Search results

1 – 10 of over 11000
Article
Publication date: 7 March 2023

Soroosh Saghiri, Emel Aktas and Maryam Mohammadipour

Perishable inventory management for the grocery sector has become more challenging with extended omnichannel activities and emerging consumer expectations. This paper aims to…

Abstract

Purpose

Perishable inventory management for the grocery sector has become more challenging with extended omnichannel activities and emerging consumer expectations. This paper aims to identify and formalize key performance measures of omnichannel perishable inventory management (OCPI) and explore the influence of operational and market-related factors on these measures.

Design/methodology/approach

The inductive approach of this research synthesizes three performance measures (product waste, lost sales and freshness) and four influencing factors (channel effect, demand variability, product perishability and shelf life visibility) for OCPI, through industry investigation, expert interviews and a systematic literature review. Treating OCPI as a complex adaptive system and considering its transaction costs, this paper formalizes the OCPI performance measures and their influencing factors in two statements and four propositions, which are then tested through numerical analysis with simulation.

Findings

Product waste, lost sales and freshness are identified as distinctive OCPI performance measures, which are influenced by product perishability, shelf life visibility, demand variability and channel effects. The OCPI sensitivity to those influencing factors is diverse, whereas those factors are found to moderate each other's effects.

Practical implications

To manage perishables more effectively, with less waste and lost sales for the business and fresher products for the consumer, omnichannel firms need to consider store and online channel requirements and strive to reduce demand variability, extend product shelf life and facilitate item-level shelf life visibility. While flexible logistics capacity and dynamic pricing can mitigate demand variability, the product shelf life extension needs modifications in product design, production, or storage conditions. OCPI executives can also increase the product shelf life visibility through advanced stock monitoring/tracking technologies (e.g. smart tags or more comprehensive barcodes), particularly for the online channel which demands fresher products.

Originality/value

This paper provides a novel theoretical view on perishables in omnichannel systems. It specifies the OCPI performance, beyond typical inventory policies for cost minimization, while discussing its sensitivity to operations and market factors.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 43 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 January 2024

Daisy Lee, Calvin Wan, Tiffany Cheng Han Leung, Sharyn Rundle-Thiele and Gabriel Li

This paper aims to illustrate the application and effectiveness of a marketing programme co-designed by supply- and demand-side stakeholders to reduce consumer food waste in…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to illustrate the application and effectiveness of a marketing programme co-designed by supply- and demand-side stakeholders to reduce consumer food waste in restaurants.

Design/methodology/approach

This stakeholder-based marketing pilot study adopted the co-create, build and engage framework for programme design and implementation. Major stakeholders, interacting at the point-of-sale, participated in a series of focus groups, interviews and co-design. The research process informed the marketing mix, which aimed to provide value for all parties. The four-week pilot programme was delivered in a non-buffet-style commercial restaurant chain for 10 months. The amount of consumer food leftovers was measured and compared with pre-programme baseline data to evaluate programme effectiveness.

Findings

The results show that the marketing mix co-designed by restaurant stakeholders and consumers effectively reduced food waste by almost half in the pilot period. The profitability of the pilot restaurant increased as food costs decreased.

Research limitations/implications

This research demonstrates how working with stakeholders from both the supply and demand sides can identify motivations and barriers. Insights gained in the research phase can inform the delivery of a marketing mix that reduces consumer food waste. This study demonstrates the marketing research, design, implementation and evaluation process for a marketing programme that reduced consumer food waste.

Practical implications

To effectively reduce consumer food waste, practitioners should not only focus on changing consumers’ behaviour. Co-designing solutions with food service stakeholders to address business and operation challenges is crucial to the attainment of a positive impact at the point-of-sale.

Originality/value

This research shows how marketing changes behaviour in individuals and business entities, contributing to positive environmental impact through waste reduction in the commercial food service sector.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Case study
Publication date: 30 January 2024

Youwei Wang

T Education is a leading educational science and technology enterprise in China with technology-driven, talent intimacy and quality leadership as the core development objectives…

Abstract

T Education is a leading educational science and technology enterprise in China with technology-driven, talent intimacy and quality leadership as the core development objectives. Since its inception, it has been committed to creating better learning experience for children. As the predecessor of T-education, X-education was founded in Beijing in 2003. At first, it mainly provided after-school math counseling for school-age children. Over the past 10 years, its business has been expanding, covering almost every aspect of school-age education. This case studies accounting issues and business ethics challenges that firms may face when they transform from a single (traditional education) line of business to a multiple channel business.

