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Buffer sizing in critical chain project management by network decomposition
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She, Bingling, Chen, Bo and Hall, Nicholas G. (2021) Buffer sizing in critical chain project management by network decomposition. Omega - International Journal of Management Science, 102 . 102382. doi:10.1016/j.omega.2020.102382
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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omega.2020.102382
Abstract
Project management organizes about 30% of the world's economy. Many recent projects apply critical chain project management (CCPM) methodology, which requires the design of project and feeding buffers. Accurate sizing of these buffers is essential, because too small buffers result in emergency procedures to prevent late delivery, whereas too large buffers result in uncompetitive bids and lost contracts. Previous buffer sizing research, focused predominantly on the critical chain, typically results in excessive buffers, and in critical chains being challenged by feeding buffers during planning. This work also performs inconsistently, for example in makespan estimation, at execution. We propose a new procedure for buffer sizing based on network decomposition, which offers logical advantages over previous ones. First, the size of a feeding buffer is determined from all associated noncritical chains. Second, the project buffer incorporates safety margins outside the critical chain by comparing feeding chains with their parallel critical counterparts. Computational testing on a case study of a real project and extensive simulated data shows that our procedure delivers much greater accuracy in estimating project makespan, and smaller feeding buffers. Furthermore, the resulting critical chain is never challenged. Additional benefits include delayed expenditure, and reductions in work-in-process, rework, and multitasking.
| Item Type: | Journal Article | |||||||||
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| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) T Technology > T Technology (General) |
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| Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Warwick Business School > Operational Research & Management Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences > Warwick Business School |
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| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Project management, Computer networks -- Management | |||||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | Omega - International Journal of Management Science | |||||||||
| Publisher: | Elsevier Science BV | |||||||||
| ISSN: | 0305-0483 | |||||||||
| Official Date: | July 2021 | |||||||||
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| Volume: | 102 | |||||||||
| Article Number: | 102382 | |||||||||
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.omega.2020.102382 | |||||||||
| Status: | Peer Reviewed | |||||||||
| Publication Status: | Published | |||||||||
| Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access | |||||||||
| RIOXX Funder/Project Grant: |
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