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The purpose of this paper is to investigate how modern network video technology could be used to improve different warehouse types and operations and how barriers may prevent its implementation.

An exploratory multiple-case study with nine case companies was conducted, including on-site visits, interviews, questionnaires and a workshop.

The authors identified 12 video applications that could improve warehouse operations by making them safer, faster, more transparent and more reliable than they are at present. The authors found that video applications complemented existing information technology and offered a new dimension that provided the real-time analysis of different activities in warehouse operations. The main barriers to implementing video technology included uncertain return on investment, staff integrity, union restrictions and integration with other systems.

The study contributes to the literature by exploring how information technology could be used to improve warehouse operations and by developing a classification matrix that outlines the video applications that suit the warehouse type and operation. Building on the contingency theory, the authors also described a conceptual framework for guiding future relevant research on warehousing.

Video technology provides an opportunity to improve efficiency and cut costs in warehouse operations, which could contribute to increasing the competitiveness of the company and the supply chain. However, several barriers must be overcome to enable its implementation. Furthermore, competing technologies, such as augmented reality and the internet of things, are being developed in parallel.

The identified video applications could help to increase safety, sustainability and traceability in warehouse operations and, potentially, across the entire supply chain.

This research is the first to explore the potential of introducing video applications to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of various warehouse types and operations.

The warehouse is the interface area for production lines, market, customers and suppliers, and the business environment in general. Goods inwards (GI), constituting part of the warehouse activities, is the department responsible for booking‐in the incoming parts from external suppliers. After the production process is improved, the resources in the warehouse are balanced to link the internal/ external transfer of physical items. With a broader view of the GI activities, and a look into its future, the actual problems may become clear, understandable, and hence easy to solve. The aim of this paper is to study the problem areas in GI and provide solutions to increase the performance of warehousing operations. First, a conceptual framework has been developed to improve the effectiveness of warehousing operations. Second, a case study has been conducted with the help of the model to minimize the through‐put time in warehousing operations. Finally, a summary of findings and recommendations are presented.

The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding of how warehouse operations and design are affected by the move toward integrated omni-channels.

A structured literature review is conducted to identify and categorize themes in multi- and omni-channel logistics, and to discuss how aspects related to these themes impact and pose contingencies for warehouse operations and design.

The review revealed a lack of focus on warehouse operations and design in multi- and omni-channels. Instead, most articles published in scientific journals discuss changes in consumer demand and implications for the network level, concerning aspects such as the organization and management of material and information flows, inventory management, resources, actors and relationships. Ten themes in omni-channel logistics were identified and grouped into two categories: the value proposition and channel management; and the physical distribution network design. The themes and related aspects have implications for warehousing, and by combining these with general warehousing knowledge, the authors derive a comprehensive and structured agenda is derived to guide future research on omni-channel warehousing.

This paper outlines a research agenda, including detailed research questions, for advancing the theory on warehouse operations and design in omni-channels.

The agenda can inspire practitioners in their work to understand the upcoming challenges and address relevant issues in omni-channel warehousing, taking into consideration its interdependence with value proposition, channel management and network decisions.

This is the first comprehensive review focusing on and synthesizing available literature on omni-channel warehousing. This topic has until now received limited coverage but is of increasing importance to scholars in the field.

This paper aims to report a survey carried out among European distribution centres (EDCs) in The Netherlands. EDCs are forerunners in implementing advanced logistics systems, since they are responsible for the distribution of a manufacturer's products to customers in a larger part of Europe, Middle East and Africa, often with strict service level agreements.

Warehouses with different outsourcing relations (own‐account, dedicated outsourced and public outsourced) are compared on operational aspects, performance, and future developments. Moreover, within the group of own‐account warehouses, especially Asian and American operations are tested for differences.

Outsourced warehouse operations appear to have a higher percentage of error‐free deliveries and to be more flexible than own‐account operations. Based on the literature it was expected that a difference in productivity and quality between American and Asian EDCs would be found. Some differences in operations are found. For example, Asian EDCs put more effort in quality methods and involve more native managers. However, significant differences in productivity and quality levels were not found. Apparently, the differences in operations do not have a substantial effect on the warehouse performance.

This paper is a first attempt to compare advanced warehouse operations from different origins, either operated by service providers or not.

Due to the importance of efficiency and responsiveness measures rather than just efficiency measures, this research recognizes both measures when considering overall performance of warehouse operations. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to prioritize overall performance measures associated with warehouse operations in manufacturing, third-party logistics service provider and retail industry supply chains.

