scholarly journals The Effect of Slot-Code Optimization in Warehouse Order Picking

10.5772/56803 ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Fumi ◽  
Laura Scarabotti ◽  
Massimiliano M. Schiraldi
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Material Handling ◽  
Handling Time ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Code Optimization ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Location Strategies ◽  
The Impact

This work presents the effect, in terms of travel distance and material handling time reductions, of an optimal rather than a uniform item allocation in one-block picking warehouses, both with and without the use of a simple picking heuristic. Since developing efficient product-location strategies represents a critical issue in Operations Management, due to the impact on warehouse performance in terms of both service level and operation costs, this paper focuses on an effective quantification of obtainable travel time reductions, obtaining a significant result for manufacturing companies aiming to determine the most appropriate material handling resource configuration. Building on previous work on the effect of slot-code optimization on travel times in single/dual command cycles, the authors broaden the scope to include the most general picking case, thus widening the range of applicability and realising former suggestions for future research.

Multiproduct slot allocation heuristic to minimize storage space

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 172-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Battista ◽  
Andrea Fumi ◽  
Luigi Laura ◽  
Massimiliano M. Schiraldi
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Material Handling ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Management Problem ◽  
Warehouse Management ◽  
Slot Allocation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Vertex Colouring

Purpose – Since developing efficient product-location strategies represents a critical issue in operations management, due to its impact on warehouses performance in terms of both service level and operation costs, this paper aims to focus on possible improvements in the allocation of SKUs, numerically evaluating how these can lead to a reduction of both overall required warehouse space and material handling times. Design/methodology/approach – The undertaken approach focused on translating the warehouse management problem into a vertex colouring problem, modelling it as a multi-criteria problem and solving it through a properly modified algorithm. Findings – The heuristic validation on a real industrial case demonstrated its high optimization potential, and its benchmarking simulations showed performances significantly close to the best conceivable case. Indeed, though using a dedicated storage policy, the gained optimization value turned to be definitively close to the lower bound calculated through a randomized storage policy, which, differently from the proposed solution, must be inevitably supported by a warehouse management system software. Originality/value – This work presents an original multiproduct slot allocation heuristic developed by taking cue from vertex colouring problems and its pragmatic evaluation on a real industrial case; a benchmark with the randomized storage policy is also presented in order to underline the heuristic effectiveness and to point out possible future research opportunities.

Behavioral perspective of newsvendor ordering decisions: review, analysis and insights

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Yamini
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Economics ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Optimal Order ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Behavioral Operations ◽  
Behavioral Operations Management ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Behavioral Perspective

PurposeThe traditional newsvendor model has focused on deriving the optimal order quantity that minimises the balance between stocking too much or too less number of products. However, the managers make inventory decisions based on intuitions and shortcuts, which may involve human errors and biases. The effect of cognitive biases and heuristics influencing the inventory ordering decisions in newsvendor settings is highlighted. The advancement of research associated to the newsvendor biases is reviewed to appreciate the behavioral aspects of the minds underlying this process.Design/methodology/approachThe use of experimental and non-experimental methods to investigate the ordering behaviour of newsvendors is described and we present a framework of the existing literature and highlight the research gaps to point to future research possibilities and priorities.FindingsThe proposed framework gives a systematic approach to confirm the existence of a substantial scope of research opportunities and points to specific areas for further research. It synthesizes the existing results of behavioral newsvendor research and will act as a key reference paper. In addition, it will help the practitioners and software tool vendors to comprehend the behavioral perspective of newsvendor preferences and design strategies to mitigate this effect. The insights will be helpful for academicians, researchers and practitioners working in the areas of experimental economics, behavioral economics, behavioral operations, bounded rationality theory, newsvendor modelling and supply chain contracts.Originality/valueA summary of literature in this evolving area of research is very scarce. Considering the impact of behavioral economics on managerial decisions in the contemporary world, it is highly important to have an educational summary which can act as a tool for the practitioners and researchers in the area of behavioral operations management.

scholarly journals Lean implementation within SMEs: a literature review

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 980-1012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Hu ◽  
Robert Mason ◽  
Sharon J. Williams ◽  
Pauline Found
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Systematic Review Methodology ◽  
Lean Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Road Map ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Lean business ideology has been one of the recent dominant research areas in operations management. However, there is a dearth of research focusing on Lean in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap by systematically reviewing the literature in relation to the implementation of Lean in SMEs. Design/methodology/approach – Tranfield et al.’s (2003) systematic review methodology was employed covering three stages: planning, conducting and reporting/dissemination. Findings – A descriptive analysis of the papers reviewed is provided. From the thematic analysis of the literature four main themes are identified: the scope/type of Lean being adopted by SMEs, how Lean is used in SMEs, the impact of Lean implementation on SMEs and the critical success factors for Lean implementation in SMEs. Key inhibitors and enablers related to firm size when implementing Lean are also identified in the concluding discussion. Research limitations/implications – Nine recommendations for future research are developed associated with Lean implementation in SMEs. Practical implications – The authors suggest SMEs to integrate organisational factors such as employee empowerment and the development of a supportive strategy into their Lean implementation plans. A preliminary “Staircase Road Map” to guide SMEs in implementing Lean is also developed. Originality/value – This paper goes beyond previous literature reviews of Lean by systematically and critically evaluating key themes of Lean implementation within an SME environment. It not only provides a road map for SME owners/managers who intend to implement Lean, but also provides the academic community with an agenda for future research.

