A multi-objective approach to resource allocation in single machine scheduling

Most shop scheduling research has treated job processing times as fixed parameters. However schedulers typically exercise processing time control through the application of limited resources, e.g. overtime or the dedication of additional manpower or equipment. An effect of the judicious assignment on resource is to improve specified measures of system performance over the level attainable prior to resource allocation. This paper presents two extensions to the joint sequencing/resource allocation scheduling model for single-stage production initially proposed by Van Wassenhove and Baker. First, the impact of specified limits on individual job tardiness on optimal sequencing and single resource allocation is discussed. Next the existence of multiple resources available for processing time control is considered. Constructive procedures are developed to identify the job sequence and resource distribution that minimize the total amount of available resource required to satisfy imposed limits on maximum and individual job tardiness. The value of Tmax is then varied parametrically to highlight the trade-off between the total amount of available resource and Tmax. The managerial significance of the resulting trade-off curve is that if provides the complete set of possibly optimal schedules for any objective function that involves only these schedule attributes.