SIMULATION MODEL OF LABOUR FORCE FOR THE MANUFACTURING COMPANY BASED ON SYSTEM DYNAMICS

• Main Authors: Małgorzata BARAN, Justyna STECKO
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Publishing House of Rzeszow University of Technology 2016-05-01
• Series: Modern Management Review
• Subjects: simulation modelling, system dynamics, labour force, manufacturing company
• Online Access: http://doi.prz.edu.pl/pl/pdf/zim/202

The article presents the methodology of constructing a simulation model of the labour force for a manufacturing company based on the System Dynamics method. The research presented in the article was conducted in three manufacturing companies in Poland. Initially, the key mental model variables of the labour force system were defined. The process of defining the variables was supported by the management as well as by the people directly linked to the labour force management in the manufacturing companies researched. The next step was to combine the variables into a cause - effect diagram, which reflected direct and indirect relationships between particular variables and which allowed to discover some sorts of feedback loops in the system. Next, the cause-effect diagram was converted into a simulation model. To that aim the simulation software, Vensim® was used. After that, validation of the simulation model was conducted using the following methods: assessing the correctness of the boundary of modelling, adequacy of the model structure and adopted values (constants) compared with available knowledge about the modelled system, testing the accuracy and consistency of the units of variables adopted in the model and testing the model behaviour in extreme conditions. The conducted tests confirmed the correctness of the constructed model. Finally, simulation of the model was conducted for the manufacturing companies researched, the results obtained were discussed and final conclusions were formulated. The article finishes with general indications of the direction of the usage of the simulation model presented.