Management – Cheap Research Essays

You are working as a summer intern at a small Cincinnati company that manufactures machine

parts. The director of operations has asked you to review the company’s practices for scheduling

customer orders. Currently, the company schedules work on a first come, first served (FCFS)

basis.

The director of operations is wondering whether a shortest processing time (SPT) or earliest due

date (EDD) sequencing rule might work better.

Using the data table in Table 1, compare the effectiveness of the current and two alternative

sequencing rules.

Table 1: Job Scheduling Data

Job Date Order Received Operating Time Due Date

XC Mar 3 5.1 12

EFF Mar 20 3.2 20

ABC Feb 2 4.5 10

RBP Feb11 6.0 16

SDS Mar 8 2.9 18

Consider these issues in you analysis and write-up:

Do not assume that your readers know/remember the three decision rules under consideration.

Clearly present each of them, including an explanation of the scheduling heuristic associated

with each, early in your discussion.

Discuss how you will evaluated the “goodness” of each alternative. Make sure that you define

metrics such as flow time and lateness, and explain why these are effective metrics for evaluating

scheduling rules. Citing an authoritative source, such as a textbook, will help improve your

argument.

Develop tables that show the sequence and comparative metrics for each scheduling rule.

Footnote the tables with sample calculations that help the reader understand the results. Also,

discuss each table as you present it.

Might there be other scheduling rules that the operation has yet to consider?

What is a conservative next step (CNS) based on the analysis.