash inflows and outflows are tied to the occurrence of events. The objective is the maximization of the project net present value (NPV) as well as the minimization of project tardiness in the presence of a project due date. Develops hybrid scheduling rules with both NPV and tardiness considerations to enhance both objectives. Experiments extensively with a set of benchmark problems originally designed for the objective of minimizing the project duration. Demonstrates that thje hybrid rules developed here are superior in performance with respect to both objectives when compared with well known rules which are developed for the two objective of minimizing the project duration. Demonstrates that the hybrid rules developed here are superior in performance with respect to both objectives when compared with well‐known rules which are developed for the two objectives taken individually. Furthermore, the iterative algorithm improves the performance of all tested rules significantly.

Details

International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, vol. 28 no. 9/10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0960-0035

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 18 June 2024

Omid Kebriyaii, Ali Heidari, Mohammad Khalilzadeh and Dragan Pamucar

Integrating project scheduling and material ordering problems is vital in realistically estimating project cost and duration. Also, the quality level of materials is important as…

76

Abstract

Purpose

Integrating project scheduling and material ordering problems is vital in realistically estimating project cost and duration. Also, the quality level of materials is important as one of the key project success factors.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a three-objective mathematical model is presented for green project scheduling with materials ordering problems considering rental resources. The first objective is to minimize the total cost of the project site and logistics. The second objective is to minimize the environmental impacts of producing materials and the third objective is to maximize the total quality of materials. Since costs trigger several challenges in projects, cost constraints are considered in this model for the first time and also the cost of delay in supplying of materials by the suppliers has been deducted from the project costs. Subsequently, the model was implemented in a real case and solved by the Lagrangian Relaxation algorithm as an exact method on GAMS software for model validation.

Findings

Based on sensitivity analysis of some parameters, the findings indicate that the cost constraint and lead time have considerable effects on the project duration. Also, integrating project scheduling and material ordering improves the robustness of the project schedule.

Originality/value

The primary contributions of the present research can be stated as follows: considering the cost constraints in the project scheduling with material ordering problem, incorporating the rental resources and taking the quality levels of materials as well as the environmental impacts into account.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 March 2007

Daniel L. Smith

This study examines whether rules, particular participants, and executive politics in state tax revenue estimation exert measurable influences on forecast error. Fixed-effects…

85

Abstract

This study examines whether rules, particular participants, and executive politics in state tax revenue estimation exert measurable influences on forecast error. Fixed-effects estimation using data from states’ respective fiscal years 1994 to 2003 indicates that all impact state tax revenue forecast accuracy in varying ways, and results suggest that policy can be crafted to effectively mitigate forecast error. Further examination of the quality of participation in tax revenue forecasting as well as the mechanisms of political involvement in this arena is suggested.

Details

Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, vol. 19 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1096-3367

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 7 June 2023

Debadyuti Das and Aditya Singh

The present work seeks to determine the optimal delivery schedule of equipment at a project site in the backdrop of limited storage space, at a minimum cost, and without…

205

Abstract

Purpose

The present work seeks to determine the optimal delivery schedule of equipment at a project site in the backdrop of limited storage space, at a minimum cost, and without disturbing the overall project schedule. In addition, the optimized delivery schedule helps in minimizing the fluctuating requirements of space at the project site across the entire project lifespan.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is carried out at a Steel plant operating in a constrained space but undergoing a production capacity expansion. The problem motivated us to explore the possibility of postponing the delivery dates of certain equipment closer to the erection dates without compromising on the project schedule. Given the versatility of linear programming models in dealing with such schedule optimization problems, the authors formulated the above problem as a Zero-One Integer Linear Programming problem.

Findings

The model is implemented for all the new equipment arriving for two major units – the Hot Strip Mill (HSM) and the Blast Furnace (BF). It generates an optimized delivery schedule by delaying the delivery of some equipment by a certain number of periods, without compromising the overall project schedule and at a minimum storage cost. The average space utilization increases by 25.85 and 14.79% in HSM and BF units respectively. The fluctuations in space requirements are reduced substantially in both units.

