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 companys 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 using both flow time and lateness metrics.

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	Feb 11	8.0	16
SDS	Mar 8	1.5	18

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

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

What are the limitations of this analysis?

QUESTIONS

1. Generally speaking, lower flow times are desirable when scheduling.

a. True

b. False

2. When the earliest due date (EDD) rule is applied to the sample of jobs, the resulting sequence is:

a. ABC, XC, RBP, SDS, EFF

b. SDS, ABC, EFF, RBP, XC

c. SDS, EFF, ABC, XC, RBP

d. ABC, RBP, XC, EFF, SDS

e. EFF, SDS, XC, RBP, ABC

3. Average flow time for the sample of jobs when sequenced by the first come, first served (FCFS) rule is approximately:

a. -1.8

b. 15.2

c. 13.4

d. -3.8

e. 14.2

4. Average lateness for the sample of jobs when sequenced by the shortest processing time (SPT) rule is approximately:

a. 2.6

b. -4.8

c. 9.5

d. -5.7

e. 13.9

5. Average flow time for the sample of jobs when sequenced by the earliest due date (EDD) rule is approximately:

a. 11.4

b. -2.0

c. 14.6

d. 13.2

e. 9.5

6. Based on average flow time results, the scheduling rule that appears most attractive given this sample of jobs is:

a. First come, first served (FCFS)

b. Shortest processing time (SPT)

c. Earliest due date (EDD)

d. All rules appear equally attractive based on the findings