Discrete event simulation modeling of resource planning and service order execution for service businesses

In this paper, we present a framework for developing discrete-event simulation models for resource-intensive service businesses. The models simulate interactions of activities of demand planning of service engagements, supply planning of human resources, attrition of resources, termination of resources and execution of service orders to estimate business performance of resource-intensive service businesses. The models estimate serviceability, costs, revenue, profit and quality of service businesses. The models are also used in evaluating effectiveness of various resource management analytics and policies. The framework is aided by an information meta-model, which componentizes modeling objects of service businesses and allows effective integration of the components. © 2007 IEEE.