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Determining Trunk Lines in Call Centers with Nonstationary Arrivals and Lognormal Service Times
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 3, September 2019
Pages:
71-79
Received:
26 June 2019
Accepted:
18 July 2019
Published:
5 August 2019
Abstract: Two important resources in a call center are the number of staff and the number of trunk lines required. In this paper, we focus on the decision of the number of trunk lines that a call center should have. The current practice is to use the Erlang B or the M/M/s/0 queueing model which assumes Poisson arrivals, exponential service times, s servers and no places in queue, i.e. no customers can wait. In this paper, we improve on the state of practice in determining the required number of trunk lines, by including two realistic features present in call centers. The first realistic feature is to consider nonstationarity of arrivals. The second feature is to consider the lognormal service time distribution instead of the exponential distribution. There is extensive empirical evidence for both features. In order to carry out our computations we use the results of a paper by Massey and Whitt, Operations Research, 44(6), 1996. We have two main findings. Firstly, we find numerically that in our nonstationary Erlang loss model, Mt/G/s/0, an insensitivity result holds. The blocking probability of arrivals at the call center depends only on the mean of the lognormal service time distribution and not on its variance. Our second finding is that current practice is quite robust. In particular, we find the number of trunk lines required using a stationary Poisson approximation. This approximation assumes stationary Poisson arrivals with an appropriately chosen arrival rate and exponential service times. The approximation does quite well in predicting the number of trunk lines required.
Abstract: Two important resources in a call center are the number of staff and the number of trunk lines required. In this paper, we focus on the decision of the number of trunk lines that a call center should have. The current practice is to use the Erlang B or the M/M/s/0 queueing model which assumes Poisson arrivals, exponential service times, s servers a...
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Queuing Theory and ATM Service Optimization: Empirical Evidence from First Bank Plc, Kaura Namoda Branch, Zamfara State
Muhammad Sani Burodo,
Shamsuddeen Suleiman,
Yakubu Shaba
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 3, September 2019
Pages:
80-86
Received:
27 June 2019
Accepted:
16 August 2019
Published:
5 September 2019
Abstract: The consequence of queuing in relation to the time spent by customers to access financial services is increasingly becoming a major source of concern to most stakeholders, especially the banks, their teeming customers and regulatory agencies. Even more critical are the costs that accrue thereof. In this study, the queuing characteristics at the Kaura Namoda Branch of First Bank Ltd were analyzed using three service efficiency parameters – single, two and three servers. The study collected, through observation, queuing data at the bank from Monday through Wednesday to develop an optimal queuing model. Consistent with conventional wisdom and prior studies, the findings provide evidence to support the idea that the multiple-server model is more efficient than the single channel. For instance, whilst with two or three servers, a customer spends on the average, 0.0409 hours (about 3 minutes) and 0.0310 hours (about 2 minutes), the same customer spends an average of 0.2 hours (12 minutes) in the system if it is a single channel. Thus, the study concludes that higher number of servers is associated with lower average time spent in the system, a finding that is in tandem with past studies within and outside Nigeria. Drawing from these findings, the study suggests the need to increase number of servers to meet the changing expectations of the bank’s teeming customers.
Abstract: The consequence of queuing in relation to the time spent by customers to access financial services is increasingly becoming a major source of concern to most stakeholders, especially the banks, their teeming customers and regulatory agencies. Even more critical are the costs that accrue thereof. In this study, the queuing characteristics at the Kau...
