This research presents a class-based re-slotting procedure that re-assigns stock-keeping units (SKUs) in a warehouse secondary storage area to new locations based on the SKU activity. The general notion of re-slotting is to place high activity SKUs in premium locations near the pickup/drop-off points of shipping and receiving. This simulation study examines the performance of an ABC class-based rule for guiding SKU swaps between the front and rear sections using case pick data provided by a large regional pharmaceutical distributor. The simulation results show this class-based case pick re-slotting heuristic provides significant savings in picker travel.

The deadly global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted global supply chains and the working environment in most organizations. This paper looks at the safety and physical distancing implications on order picking operations using routing, storage and picking strategies. Research has shown that the use of traversal and in some cases midpoint routing can yield near optimal results and enable physical distancing. The use of ABC storage does result in less travel for order picking workers but can potentially result in more congestion. Picking strategies that utilize picking zones naturally promote physical distancing but may not be feasible given the picking volume and the layout of the distribution center. Overall, this paper shows that order picking managers can still provide safe workspaces for their employees while achieving cost effective results.

Order picking operations need to efficiently process orders in today’s competitive environment. Previous research generally assumed on even placement of the cross aisles. This research examines the placement of cross aisles in order picking operations and its effect on various storage policies. While previous research has primarily examined cross aisles and storage policies separately, this research looks at them simultaneously. The results showed no difference between even and uneven placement of cross aisles and that within-aisle storage is better than across-aisle and random storage. The results also showed that within-aisle storage provides greater travel distance savings than the use of cross aisles.

This paper examines distribution center relocation where a firm needs to move from a current distribution center to a new distribution center in a different location. The authors present a decision framework as well as a case study of a pharmaceutical distribution company that recently underwent a distribution center relocation. One of the major factors in determining how to accomplish this relocation is the customers’ service expectations especially if customers will not tolerate a disruption in deliveries or if they expect all product to be a single delivery. The capabilities of the firm to handle operate both distribution centers simultaneously is another consideration. Lastly, firms need to determine the cost of the relocation including transportation, inventory, and additional picking costs.

Order picking operations need to efficiently process order in today’s competitive environment. Previous research generally assumed on even placement of the cross aisles. This research examines the placement of cross aisles in order picking operations and the use of various storage policies. While previous research has examined cross aisles and storage policies, this research looks at them simultaneously. The results showed no difference between even and uneven placement of cross aisles and that within-aisle storage is better than across-aisle and random storage.

PurposeSeveral published studies have ranked journals based on perceived quality according to operations management (OM) researchers. The purpose of this paper is to examine the ranking of journals for OM research using meta analysis.Design/methodology/approachThe study begins by using a meta‐analysis approach to combine results of five recent OM journal ranking studies. A new citation analysis using OM research articles published in International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Journal of Operations Management, and Production and Operations Management between 1999 and 2005 is presented.FindingsResults of the meta‐analysis and the citation analysis have many similarities, but there are some striking differences suggesting the evolution of OM research away from operations research and engineering. The results also illustrate the diversity of OM research ranging from analytical modeling to empirical studies influenced by other business disciplines and the behavioral sciences.Originality/valueThis is the first time meta‐analysis has been used to examine the ranking of journals for OM research. This research also provides a current citation analysis of the OM field for the first time in over a decade. While the results of these two analyses show some similarities with many of the same journals, there are some marked differences that may support the notion of an evolving OM field.

This article examines the effect of three process decisions (picking, storage, and routing) on order picker travel, which is a major cost component of order fulfillment. The authors use a simulation model based on the operations of a distribution center that is currently picking one order at a time, storing product in a haphazard or random fashion, and using a simplistic procedure for routing pickers. Several picking, storage, and routing policies are evaluated to determine which process decision provides the greatest percent savings relative to the current baseline policies. Several sensitivity analyses are completed to examine the effect of order size, warehouse shape, location of pick-up/drop-off point, and demand distribution on performance. Results show that batching of orders yield the greatest savings particularly when smaller order sizes are common. Results also show the use of either a class-based or volume-based storage policy provides nearly the same level of savings as batching, while being less sensitive to the average order size.

Class‐based storage (CBS) partitions stock‐keeping units (SKUs) into storage classes by demand and randomly assigns storage locations within each storage class area. This study compares the performance implications of CBS to both random and volume‐based storage (VBS) for a manual order picking warehouse. In addition, this study considers the effect of the number of storage classes, the partition of storage classes, and the storage implementation strategy applied in the warehouse. The simulation results show that CBS provides savings in picker travel over random storage and offers performance that approaches VBS. Other operational issues having an impact on warehouse performance are examined. The results offer managers insight for improving distribution center operations.

The proliferation of unsolicited commercial electronic mail (UCE) or spam is becoming a global concern for many organizations. This chapter explores issues of unsolicited email, the cost and loss of productivity, the impact of UCE and computer viruses, privacy concerns, electronic mail filters, attempts to control spam, and legislative action. A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis was also applied in this study. The results of a survey concerning the perceptions of UCE are presented. The results clearly show that while the respondents find spam annoying, they spend very little time in dealing with it. Although the respondents express the need to control spam, they do not believe that governmental control is the solution, but rather that Internet Service Providers and organizations should take the responsibility for controlling unsolicited email. Lastly, the respondents are very unlikely to open, let alone read and respond to unsolicited email. The results of this study will be useful for guiding organizational, university, and public policies.

Provides an overview of file design and manipulation and discusses Ada records and files, blocking and buffering, secondary storage devices, search trees, and various types of file organization.

As a result of analyzing the art of computer program development, new skills are being suggested to improve programming efficiency. Two of these skills are the use of structured programming and the ability to work as a member of a team (Khailany and Saxon, 1978). The benefits gained from employing these skills in an educational setting (Cheney, 1977; Lemos, 1978; Weinberg, 1971) and in commercial areas (Baker and Mills, 1973; Schonberger and Franz, 1978) have been discussed in the literature.Team programming involves the process of one's peers inspecting one's work for errors, ideas, and design methods in order to improve productivity and learning. The group technique is being applied to programming in industrial settings and is advocated for educational settings as one approach to improving programming.

During the past ten years, several model curricula for technical academic disciplines have been developed and published by professional societies. Among the recommendations for computer science are those of '68 and '78 by ACM. This paper presents a quantitative scheme for evaluating a computer science curriculum as compared to ACM '68 and '78 guidelines. To demonstrate the evaluation scheme, curricula from three (3) universities are compared to the ACM guidelines. The results of those numeric comparisons are tabulated and discussed. Other areas that affect a computer science program; textbooks, computer facilities, and faculty are also discussed.