scholarly journals Modelling people’s behaviour using discrete-event simulation: a review

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 1228-1244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Greasley ◽  
Chris Owen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a contribution to the area of behavioural operations management (OM) by identifying key challenges in the use of discrete-event simulation (DES) to model people’s behaviour in OM. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review method is undertaken in order to assess the nature and scale of all publications relevant to the topic of modelling people’s behaviour with DES in OM within the period 2005-2017. Findings The publications identified by the literature review reveal key challenges to be addressed when aiming to increase the use of DES to model people’s behaviour. The review also finds a variety of strategies in use to model people’s behaviour using DES in OM applications. Research limitations/implications A systematic literature review method is undertaken in order to include all publications relevant to the topic of modelling people’s behaviour with DES in the OM domain but some articles may not have been captured. Originality/value The literature review provides a resource in terms of identifying exemplars of the variety of methods used to model people’s behaviour using DES in OM. The study indicates key challenges for increasing the use of DES in this area and builds on current DES development methodologies by presenting a methodology for modelling people’s behaviour in OM.

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Deats ◽  
Michael Martinez ◽  
Robert Shearer ◽  
William Shearer

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the relationship between the number of waves a surfer will catch, the surfer’s characteristics, and the surf conditions; and utilize this relationship to explain wave allocation strategies chosen by surfers. Design/methodology/approach – The study employed a discrete event simulation to model surfers at a well-known surf break in Southern California. Several experimental designs were implemented in the simulation to measure the effect of a surfer’s characteristics and surf conditions on waves caught; and compare different wave allocation strategies. Findings – The number of waves that a surfer will catch is largely dependent upon the surfer’s skill level and the wave allocation strategy used at the surf break. Common wave allocation strategies fail with large crowds. Originality/value – This study is the first to model the entire lineup at a surf break, providing quantitative insights into why surfers choose different wave allocation strategies.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan J. de Jong ◽  
Wouter W.A. Beelaerts van Blokland

Purpose – Implementation of lean manufacturing is currently performed in the production industry; however, for the airline maintenance service industry, it is still in its infancy. Indicators such as work in process, cycle time, on-time performance and inventory are useful indicators to measure lean implementation; however, a financial economic perspective taking fixed assets into consideration is still missing. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to propose a method to measure lean implementation from a fixed asset perspective for this type of industry. With the indicators, continuous improvement scenarios can be explored by value stream discrete event simulation. Design/methodology/approach – From literature, indicators regarding asset specificity to measure lean implementation are found. These indicators are analysed by a linear least square method to know if variables are interrelated to form a preliminary model. The indicators are tested by value stream-based discrete event simulation regarding continuous improvement scenarios. Findings – With the new found lean transaction cost efficiency indicators, namely, turnover, gross margin and inventory pre-fixed asset (T/FA, GM/FA and I/FA, respectively), it is possible to measure operation performance from an asset specificity perspective under the influence of lean implementation. Secondly, the results of implementing continuous improvement scenarios are measured with the new indicators by a discrete event simulation. Research limitations/implications – This research is limited to the airline maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service industry regarding component repair. Further research is necessary to test the indicators regarding other airline MRO service companies and other sectors of complex service industries like health care. Practical implications – The lean transaction cost efficiency model provides the capability for a maintenance service company to simulate the effects of process improvements on operation performance for service-based companies prior to implementation. Social/implications – Simulation of a Greenfield process can involve employees with possible changes in processes. This approach supports the adoption of anticipated changes. Originality/value – The found indicators form a preliminary model, which contributes to the usage and linkage of theories on lean manufacturing and transaction cost theory – asset specificity.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 733-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Yip ◽  
Suk-King Pang ◽  
Kui-Tim Chan ◽  
Chi-Kuen Chan ◽  
Tsz-Leung Lee

