The Optimal Order of Service in Tandem Queues

This paper considers tandem queues for which the order of performing service tasks can be changed, the service times being independent of this order. It determines the optimal order of service when either the service times of different tasks are nonoverlapping or, for two queues in tandem, the service time of one task is constant. For the optimal ordering, the waiting time of every customer is stochastically smaller than for any other.