Call-distribution-based view: The theoretical ground for strategic routing management

This study disseminates the idea of managing the call routing problem in another perspective, which is named as the call-distribution-based view (CDBV). In this study, decision problems for telecommunications routing management are stratified into three classes; external, internal and strategic (per-se) by synthesizing two very fundamental theories: systems theory and the theory of management hierarchy. It is identified that for the strategic decisions, the top management of an operator is usually concerned with a main routing decision problem: how to decide an appropriate call distribution portfolio, as to keep the service profitable and to maintain the quality of service. Such problem involves the key performance indices of a voice service operation. It arose with the end of the monopoly in the telecommunications sector, but it is seldom addressed. Accordingly, the CDBV view is proposed to conceptualize the problem and it is shown to have decision analysis functions by a call-distribution decision case. By demonstrating that CDBV underlies an existing linear programming (LP) approach that was designed to decide the call distribution ‘scenario’, it is also shown to lend theoretical grounds for future problem modeling purpose. Therefore, future generalized models for determining a real optimal call distribution ‘portfolio’ can be expected.