Simpler Spreadsheet Simulation of Multi-Server Queues

• Main Author: LEONG, Thin Yin
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2007
• Subjects: Computer Sciences; Education; Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sis_research/215; http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/ited.7.2.172
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Process-driven spreadsheet queuing simulation provides a clear and intuitive approach for students in business modeling courses to learn about queue behavior. With basic spreadsheet skill, some guidance on the generation of random variates and simple assumptions like ôservice in arrival orderö, it is not difficult to construct a single server spreadsheet simulation model. However to extend the model to multiple servers, add-ins, macros or multiple templates (each for a given fixed number of servers) are needed. Hora (2003) showed that array formulas can be used instead, to create the G/G/c spreadsheet model with parametrically adjustable number of servers. This is a great improvement, but array formulations are still inherently complex and therefore not easy for students to comprehend and apply. In this paper, I show that non-array formulations can achieve the same effect, effectively simplifying the model.