Abstract:
We consider learning and forgetting in the context of two-server queueing systems and evaluate the tradeoff
between utilizing specialized and flexible servers. Specifically, we investigate the performance of two queueing
systems. The first system utilizes a specialized workforce where every server handles one job type. The spe cialized workforce splits the system into two queues where the dedicated servers capitalize on the learning
process and consequently reduce the service time. The second system utilizes a flexible workforce where a server
can handle any job type. The flexible workforce system allows for the servers to be arranged in parallel where
alternating job types results in forgetting and accordingly an increase in service time. A numerical study in vestigates the impact of the workforce policies on the system performance measures