Different evaluations of criticality in production economics

A classification of different production processes is carried out based on operational structure and level of uncertainty. After defining the concept of ‘criticality’, for both strategic and operational decisional levels and stochastic and deterministic interventions, the paper analyzes the problem of the process’s criticality determination and evaluation in relation to parameters associated to the process itself. The following situations are evaluated: (a) ‘Operational or determinsitic’ criticality. (b) ‘Strategic or stochastic’ criticality. (c) ‘Repetition’ criticality. (d) ‘Prevailing’ criticality. Some considerations are presented about the meaning of ‘critical path’ and about its actual presence and validity in different critical situations. The proposed methodology is evaluated by means of real and operational applications. The paper is completed by annotated references.