A methodology for planning and controlling workload in a job-shop: a four-way decision-making problem

• Published in: International journal of production research 2009-01, Vol.47 (10), p.2805-2821
• Main Authors: Moreira, M.R.A., Alves, R.A.F.S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Decision making; Decision theory. Utility theory; Exact sciences and technology; input-output control; Inventory control, production control. Distribution; Job shops; job-shop; Logistics; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; order release; Production planning; Studies; Workloads
• ISSN: 0020-7543; 1366-588X
• DOI: 10.1080/00207540701725083

There has been extensive research on workload and input-output control with the objective of improving manufacturing operations in job-shops. In this paper, a multiple decision-making scheme is proposed to plan and control operations in a general job-shop, and to improve delivery and workload related performance measures. The job-shop characteristics reinforce the need for designing a global system that controls both the jobs entering (order acceptance, due date setting and job release) and the work-in-process (dispatching), leading to an improvement of operational measures. Previous research has concentrated on scheduling a set of orders through the shop floor, according to some decision mechanism, in order to optimise some measure of performance (usually total lead time). This means that, since only a part of the decision-making system is being optimised, the resulting decision may be sub-optimal. In this paper it is shown that the performance of the different decision rules changes when they are considered simultaneously. Hence, a higher level approach, where the four decisions (order acceptance, due date setting, job release and dispatching) are considered at the same time, should be adopted to improve job-shop operational performance.