For a system of finite queues, we study how servers should be assigned dynamically to stations in order to obtain optimal (or near-optimal) long-run average throughput. We assume that travel times between different service facilities are negligible, that each server can work on only one job at a...

This note corrects an error in van Nunen and Puterman (van Nunen, J. A. E. E., M. L. Puterman. 1983. Computing optimal control limits for GI/M/s queueing systems with controlled arrivals. Management Sci. 29 725--734.) and extends some of their results to the average reward case.

This paper surveys models and algorithms dealing with partially observable Markov decision processes. A partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) is a generalization of a Markov decision process which permits uncertainty regarding the state of a Markov process and allows for state...

We consider the dynamic repair allocation problem for a general multi-component system that is maintained by a limited number of repairmen. Component functioning and repair times are exponentially distributed random variables with known parameters. At most one repairman may be assigned to a...

We consider a two-stage supply chain under centralized control. The downstream facility faces discrete stochastic demand and passes supply requests to the upstream facility. The upstream facility always meets the supply requests from downstream. If the upstream facility cannot meet the supply...

Living donors are a significant and increasing source of livers for transplantation, mainly because of the insufficient supply of cadaveric organs. We consider the problem of optimally timing a living-donor liver transplant to maximize the patient's total reward, such as quality-adjusted life...

We study how industry clockspeed, internal firm factors, such as product development, production, and inventory costs, and competitive factors determine a firm's optimal new-product introduction timing and product-quality decisions. We explicitly model market demand uncertainty, a firm's...

A Markov model of sequential R&D investment, where successful firms are assumed to have an advantage in related follow-on R&D, is formulated and a solution approach is given. Under this assumption, profit maximizing firms must consider the effect of R&D investments on their future market...

We address an assembly problem, motivated by flat panel display manufacturing, where the quality (or performance) of the final product depends upon characteristics of the components to be assembled, which are not constant from component to component. We analyze the tradeoff between the increase...

We consider the optimal production and inventory control of an assemble-to-order system with m components, one end-product, and n customer classes. A control policy specifies when to produce each component and, whenever an order is placed, whether or not to satisfy it from on-hand inventory. We...