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a simulation modeling application to reconfigure the outpatient phlebotomy service of an acute regional and teaching hospital in Hong Kong, with an aim to improve service efficiency, shorten patient queuing time and enhance workforce utilization. Design/methodology/approach – The system was modeled as an inhomogeneous Poisson process and a discrete-event simulation model was developed to simulate the current setting, and to evaluate how various performance metrics would change if switched from a decentralized to a centralized model. Variations were then made to the model to test different workforce arrangements for the centralized service, so that managers could decide on the service’s final configuration via an evidence-based and data-driven approach. Findings – This paper provides empirical insights about the relationship between staffing arrangement and system performance via a detailed scenario analysis. One particular staffing scenario was chosen by manages as it was considered to strike the best balance between performance and workforce scheduled. The resulting centralized phlebotomy service was successfully commissioned. Practical implications – This paper demonstrates how analytics could be used for operational planning at the hospital level. The authors show that a transparent and evidence-based scenario analysis, made available through analytics and simulation, greatly facilitates management and clinical stakeholders to arrive at the ideal service configuration. Originality/value – The authors provide a robust method in evaluating the relationship between workforce investment, queuing reduction and workforce utilization, which is crucial for managers when deciding the delivery model for any outpatient-related service.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Reis Gualberto ◽  
Lásara Fabrícia Rodrigues ◽  
Karine Araújo Ferreira

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop an approach to evaluate the partial postponement strategy and compare it with postponement and make-to-stock (MTS) strategies in the production of table wine in wineries in the state of Minas Gerais (south-eastern Brazil). Design/methodology/approach An approach based on discrete event simulation was developed to support decision-making in the wine sector. Simulation models were used to analyse partial postponement, postponement and MTS strategies in wine production. These models were inspired by a typical table wine producer selected from an exploratory study conducted in 12 wineries of Minas Gerais state in Brazil. Findings Hybrid strategies, such as partial postponement, favour the advantages of postponement and MTS depending on the portion of semi-finished and finished goods adopted. Wine production characteristics favour postponement and partial postponement with high semi-finished product levels (customer order-driven product) because this allows companies to reduce their inventory of bottles, despite possible increases in lost sales and costs. MTS and partial postponement with high finished product levels (forecast-driven product) present higher costs with bottled wine storage; however, these strategies reduce lost sales and improve agility and reliability in deliveries. Research limitations/implications Future research should analyse the production of table wines in other regions of the country and the production of fine wines. Practical implications The findings suggest promising perspectives for real-life applications in wineries in Brazil and other countries. Originality/value Simulation techniques allow the analysis of production strategies in little-known industries, such as table wine production in Brazil. The approach developed is flexible enough to support decisions and to be adapted to companies’ and markets’ characteristics and to test specific strategies.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iordanis Katemliadis ◽  
Georgios Markatos

PurposeTourism planning and development has revolved around sustainability concepts and issues, and this paper aims to provide an analysis of stakeholder involvement in sustainability planning and implementation in Cyprus.Design/methodology/approachThe article provides a comprehensive perspective on stakeholder involvement in sustainability planning and implementation based on a systematic literature review.FindingsStudy findings indicate that the active involvement of stakeholders is a prerequisite in order to address the complex issues of sustainable tourism development.Originality/valueThe authors examined the role of stakeholders at individual, local and international levels, and how they can make a difference in transitioning to a more sustainable future for tourism in Cyprus.


Author(s):  
Ana Carolina Pereira de Vasconcelos Silva ◽  
Daniel Bouzon Nagem Assad ◽  
Thais Spiegel

The operations management is a multidisciplinary field that investigates, for instance, the design, management and processes improvement focused on the development, production, distribution and delivery of products and services, encompassing activities such as the implementation of policies, making quota decisions, identification and problem solving, response to uncertainty, among others. Regarding the resources dimensioning in hospitals, the Brazilian scenario is limited to legislative instruments that assume a prior and added sizing. This chapter uses a discrete event simulation tool to set the amount of operation rooms needed for patient care in an emergency department, so that emergency patients have guaranteed compliance, minimizing the cancellation of elective surgeries because of this type of demand. As a result, it was found that the minimum amount established by normative instruments was not appropriate to the specific requirements of the organization.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 476-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omogbai Oleghe ◽  
Konstantinos Salonitis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to promote a system dynamics-discrete event simulation (SD-DES) hybrid modelling framework, one that is useful for investigating problems comprising multifaceted elements which interact and evolve over time, such as is found in TPM. Design/methodology/approach The hybrid modelling framework commences with system observation using field notes which culminate in model conceptualization to structure the problem. Thereafter, an SD-DEShybrid model is designed for the system, and simulated to proffer improvement programmes. The hybrid model emphasises the interactions between key constructs relating to the system, feedback structures and process flow concepts that are the hallmarks of many problems in production. The modelling framework is applied to the TPM operations of a bottling plant where sub-optimal TPM performance was affecting throughput performance. Findings Simulation results for the case study show that intangible human factors such as worker motivation do not significantly affect TPM performance. What is most critical is ensuring full compliance to routine and scheduled maintenance tasks and coordinating the latter to align with rate of machine defect creation. Research limitations/implications The framework was developed with completeness, generality and reuse in view. It remains to be applied to a wide variety of TPM and non-TPM-related problems. Practical implications The developed hybrid model is scalable and can fit into an existing discrete event simulation model of a production system. The case study findings indicate where TPM managers should focus their efforts. Originality/value The investigation of TPM using SD-DES hybrid modelling is a novelty.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 833-848
Author(s):  
Alhanouf Abdulrahman Saleh Alsuwailem ◽  
Abdul Khader Jilani Saudagar

