Simulating Business Processes for Descriptive, Predictive, and Prescriptive Analytics

This book outlines the benefits and limitations of simulation, what is involved in setting up a simulation capability in an organization, the steps involved in developing a simulation model and how to ensure that model results are implemented. In addition, detailed example applications are provided to show where the tool is useful and what it can offer the decision maker.

In Simulating Business Processes for Descriptive, Predictive, and Prescriptive Analytics, Andrew Greasley provides an in-depth discussion of

• Business process simulation and how it can enable business analytics
• How business process simulation can provide speed, cost, dependability, quality, and flexibility metrics
• Industrial case studies including improving service delivery while ensuring an efficient use of staff in public sector organizations such as the police service, testing the capacity of planned production facilities in manufacturing, and ensuring on-time delivery in logistics systems
• State-of-the-art developments in business process simulation regarding the generation of simulation analytics using process mining and modeling people’s behavior

Managers and decision makers will learn how simulation provides a faster, cheaper and less risky way of observing the future performance of a real-world system. The book will also benefit personnel already involved in simulation development by providing a business perspective on managing the process of simulation, ensuring simulation results are implemented, and that performance is improved.

Andrew Greasley lectures in Simulation Modeling and Operations Management at Aston Business School, Birmingham, UK. He has taught in the UK, Europe, and Africa for a number of institutions. Dr. Greasley has over 100 publications including five books (Operations Management, Wiley; Operations Management: Sage Course Companion, Sage; Simulation Modeling for Business, Ashgate; Business Information Systems, Pearson Education (co-author); and Enabling a Simulation Capability in the Organisation, Springer Verlag). He has provided a simulation modeling consultancy service for 30 years to a number of companies in the public and private sectors including ABB Transportation Ltd. (now Bombardier), Derbyshire Constabulary, GMT Hunslet Ltd., Golden Wonder Ltd., Hearth Woodcraft Ltd., Luxfer Gas Cylinders Ltd., Pall-Ex Holdings Ltd., Rolls Royce Ltd. (Industrial Power Group), Stanton Valves Ltd., Tecquipment Ltd., Textured Jersey Ltd. and Warwickshire Police.