scholarly journals Value Proposition for Sustainable Last-Mile Delivery. A Retailer Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3774
Author(s):  
Giulio Mangano ◽  
Giovanni Zenezini ◽  
Anna Corinna Cagliano
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Inventory Management ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Last Mile ◽  
Customer Service Level ◽  
Sustainable Value ◽  
Value Propositions

The sustainability of last-mile (LM) freight delivery is crucial to add value to the stakeholders in the distribution chain. However, its achievement is often hindered by a poor consideration of their needs by both literature and practice. The goal of this paper is to address the point of view of local retailers by exploring their needs about innovative LM delivery services and identifying sustainable value propositions (VP). A survey was submitted to retailers operating in the limited traffic zone of Torino (Italy). The survey data were analyzed by a factor analysis using a principal component analysis (PCA) to extract the factors. A correlation analysis was also conducted between the needs and selected contextual variables. The results show that retailers accept higher costs for more reliable deliveries and stock reduction. Retailers also correlate punctuality and flexibility because flexible and on-time deliveries allow for better inventory management, higher control, and, in turn, improved customer service level. This work is one of the first research attempts to quantify local retailers’ LM delivery needs and provides guidelines about how to design value-added logistics services. Moreover, from a practical point of view, the analysis shows the main VP that managers and practitioners should consider in the development of LM initiatives.

What should be lean buffer threshold for the forward-reserve warehouse?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhavin Shah
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Buffer Size ◽  
Value Stream Mapping ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Service Level ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Just Right

PurposeThe assorted piece-wise retail orders in a cosmetics warehouse are fulfilled through a separate fast-picking area called Forward Buffer (FB). This study determines “just-right” size of FB to ensure desired Customer Service Level (CSL) at least storage wastages. It also investigates the impact of FB capacity and demand variations on FB leanness.Design/methodology/approachA Value Stream Mapping (VSM) tool is applied to analyse the warehouse activities and mathematical model is implemented in MATLAB to quantify the leanness at desired CSL. A comprehensive framework is developed to determine lean FB buffer size for a Retail Distribution Centre (RDC) of a cosmetics industry.FindingsThe CSL increases monotonically; however, the results concerning spent efforts towards CSL improvement gets diminished with raised demand variances. The desired CSL can be achieved at least FB capacity and fewer Storage Waste (SW) as it shifts towards more lean system regime. It is not possible to improve Value Added (VA) time beyond certain constraints and therefore, it is recommended to reduce Non-Value Added (NVA) order processing activities to improve leanness.Research limitations/implicationsThis study determines “just-right” capacity and investigates the impact of buffer and demand variations on leanness. It helps managers to analyse warehouse processes and design customized distribution policies in food, beverage and retail grocery warehouse.Practical implicationsProposed buffering model offers customized strategies beyond pre-set CSL by varying it dynamically to reduce wastages. The mathematical model deriving lean sizing and mitigation guidelines are constructive development for managers.Originality/valueThis research provides an inventive approach of VSM model and Mathematical algorithm endorsing lean thinking to design effective buffering policies in a forward warehouse.

scholarly journals A literature review on multi-echelon inventory management: the case of pharmaceutical supply chain

2018 ◽  
Vol 200 ◽  
pp. 00013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nouçaiba Sbai ◽  
Abdelaziz Berrado
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Inventory Management ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Pharmaceutical Products ◽  
Management Problem ◽  
Pharmaceutical Supply Chain ◽  
Customer Service Level

Inventory management remains a key challenge in supply chain management. Many companies recognize the benefits of a good inventory management system. An effective inventory management helps reaching a high customer service level while dealing with demand variability. In a complex supply chain network where inventories are found across the entire system as raw materials or finished products, the need for an integrated approach for managing inventory had become crucial. Modelling the system as a multi-echelon inventory system allows to consider all the factors related to inventory optimization. On the other hand, the high criticality of the pharmaceutical products makes the need for a sophisticated supply chain inventory management essential. The implementation of the multi-echelon inventory management in such supply chains helps keeping the stock of pharmaceutical products available at the different installations. This paper provides an insight into the multi-echelon inventory management problem, especially in the pharmaceutical supply chain. A classification of several multi-echelon inventory systems according to a set of criteria is provided. A synthesis of multiple multi-echelon pharmaceutical supply chain problems is elaborated.

scholarly journals LOGISTICS IN ESTONIAN BUSINESS COMPANIES

Transport ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 356-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ain Kiisler
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Inventory Management ◽  
Cash Flows ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Order Fulfillment ◽  
Customer Order ◽  
It Systems ◽  
Customer Service Level ◽  
Considerable Impact ◽  
Freight Forwarding

The article describes logistics survey in Estonia carried out in 2007 as a part of the LogOnBaltic project. The level of logistics in Estonian manufacturing, trading and logistics companies is explored through logistics costs, performance indicators, outsourcing, ICT use and logistics self‐estimation of the companies responded. Responses from 186 Estonian companies were gathered through a web‐based survey (38% of manufacturing, 38% of trading and 24% of logistics sector). Logistics costs as the percentage of turnover make in average 13.8% in manufacturing and 13.3% in trading. Transportation and inventory carrying cost form around 70% of overall logistics costs. Considering the logistics indicators surveyed, Estonian companies show up with relatively low perfect order fulfillment rates, short customer order fulfillment cycles and effective management of cash flows. The most widely outsourced logistics function is international transportation followed by domestic transportation, freight forwarding and reverse logistics. By 2010, the outsourcing of IT systems in logistics followed by inventory management, warehousing and product customization is expected to increase more substantially. The awareness of logistics importance is still low among Estonian companies. Only 27–44% of those agree that logistics has a considerable impact on profitability, competitive advantage, top management or customer service level.

