¹Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK

Correspondence: D Worthington, Department of Management Science, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YX, UK. E-mail: d.worthington@lancaster.ac.uk

Received September 2008; Accepted December 2008; Published online 11 February 2009.

Abstract

Queueing theory continues to be one of the most researched areas of operational research, and has generated numerous review papers over the years. The phrase 'queue modelling' is used in the title to indicate a more practical emphasis. This paper uses work taken predominantly from the last 50 years of pages of the Operational Research Quarterly and the Journal of the Operational Research Society to offer a commentary on attempts of operational researchers to tackle real queueing problems, and on research foci past and future. A new discipline of 'queue modelling' is proposed, drawing upon the combined strengths of analytic and simulation approaches with the responsibility to derive meaningful insights for managers.