Manufacturing Management Assignment

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 Tables of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. SMART WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT
What is it?
Give application examples
A functional view of SWMS
Explain the functional view
3 Literature review of Adoption challenges
3.1 Methodology used
3.2.1 Results
3.2.2 Findings
4 Discussion
5 Conclusion
References

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1. INTRODUCTION

The present research study will focus on conducting comprehensive research to investigate
the adoption challenges of smart warehouse management systems faced by small and
medium manufacturing enterprises. In addition, the study will also present the concept and
functional view of the Smart warehousing management system.

2. SMART WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT

What is it?

A smart warehouse is the culmination of warehouse automation that is similar to smart

homes. A smart warehouse automates warehousing operations using technologies like robot
palletising, AMRs, IOT, digital twins, and 5G, which are similar to smart homes and enhance
efficiency and productivity. According to Mozumder and Karthikeya (2023), the integration of
various technologies enhances warehouse productivity and efficiency, reduces human
labour and minimises eros while real-time data can be utilised for quick services. In addition,
smart warehousing provides real-time updates, optimises manual tasks, and maximises
automation, which is difficult in traditional warehouses. Smart warehousing depends on
artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and robotics to manage several warehouse
operations.

Give application examples

A smart Warehouse is the final result of automation in a warehouse, like those found in
smart homes. An intelligent warehouse uses things like robot stacking, self-driving machines
and 5G to make its operations better, just as a smart home does. This makes it more
effective at what they do quickly. Mozumder and Karthikeya (2023) have stated that joining
different technologies can make warehouses work better. It also helps us labour less and
stop erosion while providing real-time data for quick services. Also, smart storage gives live
updates. It makes manual work better and uses machines to the fullest, which is tough in
common warehouses. Smart warehousing relies on Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of
Things and robotics to handle various tasks in a warehouse.

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A functional view of SWMS

Figure 1: Functional view of SWMS

Source: Khan et al. (2022)
The above figure showcases the functional viewpoint of smart warehouse management
systems. The interfaces defined are the hardware and software where one particular block
indicates a functional dimension, and the arrows indicate the interfacing with another
functional dimension.

Explain the functional view

According to van Dinter, Tekinerdogan, and Catal (2021), the functional viewpoint highlights
the roles and interactions of key system dimensions, which ensures smooth functionality and
transparent comprehension of their roles and duties. In addition, information systems
emphasise departments working together or parallelly with each department's assigned
tasks based on interfaces. The functional view plays a crucial role in encompassing
functional elements, interfaces, connectors, and entities, which explain their functions and
scope.

3 Literature review of Adoption challenges

A smart warehouse management system utilises automation technologies like robotics

AMRs, IOT, digital twins, and 5G to enhance efficiency and productivity. This integration
provides various benefits to organisations, such as reducing error and human labour, and
provides real-time updates. However, there are some significant challenges faced by small-

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medium manufacturing organisations during adoption. Ghobakhloo and Ching (2019) have
stated that the cost of common IDT tools for small businesses has decreased a lot in recent
years. Also, these basic tools are not giving big companies better competition any more.
SMWS helps to make factories work better by using the latest tools and data. These include
IDT, advanced analysis of information such as ERP (Planning Enterprise Resources), AI,
sensors in industry places like plants or factories AVR and storing it on clouds for use later.
However, the big changes in making things and creating value from the fourth industrial
revolution are hard tasks for factories. This requires these companies to create plans about
getting digital so they can change how smart production works next. Small companies in
places like Brazil and Iran are starting to use modern IDT technologies such as smart ERP,
computer-aided design, and factory automation. This helps them stay competitive during
Industry 4.0 times. Hao et al. (2020) have stated that The logistics industry has experienced
rapid economic development, with e-commerce transactions increasing from 5416 million
yuan in 2011 to 9534 million yuan in 2018, and the industry is moving towards automation
for human benefit. Warehousing is crucial for supply chain efficiency and has grown rapidly,
with logistics costs in the US and Japan accounting for 8% and 11% of GDP, respectively.
To meet customer demands, firms must manage various storage systems. However,
warehouse utilisation is shifting towards a sustainable model, focusing on energy
conservation and emission reduction. This shift is driven by the need to reduce pollution and
promote economic efficiency. In the express industry, speed and accuracy are crucial for
warehouse system applications. Optimising warehouse ground area utilisation rate is crucial
for efficient use, scale improvement, and cost reduction, often using AWS. Companies must
invest in green technology and energy efficiency to address environmental concerns, with
AWS systems emerging as a global, high-quality, and efficient green technology with
reduced pollution. According to Mahroof (2019), AI challenges arise from a lack of
operational management skills and mindset, while opportunities arise from existing IT
infrastructure and pre-existing AI exposure. The significant factors affecting the adoption of
new green technology, specifically AWS, in logistics firms, which require manual storage and
retrieval using forklifts or cranes, highlight the challenges firms face in adopting these
technologies.