Details

FUDAN, vol. no.
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2632-7635

Book part
Publication date: 14 December 2023

Liangrong Zu

This chapter explores a pathway towards achieving a sustainable and inclusive future through the implementation of systems innovation, systems leadership and systems change. The…

Abstract

This chapter explores a pathway towards achieving a sustainable and inclusive future through the implementation of systems innovation, systems leadership and systems change. The author highlights the importance of understanding complex systems and identifies several models that can be employed to drive systems change, including the iceberg model and multi-level perspective. The author stresses the significance of systems leadership and innovation in creating a sustainable and inclusive future. This means that leaders and managers need to shift their mindset from reductionism to systems thinking. Reductionism views complex systems as a collection of separate parts that can be studied independently. In contrast, systems thinking acknowledges the interconnectedness of all parts and how they influence each other. When they embrace systems thinking, leaders and managers can make systems innovation and drive systems change to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth. Achieving a sustainable and inclusive future requires a collective effort from individuals, organizations and governments. It demands a comprehensive understanding of the interdependencies and interactions within complex systems, as well as a willingness to adopt new ways of thinking and leading. This chapter presents a compelling case for adopting systems innovation, systems leadership and systems change as critical components in building a sustainable and inclusive future.

Details

Responsible Management and Taoism, Volume 2
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83797-640-9

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 January 2024

Marco Fabio Benaglia, Mei-Hui Chen, Shih-Hao Lu, Kune-Muh Tsai and Shih-Han Hung

This research investigates how to optimize storage location assignment to decrease the order picking time and the waiting time of orders in the staging area of low-temperature…

127

Abstract

Purpose

This research investigates how to optimize storage location assignment to decrease the order picking time and the waiting time of orders in the staging area of low-temperature logistics centers, with the goal of reducing food loss caused by temperature abuse.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors applied ABC clustering to the products in a simulated database of historical orders modeled after the actual order pattern of a large cold logistics company; then, the authors mined the association rules and calculated the sales volume correlation indices of the ordered products. Finally, the authors generated three different simulated order databases to compare order picking time and waiting time of orders in the staging area under eight different storage location assignment strategies.

Findings

All the eight proposed storage location assignment strategies significantly improve the order picking time (by up to 8%) and the waiting time of orders in the staging area (by up to 22%) compared with random placement.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this research are based on a case study and simulated data, which implies that, if the best performing strategies are applied to different environments, the extent of the improvements may vary. Additionally, the authors only considered specific settings in terms of order picker routing, zoning and batching: other settings may lead to different results.

Practical implications

A storage location assignment strategy that adopts dispersion and takes into consideration ABC clustering and shipping frequency provides the best performance in minimizing order picker's travel distance, order picking time, and waiting time of orders in the staging area. Other strategies may be a better fit if the company's objectives differ.

Originality/value

Previous research on optimal storage location assignment rarely considered item association rules based on sales volume correlation. This study combines such rules with several storage planning strategies, ABC clustering, and two warehouse layouts; then, it evaluates their performance compared to the random placement, to find which one minimizes the order picking time and the order waiting time in the staging area, with a 30-min time limit to preserve the integrity of the cold chain. Order picking under these conditions was rarely studied before, because they may be irrelevant when dealing with temperature-insensitive items but become critical in cold warehouses to prevent temperature abuse.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 April 2022

Zuanbo Zhou, Wenxin Yu, Junnian Wang, Yanming Zhao and Meiting Liu

With the development of integrated circuit and communication technology, digital secure communication has become a research hotspot. This paper aims to design a five-dimensional…

Abstract

Purpose

With the development of integrated circuit and communication technology, digital secure communication has become a research hotspot. This paper aims to design a five-dimensional fractional-order chaotic secure communication circuit with sliding mode synchronous based on microcontroller (MCU).

Design/methodology/approach

First, a five-dimensional fractional-order chaotic system for encryption is constructed. The approximate numerical solution of fractional-order chaotic system is calculated by Adomian decomposition method, and the phase diagram is obtained. Then, combined with the complexity and 0–1 test algorithm, the parameters of fractional-order chaotic system for encryption are selected. In addition, a sliding mode controller based on the new reaching law is constructed, and its stability is proved. The chaotic system can be synchronized in a short time by using sliding mode control synchronization.

Findings

The electronic circuit is implemented to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the designed scheme.

Originality/value

It is feasible to realize fractional-order chaotic secure communication using MCU, and further reducing the synchronization error is the focus of future work.

Details

Circuit World, vol. 49 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0305-6120

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 November 2023

Jonas Koreis, Dominic Loske and Matthias Klumpp

Increasing personnel costs and labour shortages have pushed retailers to give increasing attention to their intralogistics operations. We study hybrid order picking systems, in…

168

Abstract

Purpose

Increasing personnel costs and labour shortages have pushed retailers to give increasing attention to their intralogistics operations. We study hybrid order picking systems, in which humans and robots share work time, workspace and objectives and are in permanent contact. This necessitates a collaboration of humans and their mechanical coworkers (cobots).

