Queues and Hierarchies

Alan Beggs

No 34, Economics Series Working Papers from University of Oxford, Department of Economics

Abstract: This paper examines the optimal structure of hierarchies when workers differ in the range of tasks they can perform. A hierarchical system may reduce costs by allowing most tasks to be handled by unskilled workers. This may however increase delay for those tasks which must pass through several layers before reaching the appropriate level. The paper characterises an optimal hierarchy when such a trade-off exists.

Keywords: queues; hierarchies; organizations; submodularity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D23 L22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2000-10-01
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Journal Article: Queues and Hierarchies (2001)
Working Paper: Queues and Hierarchies (2000)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:oxf:wpaper:34

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