Originality/value

The study shows a timeline in the form of a Gantt chart for the delivery of equipment, storage of equipment across different periods, and the number of periods for which the delivery of certain equipment needs to be postponed. The study uses linearly increasing storage costs with the increase in the number of periods for storage of the equipment in the temporary shed.

Highlights

  1. Determined the optimal delivery schedule of the equipment in a project environment in the backdrop of limited storage space in the project site.

  2. Formulated the above problem as a Zero-One Integer Linear Programming (ILP) problem.

  3. The average space utilization has increased by 25.85 and 14.79% in HSM and BF units respectively.

  4. The optimized delivery schedule helps in reducing the fluctuations in space requirements substantially across the entire lifespan of the project.

  5. The timeline of delivery of equipment, storage of equipment across different periods and periods of postponement of the equipment are shown in the form of a Gantt Chart.

Determined the optimal delivery schedule of the equipment in a project environment in the backdrop of limited storage space in the project site.

Formulated the above problem as a Zero-One Integer Linear Programming (ILP) problem.

The average space utilization has increased by 25.85 and 14.79% in HSM and BF units respectively.

The optimized delivery schedule helps in reducing the fluctuations in space requirements substantially across the entire lifespan of the project.

The timeline of delivery of equipment, storage of equipment across different periods and periods of postponement of the equipment are shown in the form of a Gantt Chart.

Details

Journal of Advances in Management Research, vol. 20 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0972-7981

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 September 1999

Paul Gemmel and Roland Van Dierdonck

Admission scheduling is identified as an important strategy to match supply and demand in acute care hospitals. During the last decades, many different theoretical models of…

1622

Abstract

Admission scheduling is identified as an important strategy to match supply and demand in acute care hospitals. During the last decades, many different theoretical models of admission scheduling have been developed, but only a few of them have reached the stage of implementation. Several authors have given some indication that there may be a gap between theory and practice of admission scheduling. In this study we try to describe this gap using a two‐stage research methodology: an extensive literature review in order to determine the theoretical functional requirements for a system that supports the admission scheduling decision and a telephone survey in order to learn more about the admission scheduling practice in Belgian hospitals. The study finds a large gap between the theoretical requirements and the practical application of admission scheduling in hospitals. In summary, most hospitals have not worked out an admission scheduling policy indicating which resources are critical in the scheduling process and how information on the availability of these resources can be captured.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 19 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 24 May 2011

Gregory N. Stock and Christopher McDermott

The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically how operational performance and contextual factors contribute to differences in overall patient care costs across different…

1556

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically how operational performance and contextual factors contribute to differences in overall patient care costs across different hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach

Administrative data are employed from a sample of hospitals in New York State to construct measures of contextual factors, operational performance, and cost per patient. Operational performance and cost variables are adjusted to account for case mix differences across hospitals. Hierarchical regression is used to analyze the effects of contextual and operational variables on cost performance.

Findings

Increased length of stay, increased patient volume, and educational mission were associated with higher cost per patient. Mortality performance was associated with lower cost per patient. However, it was not found that location, size, or ownership status had a significant relationship with cost performance.

Practical implications

This paper identifies several significant relationships between contextual and operational variables and hospital costs. From a managerial perspective, these findings highlight the fact that some drivers of cost in hospitals are under the control of managers. One of the primary cost drivers in the study is length of stay, which implies that there is significant room for improvement in healthcare performance through a focus on operational excellence.

Originality/value

For researchers, the present study highlights the relative importance of operational versus contextual factors, with respect to cost performance in hospitals. The results of this study also provide direction for additional research into the role operational performance might play in determining the overall organizational performance in a hospital.