3.1 Methodology used

How did papers search

The present research has followed a secondary data collection, which primarily focuses on
collecting past information that has already been collected in the past. The papers have
been collected from credential sources such as Google Scholar, articles, journals, libraries,

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and websites. The researcher has extracted relevant information from various authors and
presented it in the literature review section in a more detailed manner. In addition, the study
has followed the SLR method to provide a comprehensive view of the topic. Van Dinter,
Tekinerdogan and Catal (2021) have stated that a Systematic Literature Review or SLR is
used in research. This method helps find and study important books related to different
topics. It aims to understand current studies better so conclusions can be made using them
all together at the end of this step-by-step process, carefully called literature reviewing
systematically. An SLR shows how research is going and finds what's missing. It helps with
study tasks! It uses a proper way to reduce mistakes and make it more trustworthy. The
search is done using computers and looking things up personally, trying to give a complete
look at what you want to study. The biggest reason to use a systematic review as the study
method for "What problems do small and medium manufacturing businesses face when
adopting smart warehouse management systems?" is that it's a good way to gather all the
latest information from secondary sources. In this case, the experiences of small businesses
that used SWMS might have faced a difficult problem. It is certainly very studied by many
people. Experts can do a proper review to give an honest and complete look at the proofs.
They carefully search, pick out and examine books or papers on this subject (Mengist et al.,
2020).

Criteria for inclusion and exclusion

Deciding who can and cannot be part of a study is very important for making detailed
research plans. The important features of the people in the study that researchers will use to
answer their question are called inclusion criteria (Mohamed Shaffril et al. 2021). A study's
rules about who can or cannot join help decide which people in the target group are allowed
and not allowed to take part. These, all together called rules for being able to join a study,
are very important when choosing who will take part. It's very important to decide who can
and cannot join a study when planning full research work. Scientists look at people's
qualities to answer their studies. These are called inclusion criteria (Hegarty et al., 2020).
The guidelines for a study's conditions help figure out if someone can join in or not. These
people are who the work is being done for. These needs are known as qualification rules,
and they play a big part in getting people to learn. Common rules for being part of something
often include things like people's age and the place they live. Exclusion rules are the things
about possible study people who meet the acceptance criteria but have extra parts that
could affect their involvement and make a bad outcome more likely (Karanatsios et al.,
2020). Exclusion rules keep out people who fit in but have extra features that may make it
harder to get good results or raise their chance of getting bad outcomes. These rules can
take into account things such as lack of further checks, bad information quality, other

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illnesses or being more easily affected by negative happenings. Inclusion rules say what's
needed to be part of a study, while removal guidelines state things that would automatically
stop someone from being involved.

Inclusion Exclusion

The researcher has focused on finding The researcher has avoided articles that
articles published on the adoption did not focus on traditional warehouse
challenges of the Smart Warehousing management.
Management system

The researcher has investigated the The present research study is not
challenges and difficulties encountered by concerned with MNCs.
small and medium enterprises

The articles contained herein were Articles published before 2017 and
published between the years 2018 and those that are not in English.
2023, predominantly in the English
language.

3.2.1 Results

The academic journals incorporated for conducting the present study are expressed by
tabular representation in the following section of the research. Quite a few papers were
published per year. Among the shortlisted papers three papers were published in 2021
whereas two papers were published in 2020. The papers were published in various journals
based on their relevance in addressing diverse issues. Firstly, Mahroof (2019) was published
in the International Journal of Information Management. Next, Akram et al. (2020), was
published in the Security and Privacy Journal. Again, Shao et al. (2021), were published in
the Journal of Technological Forecasting and social change. Furthermore, Mittal et al.
(2020), was published in the International Journal of Production Research. Moreover,
Khalifa, Abd Elghany, and Abd Elghany (2021) published in the Journal of Cogent Business
and Management, whereas Vukićević et al. (2021) published in the Journal of Advances in
Production Engineering and Management.

