Selecting allowance policies for improved job shop performance

Relatively little job shop scheduling research has focused on improved due-date setting procedures. This simulation study of a multi-machine, dynamic shop demonstrates methods of setting due dates which result in substantial improvement in shop performance for the lateness measures studied. For methods of setting due dates which use both job characteristics and shop congestion information, the iterative regression procedure described in this paper offers benefits large enough to have practical importance for potential shop performance.