UNIT VIII STUDY GUIDE

Scheduling

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VIII

Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Interpret typical priority scheduling rules and the impact they have on scheduling performance
measures.
2. Critique a simple job allocation procedure.
3. Explain the issues considered in employee scheduling.
4. Summarize key concepts related to discrete event simulation.
5. Explain how simulation models are constructed.
6. Assess the advantages and disadvantages of simulation.
7. Explain basic concepts of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) including the “Goal of the Firm” and
“TOC—Performance Measures”.
8. Compare MRP, JIT, and TOC concepts and describe how they can complement one another.
9. Describe how TOC can be applied to areas other than production processes.

Reading Assignment
Chapter 19: Scheduling

Chapter 19A: Simulation

Chapter 20: Constraint Management

Unit Lesson
Chapter 19 stresses that cash flow is related to work flow. Therefore, scheduling concepts are of interest to
the entire firm. This chapter surveys general approaches to short term scheduling in manufacturing and
service industries, with major emphasis placed on job shop situations. Approaches include basic priority rules,
input-output control, shop floor control, capacity planning, and Johnson’s method for manufacturing. In the
service area, personnel scheduling is covered.

Chapter 19A covers the mechanics of Monte Carlo simulation and the general simulation methodology. The
essence of this material is how empirical and normal distributions can be used in the simulation process.
Spreadsheets and simulations are discussed to provide information to aid in solving real-world problems.

Chapter 20 integrates the concepts and teachings of Dr. Eli Goldratt, who for over a decade has been
accusing our industrial firms of not operating correctly. Dr. Goldratt points out problems throughout the entire
organization, extending from the objectives of the firm at one end through to the control of the system at the
other.

DBA 8475, Operations And Supply Chain Management 1