全渠道服务商在线上自助服务技术背景下的定价策略研究

在线上自助服务技术兴起的背景下,研究餐饮业服务商整合全渠道的定价策略。分析归纳了三种提供服务的渠道(线下取号排队、线上取号排队、线上预定);利用排队论以及依据消费者效用对服务系统进行理论建模,并结合数值分析,为服务商如何应对不同的消费者与市场环境指明了方向。研究发现:(1)给出了三种服务渠道的最优定价模型表示,并结合市场情况分析不同的定价策略,如在服务高峰期可以采取歧视定价策略;(2)指明了线上取号与线上预定两种渠道不宜同时提供,并给出了最优的线上预定的预留容量比例,对商家设计渠道具有指导意义;(3)发现了不管线下消费者比例如何,服务商营收曲线必定经过同一点,对服务商采取措施引流具有启发意义。本文对服务商全渠道理论建模具有启发意义。     

Resource allocation in dynamic PERT networks with finite capacity

This article models the resource allocation problem in dynamic PERT networks with finite capacity of concurrent projects (COnstant Number of Projects In Process (CONPIP)), where activity durations are independent random variables with exponential distributions, and the new projects are generated according to a Poisson process. The system is represented as a queuing network with finite concurrent projects, where each activity of a project is performed at a devoted service station with one server located in a node of the network. For modeling dynamic PERT networks with CONPIP, we first convert the network of queues into a stochastic network. Then, by constructing a proper finite-state continuous-time Markov model, a system of differential equations is created to solve and find the completion time distribution for any particular project. Finally, we propose a multi-objective model with three conflict objectives to optimally control the resources allocated to the servers, and apply the goal attainment method to solve a discrete-time approximation of the original multi-objective problem.     

Location–Allocation of Multiple-Server Service Centers with Constrained Queues or Waiting Times

Recently, the authors have formulated new models for the location of congested facilities, so to maximize population covered by service with short queues or waiting time. In this paper, we present an extension of these models, which seeks to cover all population and includes server allocation to the facilities. This new model is intended for the design of service networks, including health and EMS services, banking or distributed ticket-selling services. As opposed to the previous Maximal Covering model, the model presented here is a Set Covering formulation, which locates the least number of facilities and allocates the minimum number of servers (clerks, tellers, machines) to them, so to minimize queuing effects. For a better understanding, a first model is presented, in which the number of servers allocated to each facility is fixed. We then formulate a Location Set Covering model with a variable (optimal) number of servers per service center (or facility). A new heuristic, with good performance on a 55-node network, is developed and tested.     

Analysis of a busy period queuing system with balking,reneging and motivating

Queuing model is widely applied in production, inventory and service industries. It is fundamental to improve the performance of queuing model by characterizing the practical queuing characteristics. In this paper, we consider impatient behaviors of customers who possibly balk and renege in a multi-server busy period queuing system, and study strategic behavior of the service provider who attempts to improve service rate when the system is busy. The piecewise curves with threshold structure are used to construct the dynamic inputting probability, dynamic service degree and dynamic reneging rate, and they are introduced to model the balking, motivating and reneging behaviors of the busy queue. The steady-state probabilities and the performance measures of the proposed model are derived. Finally, an empirical example is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed model by comparing it with the queuing model in literature.     

基于排队论的专项汽修厂维修台配置数量研究

为了解决因维修台配置不合理而导致的专项汽修厂排队等待的问题,运用排队论等理论和方法,采用先到先修理与维修台带有优先权相结合的排队规则,将维修台配置数量问题转化为两类型服务台排队问题,建立了单队列M/M/s1+s2/K/∞/FCFS+PS排队模型.通过对某专项汽修厂相关的数据采集和分析,得到了模型所需的变量和参数,运用边际效益法进行优化,得到了节假日和非节假日客流高峰期的最优维修台配置数量.通过对系统服务强度、系统资源限制和服务时间段等因素的分析,既能保证排队系统可以在不同时间段内对维修台配置数量进行调整,又能缩小最优值的求解范围.     

无阻塞概率下的排队效率分析

排队在日常生活当中屡见不鲜,为了使顾客排队等待的时间尽可能减少,除了合理安排工作人员的服务质量及服务设备外,还应该考虑如何安排排队更有效。本文在通讯系统排队问题分析的基础上,在假设阻塞概率趋近于零的情况下,比较了不同排队方式下的效率,得出结论：排成一个大队要优于排成几个小队。     

On the distribution of the number of retrials

We consider queuing systems where customers are not allowed to queue, instead of that they make repeated attempts, or retrials, in order to enter service after some time. We obtain the distribution of the number of retrials produced by a tagged customer, until he finds an available server.     