Digging deeper into supply risk: a systematic literature review on price risks

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 480-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Fischl ◽  
Maike Scherrer-Rathje ◽  
Thomas Friedli
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Supply Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fair Competition ◽  
Research Risks ◽  
Price Risks

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is both to provide an overview of existing knowledge pertaining to the management of price risks in manufacturing companies from an operations management (OM) perspective and to establish an agenda for future research. Risks related to the purchase prices of industrial consumption factors (raw materials, semi-finished/finished goods, auxiliary materials and operating materials) exert an increasing influence on manufacturing companies’ business continuity and economic sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic literature review was conducted following the literature search approach of vom Brocke et al. (2009). In total, 138 relevant articles were identified, analysed and synthesised. Findings – The literature review reveals that the existing OM literature devotes little attention to price risks and their management in manufacturing companies. In particular, further empirical investigation is required to support decision-making in various risk contexts. Social implications – This paper emphasises that in addition to existing national resource funds and inter-company alliances, alternative concepts are required to secure both stable prices and access to natural resources. Otherwise, in the future, small- and medium-sized companies, along with companies based in countries lacking available resource funds, will not have an opportunity to engage in fair competition. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first literature review to focus on price as a specific supply risk.

scholarly journals Enhancing operations management through smart sensors: measuring and improving well-being, interaction and performance of logistics workers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Aloini ◽  
Andrea Fronzetti Colladon ◽  
Peter Gloor ◽  
Emanuele Guerrazzi ◽  
Alessandro Stefanini
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Material Handling ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of the research is to conduct an exploratory investigation of the material handling activities of an Italian logistics hub. Wearable sensors and other smart tools were used for collecting human and environmental features during working activities. These factors were correlated with workers' performance and well-being.Design/methodology/approachHuman and environmental factors play an important role in operations management activities since they significantly influence employees' performance, well-being and safety. Surprisingly, empirical studies about the impact of such aspects on logistics operations are still very limited. Trying to fill this gap, the research empirically explores human and environmental factors affecting the performance of logistics workers exploiting smart tools.FindingsResults suggest that human attitudes, interactions, emotions and environmental conditions remarkably influence workers' performance and well-being, however, showing different relationships depending on individual characteristics of each worker.Practical implicationsThe authors' research opens up new avenues for profiling employees and adopting an individualized human resource management, providing managers with an operational system capable to potentially check and improve workers' well-being and performance.Originality/valueThe originality of the study comes from the in-depth exploration of human and environmental factors using body-worn sensors during work activities, by recording individual, collaborative and environmental data in real-time. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the current paper is the first time that such a detailed analysis has been carried out in real-world logistics operations.

scholarly journals Managing emergency situations with lean and advanced manufacturing technologies: an empirical study on the Rumbia typhoon disaster

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaodie Pu ◽  
Meng Chen ◽  
Zhao Cai ◽  
Alain Yee-Loong Chong ◽  
Kim Hua Tan
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Advanced Manufacturing ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Advanced Manufacturing Technologies ◽  
Manufacturing Technologies ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study aims to examine the impact of lean manufacturing (LM) on the financial performance of companies affected by emergency situations. It additionally explores the role of advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) in complementing LM to enhance financial performance in emergency and non-emergency situations.Design/methodology/approachBoth survey and archival data were collected from 219 manufacturing companies in China. With longitudinal data collected before and after an emergency situation (i.e. Typhoon Rumbia), regression analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of LM and AMTs on financial performance in different contexts.FindingsOur results reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between LM and financial performance in the context of emergency. We also found that AMTs exerted a positive moderation effect on the inverted U-shaped relationship, indicating high levels of AMTs that mitigated the inefficiency of LM in coping with supply chain emergencies.Research limitations/implicationsThrough simultaneous investigation of LM and AMTs as bundles of practices and their fit with different contexts, this study takes a systems approach to fit that advances the application of contingency theory in the Operations Management literature to more complex patterns of fit.Originality/valueThis study illuminates how AMTs support LM practices in facilitating organizational performance in different contexts. Specifically, this study unravels the interaction mechanisms between AMTs and LM in influencing financial performance in emergency and non-emergency situations.

