Queues and Hierarchies

Alan Beggs

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: WORK ORGANIZATION; COSTS; WORK STUDY (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D23 L22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 33 pages
Date: 2000
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Journal Article: Queues and Hierarchies (2001)
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