Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 October 2025
This chapter starts by communicating how various aspects of our lives involve interacting with queues. It then provides a brief history of the main inception of queueing theory and its main governing princples, and discusses how it has impacted various aspects of our lives. It educates the reader about the main ideas and principles in queueing theory and also elaborates on the psychological aspects of waiting in queues. Showcasing various examples of how the main ideas in queueing theory have enabled important improvements, ranging from what happened during Queen Elizabeth II’s memorial, to the creation of the internet and modern telephones, to our experiences in airports or on roads, the chapter presents queueing theory as a potent branch of analytics science that has enabled scholars to make the world a better place. The chapter also discusses the vital interplays between queueing theory, public policy, and technology.
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