Value of capacity pooling in supply chains with heterogeneous customers

We investigate the value of pooling capacity in supply chains that serve product demands of different variabilities. We build and analyze models that integrate production queuing models with base stock inventory systems serving demands with different inter-arrival time distributions. The first model combines hyperexponential and exponential demand inter-arrival time distributions. Exact analysis of the model allows us to develop insights into the impact of the difference in demand variabilities on the value of pooling capacity. Simulation experiments allow us to validate these insights for more general settings. We then find one special case that combines exponential and deterministic demand arrivals with deterministic service, where pooling capacity results in increasing the total cost.     

A note on the performance of limited entry queuing systems

This note compares the performance of a queuing system in which customers can enter service only at multiples of the service time to the ordinary counterpart for both G/D/1 and M/D/1 systems. We show that the two modes of operation differ by at most one customer at any point in time. We give motivation for the use of a limited entry queuing system as a model for use in material handling analysis.     

Allocating flexible servers in serial systems with switching costs

Consider a firm that operates a make-to-order serial production system and employs a cross-trained workforce. We model such a firm as a tandem queuing system in which flexible servers can be allocated across stations, and assume that a switching cost is charged when servers move between stations. We show that even in the two-station two-server case the optimal policy follows a complex state-dependent structure that may be difficult to implement in practice. We propose three alternate heuristic policies and assess their performance. We show that a simpler policy which only moves one server can achieve close to optimal results.     

Equivalent single-queue–single-server model for a Pentium processor

In this paper, a Pentium processor is represented as a queuing network. The objective of this paper is to deduce an equivalent single-queue–single-server model for the original queuing network. Closed-form expressions for the equivalent service rate, equivalent queue lengths, equivalent response and waiting times of the equivalent single-queue–single-server model are derived and plotted. For large values of arrival rate, queue lengths increase faster than the response times and waiting times for both the cases. Performance measures like, queue lengths, response times and waiting times are higher for lower service rates and lower for higher service rates (which is expected) of the different servers in the original queuing network. Also, the reliability in estimating performance measures for homogeneous workloads is much better than that for heterogeneous workloads.     

Investigation of almost deterministic queueing systems

Two almost deterministic queuing models are investigated. The influence of small stochastic disturbances on deterministic queuing systems under high loading is estimated. The queuing system G|G|1|∞ with group service is investigated in the case where the group size n tends to infinity. A theorem about the tendency of a stationary probability of a group queue to go to zero if n→∞ is formulated and proved. An application of the group-service model to the construction of an insurance system with a small insurance percent, a small initial capital, and a small ruin probability is considered. This construction is based on the cooperative effect of unification of independent and identically distributed insurance systems. Proceedings of the Seminar on Stability Problems for Stochastic Models, Vologda, Russia, 1998, Part I.     

Die nicht signalgesteuerte Nebenstraßenzufahrt als verallgemeinertes M/G/1-Warteschlangensystem

This paper deals with the queuing of side-street vehicles at high-priority traffic streams of unsignalized intersections. Among other results there are obtained the solutions for the mean delay of a low-priority vehicle and the probability of the waiting system being empty. In doing so, the system under study is reduced to a M/G/1 queuing system, where the service times of those vehicles that have to queue are different from the service times of those cars that arrive to find the system empty. The exact solutions are compared with commonly used approximate solutions and evaluated numerically. Thereby important information on the quality of those approximate solutions is obtained.     

制造企业成品出入库两级排队协同服务模型

优化企业成品出入库协同服务水平、平衡工作负荷,从而提高企业仓储服务效率、降低物流成本,是现代制造企业亟待解决的一个重要的管理细节问题。针对这个问题,本研究以仓储入库和出库两个排队过程为研究对象,建立出入库等待时间溢出情景下的两级排队协同服务模型,分析了在排队等待时间控制目标下,出入库员工优化配置方案。该模型引入溢出和串联两个协同服务机制,分三种情景即前方与后方服务台都有空闲,前方繁忙与后方空闲,前方空闲(或繁忙)与后方繁忙,建立了各情景下的系统状态转移方程,求解系统状态的概率,并进而推算出反映系统表现的各项指标,如员工使用率,队列长度,等待时间,以及等待时间超过溢出界值的概率。用制造企业成品出入库管理案例进行验证分析,对企业目前采用的M/M/S出入库排队系统与两级排队协同服务系统进行了数值计算对比。结果表明后者能有效提升出入库服务效率,减少出入库排队系统平均等待时间,降低由于入库和出库两个服务过程效率不均衡而产生的企业内部物流成本,是提升企业内部物流协同管理水平的一个重要方法。其应用可以服务于仓储出入库协同管理的信息化与自动化水平的提高。     

