Rosário Moreira

Abstract

Abstract
This paper is inspired by a manual picking retail company where shape and weight constraints affect the order-picking process. We proposed an alternative clustering similarity index that considers the similarity, the weight and the shape of products. This similarity index was further incorporated in a storage allocation heuristic procedure to set the location of the products. We test the procedure in a retail company that supplies over 191 stores, in Northern Portugal. When comparing the strategy currently used in the company with this procedure, we found out that our approach enabled a reduction of up to 40% on the picking distance; a percentage of improvement that is 32% higher than the one achieved by applying the Jaccard index, a similarity index commonly used in the literature. This allows warehouses to save time and work faster.

Abstract
This research establishes a comprehensive chronological and geographical overview of the recent topics mostly debated about the use of Lean thinking in services, disclosing its main trends, gaps and weaknesses. An ample compilation of research from Web of Science and Scopus was examined, and bibliometric analyses were performed, namely publication counting, and abstract, co-citation and co-word analysis. Unfolding Lean implementation projects and evaluating its outcomes are the most frequent themes. Reducing waste and increasing efficiency are often mentioned as the benefits. There are clear gaps in research density between multiple service sectors and healthcare; lack of established models and extensive use of case study method are the weaknesses of the studies in this field. This paper allows Lean practitioners having a sketch of the landscape of this field and its trends. This is the first effort to synthesize those topics in service industry as a whole, using bibliometric methods.

Abstract
A zero-one quadratic assignment model has been proposed for dealing with the storage location assignment problem when there are weight constraints. Our analysis shows that operations can be improved using our model. When comparing the strategy currently used in a real-life company with the designed model, we found that the new placement of products allowed a reduction of up to 22% on the picking distance. This saving is higher than that achieved with the creation of density zones, a procedure commonly used to deal with weight constraints, according to the literature.

Abstract
Firms recognize that an assertive SCM could lead to an important competitive advantage in the business world. The purpose of this study is to capture the effect of supply chain management practices in the performance of firms, through a meta-analysis. It aims at highlighting which SCM practices that have a superior effect and their positive or negative impact on performance. Partnership with suppliers, process driven events, employee involvement, and customer satisfaction are the SCM practices that proved to have a positive impact in firm performance, according to the meta-analysis results. The findings from the research can help managers deciding on in which SCM practices concentrate their effort. It also allows making comparisons among different regions in terms of practices with a positive effect and how SCM practices evolves since first insights to now and if it changes throughout time. Concerning supply chain theories, this research sustains the hypotheses that SCM practices impact on some firm performance measures.