Decision making strategies for warehouse operations

Abstract

The paper presents issues related to design and organization of the warehouse process. Draws attention to problems of modelling logistics facilities and processes occurring in them. Paper also points out the essence of correct operation of warehouses and associated with this risks for supply chain. Warehouse processes have been properly defined and divided into smaller components, like: phases of process, activities, sets of procedures, procedures or working movements. Paper presents various possible configurations of warehouse processes, which were named as warehouse strategies. Warehouse process strategy is a part of warehousing. It determines the sequence of warehouse operations. These operations are related to internal transport, cargo form transformation and cargo buffering. In paper it is noted that the warehouse strategy depends on the several technical and organizational factors and is associated with a certain probability. This probability can be estimated based on data analysis concerning logistics processes in the specified warehouse facility. As shown in case study, appropriate selection of warehouse strategies determines possibility of fulfilling customer order in time and costs that are acceptable for him.

Keywords

• warehousing
• warehouse strategy
• modelling
• decision making