Using mixture of Gamma distributions for Bayesian analysis in an M/G/1 queue with optional second service

The paper proposes Bayesian framework in an M/G/1 queuing system with optional second service. The semi-parametric model based on a finite mixture of Gamma distributions is considered to approximate both the general service and re-service times densities in this queuing system. A Bayesian procedure based on birth-death MCMC methodology is proposed to estimate system parameters, predictive densities and some performance measures related to this queuing system such as stationary system size and waiting time. The approach is illustrated with several numerical examples based on various simulation studies.     

Capacity and price setting for dispersed,time-sensitive customer segments

We consider joint pricing and capacity decisions for a facility serving heterogeneous consumers that span a continuous range of locations, and are sensitive to time delays. Within this context, we analyze two contrasting service strategies: segmentation and pooling. Consumer segments differ with respect to their reservation prices and time sensitivities, and are dispersed over a single distance dimension. The firm serves these consumers using a process that we initially model as an M/M/1 queuing system. We analyze profit-maximizing price and capacity levels for a monopolist, and contrast the optimal segmentation and pooling policies. We find that when consumers are time sensitive, and can expect queuing delays at the firm’s facility (due to random arrival and service times), then scale economies from pooling can outweigh segmentation benefits. Yet, segmentation outperforms pooling when consumer segments differ substantively, in which case the firm can use capacity as a lever to price discriminate between the segments. Moreover, by contrasting a dedicated-services strategy, which directly targets specific segments and serves them separately, with the alternative of allowing consumers to self-select, we find that self-selection has a moderate negative influence on profits. We also examine the profit impact of employing alternative queuing systems, and find that a hybrid strategy based on a prioritized queuing discipline, that combines elements of segmentation (by offering different waiting times) and pooling (by sharing capacity across consumer segments), can outperform both the pure segmentation and pooling strategies.     

Tables for M/G/c queuing systems with phase-type service

Currently much research is done on the development of simple approximations for complex queuing systems. This practically important research is usually hampered by the fact that no exact results are available for a thorough testing of the approximations. In this paper we give for several M/G/c queuing systems with phase-type service the exact values for both the delay probability and the first two moments of the queuing time. These tables considerably extend the widely used Hillier-Lo tables which only consider Erlangian service and small values for the number of servers. The aim of the publication of our tables is to supply much needed test material to the research community and in this way to contribute to further progress in the research on queuing approximations. We present the result of the testing of several existing approximations. Also, the tables provide the practitioner with numerical results useful to design queuing systems.     

A fork-join queueing model: Diffusion approximation,integral representations and asymptotics

We consider two parallel M/M/1 queues which are fed by a single Poisson arrival stream. An arrival splits into two parts, with each part joining a different queue. This is the simplest example of a fork-join model. After the individual parts receive service, they may be joined back together, though we do not consider the join part here. We study this model in the heavy traffic limit, where the service rate in either queue is only slightly larger than the arrival rate. In this limit we obtain asymptotically the joint steady-state queue length distribution. In the symmetric case, where the two servers are identical, this distribution has a very simple form. In the non-symmetric case we derive several integral representations for the distribution. We then evaluate these integrals asymptotically, which leads to simple formulas which show the basic qualitative structure of the joint distribution function.     

Time evolution of dense multigraph limits under edge‐conservative preferential attachment dynamics

We define the edge reconnecting model, a random multigraph evolving in time. At each time step we change one endpoint of a uniformly chosen edge: the new endpoint is chosen by linear preferential attachment. We consider a sequence of edge reconnecting models where the sequence of initial multigraphs is convergent in a sense which is a natural generalization of the notion of convergence of dense graph sequences, defined by Lovász and Szegedy (J. Combin. Theory Ser B 96 (2006) 933–957). We investigate how the limit object evolves under the edge reconnecting dynamics if we rescale time properly: we give the complete characterization of the time evolution of the limit object from its initial state up to the stationary state, which is described in the companion paper (Ráth and Szakács, in press). In our proofs we use the theory of exchangeable arrays, queuing and diffusion processes. The number of parallel edges and the degrees evolve on different timescales and because of this the model exhibits subaging. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2012