Can process and lean thinking optimize order picking performance?

Abstract

Certain managerial tools, i.e. process thinking and lean methodology could have a significant impact on warehousing operations, but they are largely neglected among the scholars. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to establish the extent to which managing processes, rather than functions and units, as technology based innovation initiatives monitored by lean approach, impacts the improvement of picking performance. In this case, a realistic experiment was conducted in a company that adopted process and lean way of thinking in replacing RF scanning with voice technology. For the purpose of the research, apart from the data collected from the company, six participants were employed for the experiment. The results suggest that process innovation monitored by lean in adopting voice technology optimized order picking performance, leading to better efficiency, productivity and accuracy.