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Users’ Perceptions on the Usage of M-commerce in Bangladesh: A SWOT Analysis
Md. Shafiul Alam Chowdhury,
Md. Farukuzzaman Khan,
Md. Mahbub Alam,
AHM Saifullah Sadi,
Mohammad Alauddin
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 3, September 2019
Pages:
87-91
Received:
28 July 2019
Accepted:
27 August 2019
Published:
10 September 2019
Abstract: Internet is a kind of window for business platforms commonly known as e-commerce. The term electronic commerce or e-commerce is anything that involves an online transaction. In Bangladesh big, medium even small enterprises have adopted e-business platforms, has a great potentiality to evolve e-commerce. M-commerce is a new dimension of e-commerce technology. The purpose of the research is to figure out the present scenario of m-commerce in Bangladesh to take initiative that could strengthen its future. We performed user study among local people to know their experience and opinion using it. The questionnaire were formulated based on m-commerce’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A SWOT analysis were conducted to find realistic outcome that could be applicable to strengthen the m-commerce in Bangladesh. The secondary data is collected from Wikipedia, Ministry of Bangladesh government. The survey was conducted in different cities (Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Chittagong, Barishal, Sylhet and Rangpur) in Bangladesh. Discussions were taken place for the betterment of m-commerce as per response received from the survey and SWOT analysis result. In order to receive more realistic result the survey could be extended to more cities and local participants with different analysis method for comparison with SWOT analysis.
Abstract: Internet is a kind of window for business platforms commonly known as e-commerce. The term electronic commerce or e-commerce is anything that involves an online transaction. In Bangladesh big, medium even small enterprises have adopted e-business platforms, has a great potentiality to evolve e-commerce. M-commerce is a new dimension of e-commerce t...
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Application of Strategic Decision Making to Design for Manufacture
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 3, September 2019
Pages:
92-98
Received:
15 June 2019
Accepted:
3 September 2019
Published:
16 September 2019
Abstract: Design for manufacture connects the product design process directly with the manufacturing process. The implementation of this system can be basic and done without much care. Companies face common issues when using this system such as large discrepancies between the initial idea for a product and the final product offering. An emphasis of cost savings over all other values is an easy trap to fall into when using design for manufacture. Despite low production costs, a product that tested well with audiences can still fail if the cost cutting initiatives affected the final offering too heavily. The intent of this essay is to introduce strategic decision making systems into the process to illustrate how design for manufacture can be implemented and maintained to create a more fluid product development process without sacrificing other aspects of product development; such as quality of design or consumer value. A multiple criteria decision making system can be introduced to the process to help tighten the reigns on costs while still allowing consideration for other factors. Using these two systems together allows a company to save on costs without sacrificing sales due to low quality or loss of consumer confidence.
Abstract: Design for manufacture connects the product design process directly with the manufacturing process. The implementation of this system can be basic and done without much care. Companies face common issues when using this system such as large discrepancies between the initial idea for a product and the final product offering. An emphasis of cost savi...
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Effects of Information Security Management Systems on Firm Performance
Harold Nguegang Tewamba,
Jean Robert Kala Kamdjoug,
Georges Bell Bitjoka,
Samuel Fosso Wamba,
Nicolas Nkondock Mi Bahanag
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 3, September 2019
Pages:
99-108
Received:
10 August 2019
Accepted:
18 September 2019
Published:
29 September 2019
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to determine the aspects of the information security management system (ISMS) on which decision-makers must act to achieve the performance targets. Information assets as core of any Information systems (IS) should be taken seriously by a custom security. In this research, we conduct a case study specially using the Delone and McLean’s IS success model. The hypotheses were tested by PLS-SEM of theSmartPLS software using survey data collected among 136 IS and IT professionals. We found that the ISMS (system, service and information qualities, maturity level of information security risk management process) and performance are directly related on one hand, and indirectly by the IT capabilities of the company in the other hand. This shows that mastering security information management risks process is crucial for an enterprise because it greatly contributes to organizational performance, improve the IS’ support such as IT management, IT personal skills and IT infrastructure. This work has explored the feasibility of using the IS success model on ISMS, a key world know element, where Africa is both the target of the informational mobility, hackers and especially in the global economy. We consider the IS success model with 4 dependent variables including maturity level of process.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to determine the aspects of the information security management system (ISMS) on which decision-makers must act to achieve the performance targets. Information assets as core of any Information systems (IS) should be taken seriously by a custom security. In this research, we conduct a case study specially using the Delo...
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