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. 25 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 14 August 2007

Christopher McDermott and Gregory N. Stock

As hospital costs continue to rise, increasing attention is being paid to the way these organizations are and should be managed. This attention typically comes in the form of…

4542

Abstract

Purpose

As hospital costs continue to rise, increasing attention is being paid to the way these organizations are and should be managed. This attention typically comes in the form of focus on costs of services, quality (often measured through mortality rates) and length of stay. Hospital management has a broad array of choices at their disposal to address these challenges. As service operations, hospitals present a significant opportunity to apply the many tools and techniques from the field of operations strategy to this important industry. The objective of this paper is to use the operations strategy framework to assess the relationship between a set of operational elements and hospital performance in terms of average length of stay (ALOS), so that hospital managers improve the effectiveness and efficiency of patient care of their hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the structural and infrastructural operations strategy framework, this study examines the relationship between several strategic variables and hospital performance. To analyze these relationships the paper employs data from the population of hospitals in New York State. The performance measure is the ALOS for patients, adjusted for the mix and severity of cases in each hospital.

Findings

The paper finds that a direct relationship exists between the dependent variable and location, capacity, and teaching status, and failed to find a direct relationship for capital expenditures, salary, and staffing levels. However, the paper did find significant interaction effects between capital expenses and both salary and staffing levels.

Practical implications

There appear to be trade‐offs between capital expenditures and workforce decisions that have significant implications in light of current and expected hospital staffing shortages. The findings indicate that reductions in staff may not be perfectly replaced by corresponding increases in capital expenditures.

Originality/value

This paper further expands the body of research that addresses the important challenges hospitals face from an operations management perspective.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 27 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 7 April 2022

Sasadhar Bera, Pradeep Kumar and Subhajit Bhattacharya

The paper aims to investigate the cardiology department’s operational system for improving flexibility by minimizing the patient waiting time and simultaneously maximizing the…

564

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to investigate the cardiology department’s operational system for improving flexibility by minimizing the patient waiting time and simultaneously maximizing the utilization of service capacity in an uncertain environment. This article also proposes a policy framework that suggests a pool of additional resources and inter-firm collaboration can boost healthcare service delivery excellence.

Design/methodology/approach

A discrete event simulation (DES) approach is followed for modeling patient flow and determining the service capacity to respond to demand variability and uncertainty. The model's outputs are used to minimize patient waiting time, maximize the utilization of the resources and match the service capacity with the patient demand.

Findings

This research has tested two hypotheses and proved that an increase in waiting time decimates the throughput rate, and additional resources deployment in bottleneck activity positively impacts the throughput rate. The simulated scenarios prescribe an enhanced service capacity with quality care and further contribute to operational performance in reduced waiting time and cost. The results indicate that flexibility reduces the patient waiting time and maximizes the throughput rate.

Practical implications

The study guides the healthcare policymakers to develop flexible competence and facilitate service mechanisms that are adaptive and robust while operating under a volatile environment. The article contributes to the healthcare literature that conjoins flexibility through simulation and resource utilization.

Originality/value

This research is based on real-life primary data collected from healthcare providers. This study adds value to the healthcare systems to adopt strategic decisions to build flexibility through resource allocation, sharing and coordinated care.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 72 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 9 November 2012

Luciano Costa Santos, Cláudia Fabiana Gohr and Milton Vieira Junior

The paper aims to present a hands‐on activity for operations management (OM) education that simulates assembly operations common in industrial settings using polyvinyl chloride…

961

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to present a hands‐on activity for operations management (OM) education that simulates assembly operations common in industrial settings using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) threadable fittings utilised in water pipes as interchangeable parts for easy manual assembly.

Design/methodology/approach

The teaching method followed the philosophy of active learning and was applied in an action research approach; the proposed activity was tested and improved during applications in the classroom.

Findings

The applicability of the method was proven during in‐class exercises. The results were confirmed with positive feedback from the students involved in the exercises, which was obtained through a survey conducted after a set of applications.

Research limitations/implications

Although the proposed activity may have several possibilities for application, this paper focuses specifically on teaching the topics of work measurement and assembly line balancing, thus limiting the generalisability of these findings to other OM techniques. Therefore, it is important that the activity is further adapted to teach other OM topics.

Practical implications

The activity performed with pipe fittings represents a practical exercise that contributes to reduction of the gap between theory and practice in OM education. Using simple and low cost materials, the students are involved in creating a real process from a fictional product.

Originality/value

This paper presents an experiential learning exercise applied using an innovative approach, using pipe fittings as interchangeable parts assembled in a production line.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 32 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 6000
Per page
102050