Design/methodology/approach

Through a longitudinal case study on individual-level technology adaption, we accompanied a pilot testing of an industrial truck that automatically follows order pickers in their travel direction. Grounded on empirical field research and a unique large-scale data set comprising N = 2,086,260 storage location visits, where N = 57,239 storage location visits were performed in a hybrid setting and N = 2,029,021 in a manual setting, we applied a multilevel model to estimate the impact of this cobot settings on task performance.

Findings

We show that cobot settings can reduce the time required for picking tasks by as much as 33.57%. Furthermore, practical factors such as product weight, pick density and travel distance mitigate this effect, suggesting that cobots are especially beneficial for short-distance orders.

Originality/value

Given that the literature on hybrid order picking systems has primarily applied simulation approaches, the study is among the first to provide empirical evidence from a real-world setting. The results are discussed from the perspective of Industry 5.0 and can prevent managers from making investment decisions into ineffective robotic technology.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 January 2024

Dominic Loske, Tiziana Modica, Matthias Klumpp and Roberto Montemanni

Prior literature has widely established that the design of storage locations impacts order picking task performance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the performance…

Abstract

Purpose

Prior literature has widely established that the design of storage locations impacts order picking task performance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the performance impact of unit loads, e.g. pallets or rolling cages, utilized by pickers to pack products after picking them from storage locations.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical analysis of archival data on a manual order picking system for deep-freeze products was performed in cooperation with a German brick-and-mortar retailer. The dataset comprises N = 343,259 storage location visits from 17 order pickers. The analysis was also supported by the development and the results of a batch assignment model that takes unit load selection into account.

Findings

The analysis reveals that unit load selection affects order picking task performance. Standardized rolling cages can decrease processing time by up to 8.42% compared to standardized isolated rolling boxes used in cold retail supply chains. Potential cost savings originating from optimal batch assignment range from 1.03% to 39.29%, depending on batch characteristics.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on factors impacting order picking task performance, considering the characteristics of unit loads where products are packed on after they have been picked from the storage locations. In addition, it provides potential task performance improvements in cold retail supply chains.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 March 2023

Shirin Hassanzadeh Darani, Payam Rabbanifar, Mahmood Hosseini Aliabadi and Hamid Radmanesh

The purpose of this paper is to present a new system frequency response model with participation of wind-hydro-thermal units to overcome frequency deviations.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a new system frequency response model with participation of wind-hydro-thermal units to overcome frequency deviations.

Design/methodology/approach

The extracted minimum frequency equation is considered as a constraint in security-constrained unit commitment calculations. Because of high-order polynomials in the frequency transfer function and high degree of nonlinearity of minimum frequency constraint, Routh stability criterion method and piecewise linearization technique are used to reduce system order and linearize the system frequency response model, respectively.

Findings

The results of this paper indicate that by using this model, the hourly minimum frequency is improved and is kept within defined range.

Originality/value

This combined model can be used to evaluate the frequency of the power system following unexpected load increase or generation disturbances. It also can be used to investigate the system frequency performance and ensure power system security which are caused by peak load or loss of generation in presence of renewable energies.

Details

COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering , vol. 42 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 January 2024

Tingwei Gu, Shengjun Yuan, Lin Gu, Xiaodong Sun, Yanping Zeng and Lu Wang

This paper aims to propose an effective dynamic calibration and compensation method to solve the problem that the statically calibrated force sensor would produce large dynamic…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to propose an effective dynamic calibration and compensation method to solve the problem that the statically calibrated force sensor would produce large dynamic errors when measuring dynamic signals.

Design/methodology/approach

The dynamic characteristics of the force sensor are analyzed by modal analysis and negative step dynamic force calibration test, and the dynamic mathematical model of the force sensor is identified based on a generalized least squares method with a special whitening filter. Then, a compensation unit is constructed to compensate the dynamic characteristics of the force measurement system, and the compensation effect is verified based on the step and knock excitation signals.

Findings

The dynamic characteristics of the force sensor obtained by modal analysis and dynamic calibration test are consistent, and the time and frequency domain characteristics of the identified dynamic mathematical model agree well with the actual measurement results. After dynamic compensation, the dynamic characteristics of the force sensor in the frequency domain are obviously improved, and the effective operating frequency band is widened from 500 Hz to 1,560 Hz. In addition, in the time domain, the rise time of the step response signal is reduced from 0.29 ms to 0.17 ms, and the overshoot decreases from 26.6% to 9.8%.

Originality/value

An effective dynamic calibration and compensation method is proposed in this paper, which can be used to improve the dynamic performance of the strain-gauge-type force sensor and reduce the dynamic measurement error of the force measurement system.

Details

Sensor Review, vol. 44 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0260-2288

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 11000