The study uses an integrated approach that involves the Q-sort method to group measures into four categories. Fuzzy analytical hierarchy process was then used to prioritize individual performance measures within each category and integer liner programming model was used to validate prioritized categories, using the judgment of multiple decision makers across three industries.

The result shows that the financial category is a dominating performance category in managing warehouse operations across all three industries selected. Within the financial category, cost of insurance accounted for 25 percent of total weight of the category, and is considered to be a powerful measure. The financial category is verified by multiple decision makers across three industries, as the most important performance category.

As part of adopting the proposed methodology in practice, it needs to be guided by overall methodology appropriate for industry-specific contexts.

Key novel aspects of this study are to categorize warehouse operations measures and analyze their perspectives in different industries, understand dominant categories of warehouse operations measures in the contemporary supply chain and finally to explore to what extent current practices lead to achieving efficiency and responsiveness in the selected industries.

Preface The functions of business divide into several areas and the general focus of this book is on one of the most important although least understood of these—DISTRIBUTION. The particular focus is on reviewing current practice in distribution costing and on attempting to push the frontiers back a little by suggesting some new approaches to overcome previously defined shortcomings.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of how different sourcing policies and resource usage affect the operational performance dynamics of warehouse processes.

The system dynamics (SD) methodology is used to model warehouse operations at the distribution centre of a leading fast‐fashion vertical retailer. This case study includes a detailed analysis of the relationships between the flow of items through the warehouse, the assignment of staff, the inventory management policy, and the order processing tasks.

Case scenario simulations are provided to define warehouse policies enabling increased efficiency, cost savings, reduced inventory, and shorter lead‐times.

The case study reaffirms that a flexible usage of human resources, outsourcing of selected warehouse operations, and sourcing from reliable manufacturers may result in important performance improvements for centralised warehousing.

It is proved that SD is a valuable tool in the field of operations management, not only to support strategic evaluations but also to execute a detailed analysis of logistical processes and make scenario‐based dynamic decisions at the operational level.

To meet customers' expectations on shorter lead times, high product availability, flexibility, and variation in delivery and return options, retailers have turned their attention to warehousing and are making big investments in technology. Currently, technology providers are pushing for smart warehousing, a new and under-researched phenomenon. This study aims to conceptualize the term and examine pathways toward implementing smart warehousing.

An exploratory survey was administered to 50 leading Swedish retailers in varying segments. A two-tailed t-test for equality of means was used to detect significant differences between current and future states.

The study found that future smart warehouses will be automated, autonomous, digital, and connected, but that retailers will follow different paths along this journey, driven by contextual trends, e.g. sales growth, wider product assortment, shorter lead-time offerings, and integration of brick-and-mortar and online stores. Interestingly, the study revealed that many of the retailers that aim to create smart warehouses in five years are not the retailers with the most developed technology today.

The paper operationalizes smart warehousing in two dimensions: degree of automation and degree of digitalization and connectivity of information platforms. Based on the findings, 16 theoretical propositions are put forth that, based on contextual factors, explain different pathways for retailers to implement smart warehousing.

The empirical insights and theoretical discussions provide practically useful guidance, including outlined trends, for selecting and benchmarking automation and complementary technologies in warehouse operations.

This paper conceptualizes and operationalizes smart warehousing – an original approach. It is also one of the first to investigate the technological transformation in retail warehousing empirically, explaining how and why retailers choose different pathways toward smart warehousing.

Demand forecast methodologies have been studied extensively to improve operations in e-commerce. However, every forecast inevitably contains errors, and this may result in a disproportionate impact on operations, particularly in the dynamic nature of fulfilling orders in e-commerce. This paper aims to quantify the impact that forecast error in order demand has on order picking, the most costly and complex operations in e-order fulfilment, in order to enhance the application of the demand forecast in an e-fulfilment centre.

The paper presents a Gaussian regression based mathematical method that translates the error of forecast accuracy in order demand to the performance fluctuations in e-order fulfilment. In addition, the impact under distinct order picking methodologies, namely order batching and wave picking. As described.

A structured model is developed to evaluate the impact of demand forecast error in order picking performance. The findings in terms of global results and local distribution have important implications for organizational decision-making in both long-term strategic planning and short-term daily workforce planning.

Earlier research examined demand forecasting methodologies in warehouse operations. And order picking and examining the impact of error in demand forecasting on order picking operations has been identified as a research gap. This paper contributes to closing this research gap by presenting a mathematical model that quantifies impact of demand forecast error into fluctuations in order picking performance.