Note--Optimal Assignment of Customers in a Two Server Congestion System with No Waiting Room

Wayne Winston
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Wayne Winston: Indiana University

Management Science, 1978, vol. 24, issue 6, 702-705

Abstract: We consider a two server congestion system which is heterogeneous in the sense that the reward received depends on the match between server and customer. In particular, if a type s customer (s = 1, 2, 3, ...) is assigned to server i (i = 1, 2) a reward R st is earned. Service time is assumed to depend only on customer type. Upon arrival a customer must be assigned to a server, (if one is available) with all customers who find both servers occupied being turned away. The policy that maximizes the long-run expected reward earned over an infinite horizon is shown to depend on a single critical number. Applications to the deployment of fire engines and assignment of patients to coronary care units are briefly discussed.

Date: 1978
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:24:y:1978:i:6:p:702-705

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