scholarly journals Multi-objective optimization model of waste tire recycling network

2020 ◽  
Vol 214 ◽  
pp. 03052
Author(s):  
Bin Wang ◽  
HeHua Li
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Decision Variable ◽  
Multi Objective ◽  
Waste Tire ◽  
Multi Objective Programming ◽  
Customer Service Level ◽  
Logistics Enterprises ◽  
Waste Tire Recycling

To achieve sustainable development, logistics enterprises need not only to reduce costs, but also to save energy for environmental protection and improve customer service level. The improvement of reverse logistics management level of waste tires is of great significance to improve the efficiency of the automobile industry. In this paper, multi-objective programming is adopted to establish the waste tire recycling network model. The decision variable is whether the network nodes are set or not, the traffic flow between nodes. Constraints include meeting customer demand, balance of flow in and out of logistics nodes, etc. The model is solved by ε- constraint. Taking the actual data of the enterprise as an example, the operation results show that the operation cost, carbon emission and customer transportation distance can get an consistence within a certain range. Waste tire logistics enterprises can realize the simultaneous improvement of profit, environmental protection and customer service level.

scholarly journals A framework for designing backroom areas in grocery stores

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 230-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Pires ◽  
Joaquim Pratas ◽  
Jorge Liz ◽  
Pedro Amorim
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Grocery Stores ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Service Level ◽  
Storage Area ◽  
Research Stream ◽  
Retail Grocery

Purpose The design of retail backroom storage areas has great impact on in-store operations, customer service level and on store life-cycle costs. Moreover, backroom storage in modern retail grocery stores is critical to several functions, such as acting as a buffer against strong demand lifts yielded by an ever-increasing promotional activity, stocking seasonal peak demand and accommodating e-commerce activities. The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework to design retail backroom storage area. Furthermore, the authors aim to draw attention to the lack of literature on this topic, while clarifying the relationship between this promising research stream and the considerable body of research regarding the design and operations of conventional warehouses, as well as retail in-store operations. Design/methodology/approach The key literature on backrooms, grocery retail, in-store operations, warehouse design and operations was reviewed. This allowed an understanding of the gap in the literature regarding the design of backrooms. Moreover, a case study methodological approach was conducted in a Portuguese retailer to extend the literature review. Findings Despite having functions similar to conventional warehouses, backroom storage facilities have particularities that deserve a distinct analysis. Thus, the authors stress these differences and demonstrate how they influence the development of a novel backroom design framework. Originality/value This paper fills a gap by proposing a framework to design backroom areas. Furthermore, this research may help practitioners to better design backroom areas, since this process currently lacks a formal and standardized procedure.

Multi-echelon inventory management in supply chains with uncertain demand and lead times: Literature review from an operational research perspective

2007 ◽  
Vol 221 (10) ◽  
pp. 1553-1570 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Taskin Gümüs ◽  
A Fuat Güneri
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Inventory Management ◽  
Operational Research ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Lead Times ◽  
Research Perspective ◽  
Lead Time Uncertainty

Historically, the echelons of the supply chain, warehouse, distributors, retailers, etc., have been managed independently, buffered by large inventories. Increasing competitive pressures and market globalization are forcing firms to develop supply chains that can quickly respond to customer needs. To remain competitive and decrease inventory, these firms must use multi-echelon inventory management interactively, while reducing operating costs and improving customer service. The current paper reviews the literature, addressing multiechelon inventory management in supply chains from 1996 to 2005. The behaviour of the papers against demand and lead-time uncertainty is the key analysis point of the literature review presented here and it is conducted from an operational research point of view. Finally, directions for future research are suggested.

scholarly journals REAL-TIME CLASSIFICATION OF FACIAL EXPRESSIONS USING A PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS AND CONVOLUTIONAL NEURAL NETWORK

SINERGI ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 239
Author(s):  
Dwi Lydia Zuharah Astuti ◽  
Samsuryadi Samsuryadi ◽  
Dian Palupi Rini
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Principal Component Analysis ◽  
Convolutional Neural Network ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Component Analysis ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
In The Wild

Classification of facial expressions has become an essential part of computer systems and human-computer fast interaction. It is employed in various applications such as digital entertainment, customer service, driver monitoring, and emotional robots. Moreover, it has been studied through several aspects related to the face itself when facial expressions change based on the point of view or perspective. Facial curves such as eyebrows, nose, lips, and mouth will automatically change. Most of the proposed methods have limited frontal Face Expressions Recognition (FER), and their performance decrease when handling non-frontal and multi-view FER cases.  This study combined both methods in the classification of facial expressions, namely the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) methods. The results of this study proved to be more accurate than that of previous studies. The combination of PCA and CNN methods in the Static Facial Expressions in The Wild (SFEW) 2.0 dataset obtained an accuracy amounting to 70.4%; the CNN method alone only obtained an accuracy amounting to 60.9%.

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