Answered step by step
Verified Expert Solution
Link Copied!

Question

1 Approved Answer

Machine Learning for Operations Inc. (MLO) is a consulting firm that develops customized machine learning software to support operational decisions (e.g., for forecasting, procurement, scheduling,

Machine Learning for Operations Inc. (MLO) is a consulting firm that develops customized machine learning software to support operational decisions (e.g., for forecasting, procurement, scheduling, etc.). On average, MLO receives 1.6 new project requests per week. These arrivals follow a Poisson process. On each project, the firm's consultants work jointly in teams of two - a domain expert and a modeler. The same two individuals work as a team throughout the year. On average, each project requires one team working, on average, for 50 business days (from the time the consultants begin working on the project to handing over the results to the client). Historical data reveals that the standard deviation of project work time is 45 business days. MLO assigns projects in first-come-first-served order to the first available consultant team. Each team works on at most one project at a time. MLO currently employs 36 consultants, working as 18 teams. The firm pays each consultant $ 12,000 per month in salary and benefits, whether or not they are working on a project. On average, MLO charges $ 150,000 per project, based on its consulting rate of $ 3,000 per day of work on the project. Assume that each week consists of five business days, every month has four working weeks, and consultants work for all 12 months in a year. (a) Consulting firms such as MLO pay close attention to the percentage of "Billable" days for their consultants. This percentage, which we call "Billable %" is the average number of days a consultant works on projects, say, in a quarter, as a proportion of their available time during the quarter. (These firms are very conscientious about billing their clients only for the actual number of days their consultants are working on the project.) What is MLO's current Billable %?

Step by Step Solution

There are 3 Steps involved in it

Step: 1

To calculate MLOs current Billable we need to determine the average number of billable days per cons... blur-text-image

Get Instant Access to Expert-Tailored Solutions

See step-by-step solutions with expert insights and AI powered tools for academic success

Step: 2

blur-text-image

Step: 3

blur-text-image

Ace Your Homework with AI

Get the answers you need in no time with our AI-driven, step-by-step assistance

Get Started

Recommended Textbook for

Operations Management Creating Value Along the Supply Chain

Authors: Roberta S. Russell, Bernard W. Taylor

7th Edition

9781118139523, 0470525908, 1118139526, 978-0470525906

More Books

Students also viewed these Accounting questions

Question

explain five important changes in the world of work;

Answered: 1 week ago

Question

2 Factor the following quadratic expression es 25x^(2)-36

Answered: 1 week ago