Title: Two-stage decision support for production ramp-up

Authors: Y.M.J. Chen; Tzong-Ru Lee; Jau-Wen Wang

Addresses: Department of Logistics Management, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 1 University Road, Yuanchau, Kaohsiung County 824, Taiwan. ' Marketing Department, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo Kuang Rd., Taichung 402, Taiwan. ' Department of Information Management, Fortune Institute of Technology, No. 1-10, Nwongchang Rd., Lyouciyou Village, Daliao, Kaohsiung County 831, Taiwan

Abstract: The goal of this paper is to provide guidance for a critical production ramp-up process by a two-stage decision approach, which incorporates human expertise with a computerised multi-objective optimisation problem. We develop a compound approach that aims to resolve ramp-up production challenges. We employ analytic network process and analytic hierarchical process to integrate soft issues in optimised decision making for production ramp-up. The outcome provides clear guidance for the critical production ramp-up process. Practitioners may benefit from the outcomes of this paper in that the complicated and time-pressed ramp-up processing can be handled swiftly. Since a human expert often possesses the ability or the talent of resolving unforeseen problems, our approach is able to allow the intervention of human experts and fosters the automatic decision, which is optimal and can avoid future problems. This paper offers a unique feature in proving an opportunity for human intervention in a computerised optimisation process.

Keywords: system dynamics; analytical network process; ANP; production ramp-ups; multiple criteria optimisation; Pareto frontier; two-stage decisions; decision support; human expertise; computerised optimisation; multi-objective optimisation; compound approaches; production challenges; analytical hierarchy process; AHP; soft issues; decision making; critical processes; complicated processing; time-pressed processing; experts; unforeseen problems; human intervention; automatic decisions; future problems; agile systems; agile management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2011.043132

International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, 2011 Vol.4 No.4, pp.364 - 378

Received: 27 Jan 2011
Accepted: 11 May 2011
Published online: 17 Oct 2011 *

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