The Incentive Value of Inventory and Cross‐training in Modern Manufacturing
建立模型说明库存管理和交叉培训在现代制造中不仅用于调度，还起到控制工人信息优势的激励作用，解释了为何从纯调度看过高的在制品库存可能是最优的，并为相关实证发现提供了控制视角的解释。
ABSTRACT This paper shows that major components of modern manufacturing processes, such as inventory management and cross‐training, play a significant control role. In our model, workers possess information that is critical to efficient ongoing operations. An organizational design that motivates workers to optimally apply this information leverages both the production schedule and worker–management communication. Management's use of these controls results in work‐in‐process (WIP) inventory that appears excessive from a pure job‐scheduling perspective, but is optimal when control issues are considered. Empirical work testing pure job‐scheduling theories of modern manufacturing practices has yielded mixed results. We provide control‐related interpretations for these empirical findings, and also provide novel predictions regarding the link between inventory levels and the nature of operational information asymmetries. Overall, our model highlights the importance of recognizing both control and scheduling issues when analyzing production processes.