If the nature of the customer population, constraints on the line, the priority rule, and the service time distribution renders waiting line theory no longer useful, then an operations manager should rely on:
A) decision tree analysis.
B) linear programming.
C) simulation.
D) Little's Law.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Simulation allows for the operations manager to create a computer model of the system and experiment with changing different variables to see how it affects overall performance. This method is useful when waiting line theory is no longer applicable due to complex customer populations or constraints on the line. Decision tree analysis and linear programming may not account for all variables and Little’s Law is primarily concerned with the relationship between waiting time and system throughput.

If the Nature of the Customer Population, Constraints on the Line