Taxonomy of scheduling systems as a basis for the study of strategic behavior

Strategic behavior is frequently characterized by the need to decide among several courses of action, each of which may lead to a desired goal, subject to time constraints. Often strategic behavior can be regarded as a series of answers to the question, ''In what sequence should I perform the set of actions required, and when should I start and stop each of them?'' Scheduling theory, which is usually used to determine the sequencing of operations in such situations as transportation and manufacturing, provides normative answers to such a question. We introduce the concepts and terminology of scheduling theory and show how these can be identified with aspects of human operator behavior. Scheduling theory can provide a systematic conceptual framework for planning research on behavior in complex human-machine settings, both in and beyond laboratory contexts. It can be used to discover optimal or satisficing strategies and to provide norms against which to measure the quality of strategic decision making and performance in complex systems. The use of scheduling theory is one example of the many well-developed quantitative models available in operations research that are applicable to the analysis of behavior, well beyond the discrete trials paradigm that often characterizes human factors laboratory research.