Title
Simulation selection problems: overview of an economic analysis
Abstract
This paper summarizes a new approach that we recently proposed for ranking and selection problems, one that maximizes the expected NPV of decisions made when using stochastic or discrete-event simulation. The expected NPV models not only the economic benefit from implementing a selected system, but also the marginal costs of simulation runs and discounting due to simulation analysis time. Our formulation assumes that facilities exist to simulate a fixed number of alternative systems, and we pose the problem as a "stoppable" Bayesian bandit problem. Under relatively general conditions, a Gittins index can be used to indicate which system to simulate or implement. We give an asymptotic approximation for the index that is appropriate when simulation outputs are normally distributed with known but potentially different variances for the different systems.
Year
DOI
Venue
2006
10.1109/WSC.2006.323084
Winter Simulation Conference
Keywords
Field
DocType
Bayes methods,discrete event simulation,economics,Bayesian bandit problem,Gittins index,asymptotic approximation,discrete-event simulation,economic analysis,simulation selection problems,stochastic simulation
Mathematical optimization,Discounting,Ranking,Economic analysis,Computer science,Simulation,Gittins index,Marginal cost,Discrete event simulation,Bayesian probability
Conference
ISBN
Citations 
PageRank 
1-4244-0501-7
2
0.42
References 
Authors
4
2
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Stephen E. Chick11127152.40
Noah Gans261366.60