Stochastic Sequential Assignment Problems.

Abstract

In the paper men with fixed values p(1)<or=...<or=p(n) are to be assigned to jobs. The jobs arrive sequentially and assume values x(1), x(2), ... , which are random variables. When a job arrives, its value is observed, a man is assigned to it, and a reward r(p,x), usually px, is received. Various models are treated: Exactly n jobs are arriving, but the x's may not be i.i.d. and not all of the men can do all of the jobs; The number of jobs and the times they arrive are random, and not all of the jobs have to be used; Men can finish jobs and then become reavailable; Random replacements for assigned men are immediately available. Under the reward structure r(p,x) = px, simple critical number policies, independent of the p's, are found which maximize the expected total reward or reward per unit time. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 27, 1972
Accession Number
AD0742764

Entities

People

  • Samuel Christian Albright Jr

Organizations

  • Stanford University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Random Variables

Readers

  • Organizational Psychology.
  • Regression Analysis.
  • Statistical inference.