Time lag effects - operations function, Operation Management

Assignment Help:

Time Lag Effects - Operations Function

Feedback control in complex systems can bring its own problems, due to time lag between measuring the output deviation and realising the effects of the corrective adjustments. A well-known illustration of this phenomenon was presented by Jay W Forrester in his book, Industrial Dynamics. He had been consulted by a white goods manufacturing concern which had been experiencing wildly fluctuating production levels over a period of years; despite the best efforts of the company's management they had been unable to keep production output in reasonable balance with customer demand. Forrester and his team studied the operations of the company's distribution chain (shown in simplified form in the figure) and formulated a computer simulation model of the factory - warehouse - distributor - retailers.

1355_Time Lag Effects – Operations Function.png

The figure below (adapted from Forrester, 1965) shows the results obtained when a 10 per cent step-increase in demand at the retail outlets was introduced. This chart is necessarily 'cluttered', to show how the various order, inventory and production levels changed in response to the initial increase in sales.

1964_Time Lag Effects – Operations Function 1.png

For our purposes it will be sufficient if you locate the two lines labeled 'Retail sales' and 'Factory production output'. It was found that, because of a series of time-lags in the chain, the feedback signal was greatly amplified by the time it reached the factory, resulting in over-reaction. Note that the production level climbs by 45 per cent, creating an excessive build up of inventories. In response the production level falls to 3 per cent less than the original level, and so on. It takes about 18 months for the fluctuations to be damped out.


Related Discussions:- Time lag effects - operations function

Lay out, how does an operation manager decide what layout type is most appr...

how does an operation manager decide what layout type is most appropriate for his or her business

Game theory, Consider the following parlor game to be played between two pl...

Consider the following parlor game to be played between two players. Each player begins with three chips: one red, one white, and one blue. Each chip can be used only once. To beg

Explain minimize make span in a two machine flow shop, Please explain your ...

Please explain your answer- Johnson's rule gives the optimal answer for which of the following type of problems? A) Minimize make span in a two machine flow shop B) Minimi

Explain what changes in culture are needed at the plaza inn, 1. How could t...

1. How could the Plaza Inn develop a collaborative strategy? Develop a specific plan. 2. How could technology help solve the problems at the front desk? Explain what you propose

Explain a ethical dilemma what was the situation, Describe a ethical dilemm...

Describe a ethical dilemma ( be detailed)? What was the situation? Who did it involve? Why? What happened? What was and wasn't done?

Explain economic order quantity or just-in-time, Complete additional invest...

Complete additional investigation on the JIT and EOQ models. Discuss which of the two inventory models is better and why: Economic Order Quantity or Just-in-Time?

Process charts, Process Charts Process chart is the diagrammatic repr...

Process Charts Process chart is the diagrammatic representation of various tasks and activities in sequence of operation passing through the production process beginning with

Explain is cloud computing the right direction, 1.) Why has Amazon.com succ...

1.) Why has Amazon.com succeeded online when so many other companies have failed? 2) Whats next for Amazon.com? Is cloud computing the right direction for the company? 3.) W

Explain disney incorrectly from the day it opened its door, Business Case D...

Business Case Disneyland resort Paris: mickey goes to Europe I am confused about this case. These are the questions my teacher assigned for it. 1.) What Disney did incorrectl

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd