Stochastic call center staffing with uncertain arrival,service and abandonment rates: A Bayesian perspective

In this article, we introduce staffing strategies for the Erlang‐A queuing system in call center operations with uncertain arrival, service, and abandonment rates. In doing so, we model the system rates using gamma distributions that create randomness in operating characteristics used in the optimization formulation. We divide the day into discrete time intervals where a simulation based stochastic programming method is used to determine staffing levels. More specifically, we develop a model to select the optimal number of agents required for a given time interval by minimizing an expected cost function, which consists of agent and abandonment (opportunity) costs, while considering the service quality requirements such as the delay probability. The objective function as well as the constraints in our formulation are random variables. The novelty of our approach is to introduce a solution method for the staffing of an operation where all three system rates (arrival, service, and abandonment) are random variables. We illustrate the use of the proposed model using both real and simulated call center data. In addition, we provide solution comparisons across different formulations, consider a dynamic extension, and discuss sensitivity implications of changing constraint upper bounds as well as prior hyper‐parameters. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 63: 460–478, 2016     

Inventory control under substitutable demand: A stochastic game application

Substitutable product inventory problem is analyzed using the concepts of stochastic game theory. It is assumed that there are two substitutable products that are sold by different retailers and the demand for each product is random. Game theoretic nature of this problem is the result of substitution between products. Since retailers compete for the substitutable demand, ordering decision of each retailer depends on the ordering decision of the other retailer. Under the discounted payoff criterion, this problem is formulated as a two‐person nonzero‐sum stochastic game. In the case of linear ordering cost, it is shown that there exists a Nash equilibrium characterized by a pair of stationary base stock strategies for the infinite horizon problem. This is the unique Nash equilibrium within the class of stationary base stock strategies. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 49: 359–375, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/nav.10018     

基于随机Petri网的装备抢救抢修保障模型

通过建立一个基本的装备抢救抢修Petri网模型,把Petri网建模思想引入战时装备抢救抢修保障模型中,将实际系统中的实体和活动映射为模型系统中的库所和变迁,将装备抢救抢修保障排队论模型用随机Petri网进行描述。构建了一个完整的装甲团装备抢救抢修随机Petri网模型,利用软件包SPNP6.0对其进行模拟运行,通过对模型仿真数据的分析为装备保障的方案制定提供决策依据。     

概率条件下雷区范围估计研究

为更正现有雷区范围估计算法因搜扫率处置不当而存在的矛盾与不足,研究了搜扫率条件下的雷区范围估计问题。分不规则雷区和规则雷线两种情况,依据极大似然估计的原理,推导出搜扫率条件下的雷区范围估计算法,并对改进算法与现有算法进行了分析比较和仿真示例验证。分析和示例表明新算法克服了现有算法的缺陷,能够更符合实际地解决雷区范围估计问题。     

加权随机模拟的时变可靠性分析方法

针对结构时变可靠性的随机模拟分析方法计算代价大的问题,在极值方法的基础上提出基于加权随机模拟的时变可靠性分析策略.时变可靠性分析需要计算在不同时间处的失效概率,通常需要进行多次可靠性分析,计算代价巨大.所提方法通过对常规静态可靠性的随机模拟方法进行改进拓展,运用加权策略分别发展了加权蒙特卡洛法和加权重要抽样法,使之能够...     

Reliability inference for field conditions from accelerated degradation testing

Accelerated degradation testing (ADT) is usually conducted under deterministic stresses such as constant‐stress, step‐stress, and cyclic‐stress. Based on ADT data, an ADT model is developed to predict reliability under normal (field) operating conditions. In engineering applications, the “standard” approach for reliability prediction assumes that the normal operating conditions are deterministic or simply uses the mean values of the stresses while ignoring their variability. Such an approach may lead to significant prediction errors. In this paper, we extend an ADT model obtained from constant‐stress ADT experiments to predict field reliability by considering the stress variations. A case study is provided to demonstrate the proposed statistical inference procedure. The accuracy of the procedure is verified by simulation using various distributions of field stresses. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2006.     

防御矩阵满足乘法交换律的证明

在使用马尔柯夫链分析多层防御系统的防御效用值时,发现防御矩阵是否满足乘法交换律将关系到多层防御系统变换部署后的防御效用值,因此有必要对防御矩阵是否满足乘法交换律进行证明。首先介绍了防御矩阵的概念、物理意义、重要性质及计算方法,分析了防御矩阵满足乘法交换律的重要意义,最后综合运用数学归纳法和随机矩阵性质证明了防御矩阵满足乘法交换律的事实,此结论无论对于多层防御系统的防御效用值研究还是矩阵理论研究都有一定的指导作用。     

Optimal pricing and inventory control policy in periodic‐review systems with fixed ordering cost and lost sales

This paper studies a periodic‐review pricing and inventory control problem for a retailer, which faces stochastic price‐sensitive demand, under quite general modeling assumptions. Any unsatisfied demand is lost, and any leftover inventory at the end of the finite selling horizon has a salvage value. The cost component for the retailer includes holding, shortage, and both variable and fixed ordering costs. The retailer's objective is to maximize its discounted expected profit over the selling horizon by dynamically deciding on the optimal pricing and replenishment policy for each period. We show that, under a mild assumption on the additive demand function, at the beginning of each period an (s,S) policy is optimal for replenishment, and the value of the optimal price depends on the inventory level after the replenishment decision has been done. Our numerical study also suggests that for a sufficiently long selling horizon, the optimal policy is almost stationary. Furthermore, the fixed ordering cost (K) plays a significant role in our modeling framework. Specifically, any increase in K results in lower s and higher S. On the other hand, the profit impact of dynamically changing the retail price, contrasted with a single fixed price throughout the selling horizon, also increases with K. We demonstrate that using the optimal policy values from a model with backordering of unmet demands as approximations in our model might result in significant profit penalty. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2006     

Requirements planning for modular products

The focus of this paper is on determining the requirements of different component options of a modular end‐product in an uncertain environment. We explicitly model two distinct sources of uncertainty: stochastic end‐product demand and unknown market proportions for the different product options available. Our cost minimizing model focuses on determining the optimal requirements policies for component options that meet a pre‐set service level. We show that simple common‐sense requirements policies are not generally optimal; there is a non‐linear connection between service level and component requirements that is hard to characterize without a detailed analysis. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2006     

基于混合建模方法的三维彩色树木快速模拟算法

在对多种模型进行研究的基础上，提出了一种快速模拟三维彩色树木的高效算法。该算法不仅合理简化了树木的几何拓扑结构和生长规律特性，而且引入了特性良好、计算简单、参数易于控制的随机函数。因此生成树木的种类较多、图形逼真、速度很快，在普通微机上达到了实时的模拟效果。