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Note: How Does Product Proliferation Affect Responsiveness?

Note: How Does Product Proliferation Affect Responsiveness? In this note we consider some strategies that a manufacturing firm may use to deal with an increase in the variety of products it offers. We indicate how alternate strategies for dealing with product proliferation impact the firm's responsiveness, measured in terms of average production lead time and average work-in-process inventory. Focusing on the make-to-order environment and using queueing models, we derive conditions under which an increase in product variety can improve both individual product performance as well as system performance, thus contradicting a common belief that a greater degree of focus and greater responsiveness go hand in hand. These queueing models provide operations managers analytical tools for evaluating alternate strategies for coping with product proliferation. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Management Science INFORMS

Note: How Does Product Proliferation Affect Responsiveness?

Management Science , Volume 44 (7): 4 – Jul 1, 1998
4 pages

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References (4)

Publisher
INFORMS
Copyright
Copyright © INFORMS
Subject
Note
ISSN
0025-1909
eISSN
1526-5501
DOI
10.1287/mnsc.44.7.1017
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

In this note we consider some strategies that a manufacturing firm may use to deal with an increase in the variety of products it offers. We indicate how alternate strategies for dealing with product proliferation impact the firm's responsiveness, measured in terms of average production lead time and average work-in-process inventory. Focusing on the make-to-order environment and using queueing models, we derive conditions under which an increase in product variety can improve both individual product performance as well as system performance, thus contradicting a common belief that a greater degree of focus and greater responsiveness go hand in hand. These queueing models provide operations managers analytical tools for evaluating alternate strategies for coping with product proliferation.

Journal

Management ScienceINFORMS

Published: Jul 1, 1998

Keywords: Keywords : Product Variety ; Make-to-Order Production Systems ; Queueing ; Polling Models

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