The Impact of Knowledge Management Strategy on Performance in Taiwan's Manufacturing Companies

2014 ◽  
Vol 945-949 ◽  
pp. 2967-2970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Ling Huang ◽  
Yue Yang Chen ◽  
Wen Hsin Fang
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Km Strategy ◽  
Knowledge Quality ◽  
Knowledge Strategies ◽  
The Impact

Knowledge has been regarded as an important resource for firms to compete in todays competitive environment. Since knowledge and knowledge management are so important for achieving business performance, the knowledge strategies are likely to be a critical issue of strategic choice for the firm. Evidences showed that the implementation of KM strategy can cultivate organizational dynamic capabilities to improve knowledge quality and quantity, as well as for consolidating the value and practicability of knowledge. Thus, this study tries to examine the impact of KM strategy on knowledge management performance as well as business performance. According to the empirical data collected from manufacturing industry in Taiwan, meaningful findings and conclusions will be proposed and discussed.

Defining and Evaluating A Novel Penalty Model for Managing Violations in the Cloud Computing

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-52
Author(s):  
Adil Maarouf ◽  
Bouchra El Qacimy ◽  
Abderrahim Marzouk ◽  
Abdelkrim Haqiq
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Computing ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Calculation Methods ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Penalty Cost ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Cloud Providers ◽  
Future Research Directions

Managing and applying penalties has become a critical issue for Cloud Computing. In this paper, the authors investigate this issue and present the most frequently used definitions of service level agreements (SLA) penalty functions. They identify the characteristics of these functions by highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. They survey and analyze various penalty calculation and availability calculation methods of cloud providers. Then, they propose a Novel Penalty Model for computing the penalty cost of the violations and present formalization for the penalty concerned. They also propose a business model for cloud providers to manage their profit. An example application will be presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. Finally, the paper notes some challenges and future research directions.

Industry 4.0 adoption as a moderator of the impact of lean production practices on operational performance improvement

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (6/7/8) ◽  
pp. 860-886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme Luz Tortorella ◽  
Ricardo Giglio ◽  
Desirée H. van Dun
Keyword(s):  
Performance Improvement ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Lean Production ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
Operational Performance ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of Industry 4.0 technologies on the relationship between lean production (LP) and operational performance improvement within Brazil, a developing economy context. Design/methodology/approach One representative from each of the 147 studied manufacturing companies filled in a survey on three internally related lean practice bundles and two Industry 4.0 technology bundles, with safety, delivery, quality, productivity and inventory as performance indicators. As this study was grounded on the contingency theory, multivariate data analyses were performed, controlling for four contingencies. Findings Industry 4.0 moderates the effect of LP practices on operational performance improvement, but in different directions. Process-related technologies negatively moderate the effect of low setup practices on performance, whereas product/service-related technologies positively moderate the effect of flow practices on performance. Originality/value With the advent of Industry 4.0, companies have been channelling their efforts to achieve superior performance by advancing levels of automation and interconnectivity. Eventually, widespread and proven manufacturing approaches, like LP, will integrate such technologies which may, in turn, impair or favour operational performance. Contrary to previous studies, the contingencies appeared to have a less extensive effect. The authors point to various options for further study across different socio-economic contexts. This study evidenced that purely technological adoption will not lead to distinguished results. LP practices help in the installation of organisational habits and mindsets that favour systemic process improvements, supporting the design and control of manufacturers’ operations management towards the fourth industrial revolution era.

Quality management, innovation capability and firm performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1003-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saumyaranjan Sahoo
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Innovation Capability ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Many organizations are facing competitive challenges due to the rapid pace of technological changes. Both quality management (QM) and innovation are the competitive factors that are intensely embedded into organizational products, services and processes. In order to achieve higher firm performance, manufacturing firms are needed to adopt QM practices as well as develop innovation capability. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship among QM, innovation capability (IC) and firm performance under both mediation and moderation models using structural equation modeling. Design/methodology/approach The approach of this study is quantitative. The data used to test the hypotheses were gathered from Indian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) interviewing senior managers with a structured questionnaire. These hypothesized relationships are tested with data collected from 134 Indian manufacturing firms by using SPSS and AMOS statistical software. Findings Overall, the findings clearly show that QM through the firm’s IC is indirectly associated with a firm’s business performance. It supported the notion that QM practices encourage the definition of innovation strategies of products and processes within a manufacturing setup, which positively affected different aspects of firm performance. More importantly, this study supports the findings of past studies that questioned the role of QM practices in improving a firm’s IC. Research limitations/implications Some limitations of this study include: although a cross-sectional survey has been applied, the research does not permit us to account for the lag between implementation and performance. It also brings the opinion of a limited number of senior managers of Indian manufacturing SMEs, and hence both the sample size could be increased and the nationality of the respondent/responding firms could be expanded for future research. Practical implications In light of the obtained results, several recommendations were introduced to assist decision makers in manufacturing companies. The paper contains suggestions for improving manufacturing firm’s performance through developing IC and adopting QM practices. Originality/value This paper extends theoretical contribution in production and operations management literature, highlighting how QM practices and firm’s IC have to interact in determining an organization’s success and sustaining its global competitiveness.

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