Purpose This paper aims to understand and document the state of the art in the anti-money laundering (AML) systems literature. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review (SLR) is performed using the Saudi Digital Library. The outputs published as conference proceedings, workshop proceedings, journal articles and books were all considered. The final sample size after omitting out-of-scope selections was 27 documents, which mainly span from 2015 to 2020. Findings The sample is discussed based on a categorization, which demarcates solutions, machine learning, data sources, evaluation methods, implementation tools, sampling techniques and regions of study. Originality/value This SLR could serve as a useful basis for researchers and salient decision-makers, who are seeking to understand the nature and extent of the currently available research into AML systems.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 500-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shubham Sharma ◽  
Usha Lenka

Purpose Learning, unlearning and relearning (LUR) has been preached as a panacea to organizations. Whereas, research on learning and unlearning has grown exponentially, relearning is still considered as an obscure concept. This paper aims to provide a new insight on organizational relearning and highlight its linkages with organizational unlearning. Design/methodology/approach This study is based upon a systematic literature review of organizational unlearning and organizational relearning. Papers expounding upon relearning were carefully analyzed vis-à-vis organizational unlearning. Findings Organizational unlearning and organizational relearning assume a vital place in developing a learning organization. However, linking the two processes in a sequence tends to arouse certain conceptual difficulties. First, it is not necessary that relearning follows this prescribed ordering sequence. It is a process that can happen without prior unlearning. Second, based on the process model and multiple definitions of unlearning, the very purpose of organizational unlearning is to acquire new knowledge (relearning in literature). Therefore, in this sense, relearning seems to become a redundant concept and a neologism. As a result, this hampers the proper contextualization of relearning. Originality/value This paper attempts to expound upon the debate of organizational relearning and its interplay with organizational unlearning. As the concept of lifelong learning and building learning organizations assumes the center stage in contemporary organizations, it is suggested that unless the conceptual issues of related to LUR are not adequately addressed, academicians will naturally find it difficult to prescribe proper course of action to practitioners.


2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 1075-1104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Sundtoft Hald ◽  
Jan Mouritsen

PurposeThis research aims to explore the enabling and constraining effects of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and speculate on how these can be linked to the four generic roles of operations management (OM) proposed by Slack et al.Design/methodology/approachThis research understands ERP as boundary objects characterised by modularity, abstraction, accommodation, and standardization. An in‐depth cross‐disciplinary literature review and role synthesis is conducted.FindingsFour enabling and three constraining effects of ERP are deduced from existing literature. ERP and OM are linked conceptually. Based on the identified effects of ERP, the paper speculates on the managerial tasks of the production and operations manager (POM) in an ERP environment and lists a set of central concerns of potential relevance to POM and to future research.Research limitations/implicationsThe identified roles of ERP and their implications could be empirically tested using case based and survey research.Practical implicationsThe results provide insights into how ERP has multiple and parallel roles, and how these roles are relevant to the function of OM. Such knowledge is valuable for practicing POMs in managing the implementation and design of ERP to support the different domains of OM.Originality/valueCurrent studies of the effects of ERP and their link to the practice of OM tend to focus on one or a few roles of the emerging system. Such studies do not properly take into account the modularised and pluralistic nature of ERP. This research provides a platform from where future research on the effects, managerial dilemmas and implications of ERP can be reconciled across research communities.


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