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An entropy-based measurement of working time flexibility

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  • Olivella, Jordi
  • Corominas, Albert
  • Pastor, Rafael

Abstract

Working time flexibility is of major concern to companies, and must be established by reaching arrangements with workers. Comparing flexibility arrangements is far from easy. Measures of flexibility that assume a probability distribution of future demand are not really measuring flexibility, but rather risk. We define a space of states made up of possible working hours over several periods, and apply three measures of flexibility to it: the proportion of feasible states, the average cost and a new entropy-based measure of flexibility (EMF). The EMF is based on Shannon's entropy. We propose the use of three measures simultaneously for comparing the flexibility provided by a working time arrangement. Two examples are given: one that assesses the flexibility generated by using time accounts and overtime in a working time accounts (WTAs) modality, and one that compares the WTAs and hiring and firing (H&F) modalities.

Suggested Citation

  • Olivella, Jordi & Corominas, Albert & Pastor, Rafael, 2010. "An entropy-based measurement of working time flexibility," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 200(1), pages 253-260, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:200:y:2010:i:1:p:253-260
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Tao Wang & Jian-sheng Chen & Ting Wang & Shuang Wang, 2015. "Entropy weight-set pair analysis based on tracer techniques for dam leakage investigation," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 76(2), pages 747-767, March.

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