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3.2.2 Findings

Authors Description Challenges

Mahroof (2019) The paper has discussed The paper has shed light on
the degree of readiness the barriers and
required for the prerequisites of the
implementation of smart application of smart
warehouses. The factors warehouse management
necessary for applying systems. The challenge thus
smart warehouse identified is artificial
management are addressed intelligence.
from a human-centric
perspective.

Akram et al. (2020) The paper has addressed The primary challenge
the adoption of blockchain identified is that small and
technology in various medium enterprises do not
sectors like warehouses. have the necessary
expertise and technological
proficiency to apply
blockchain technology for
smart warehouse
management systems.

Shao et al. (2021) This paper has discussed The primary challenge
the multistage detected is the need to
implementation framework upgrade the supply chain
for implementing smart processes of SMEs to
supply chain management industry 4.0 features to yield
under Industry 4.0. The the benefits of smart
multi-stages involve warehouses.
interlinkages with
warehouses.

Mittal et al. (2020) The paper has evaluated the The shortcomings detected
smart manufacturing options in the paper include the

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 available for SMEs. struggle of SMEs to develop
smart manufacturing and
warehousing based on
quality, flexibility, time, and
cost.

Khalifa, Abd Elghany and The paper has explored the The key challenges detected
Abd Elghany (2021) digitalisation transformation are the low wage rates,
practices in supply chain insufficient labour skills, and
management related to financial resources, which
developing countries like impede the adoption of
Egypt. The paper also smart warehouse
provides fresh perspectives management by SMEs in
on logistics and warehouse developing nations.
management complemented
by AI for productivity
improvements.

Vukićević et al. (2021) The paper addressed the The key challenge
smart warehouse investigated in the paper is
management issue for pallet the adoption of QR codes by
management with the SMEs for implementing
Internet of Things and smart warehousing
machine vision. In this techniques, which are the
context, the use of QR cornerstone of developing
codes is essential for smart economies.
warehouses for pallets.

4 Discussion

Firstly, Mahroof (2019) has discussed the barriers to the implementation of smart warehouse
management systems due to the difficulties originating from the complexities of artificial
intelligence. The authors have found that the unprecedented emergence of technological
development in different countries has necessitated the upgrading of warehouse functions
from manual to automated. Such technological advancements are found to have profound
impacts on commercial processes across organisations. Logistics and warehouse
management systems can also leverage AI to boost their productivity and efficiency.
However, attention is mostly given to performance, technology use, and design of

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warehouses. As such, the determinants of adopting AI in warehouses are overlooked, which
involves the technological skills and mentality of managers of SMEs to adopt IT-based
warehouse management systems. On the other hand, Akram et al. (2020) discussed the
implementation of blockchain technology in various aspects of supply chain processes such
as logistics and warehouses. In this context, the challenge highlighted by the authors is the
lack of preparedness of SMEs to effectively implement blockchain technology for warehouse
and logistics purposes. The shortage of skills and poor financial capital of SMEs are found to
be binding on effectively adopting smart warehouse management systems. Next, Shao et al.
(2021) investigated the multistage implementation framework for the adoption of smart
supply chain management. In this context, the authors have found that the optimisation of
the supply chain is possible with the implementation of various IT-based infrastructures
along with their interlinkages with logistics support. The challenge thus detected by the
authors is the need for SMEs to upgrade their supply chain activities, including logistics and
warehouses, to Industry 4.0 to reap the benefits of automation and digitisation. Therefore,
the challenge involved in the adoption of a smart warehouse management system for SMEs
is the lack of financial resources and technological capabilities to upgrade their supply
chains. This was supported by Mittal et al. (2020), who investigated smart manufacturing
options as a revolutionary paradigm for SMEs to improve their flexibility, quality, time, and
human resource management capabilities. The smart manufacturing options are also
integrated closely with the use of warehouses where SMEs face a shortage of flexibility in
adopting smart warehouse management systems. However, Khalifa, Abd Elghany, and Abd
Elghany (2021) have commented that the key challenges in the adoption of smart
warehouse management systems as prevalent in SMEs operating in developing nations
include inadequate technological skills of workers and poor financial resources. In this
context, the authors have primarily focused on the SMEs operating in Egypt, which is a
developing country, and their struggles in the sound adoption of smart warehouse
management systems. The lack of investments in human capital for technical proficiency has
rendered the workers employed in the SMEs of Egypt incompatible with the adoption of
smart warehouse management systems. Moreover, Vukićević et al. (2021) investigated the
issue of smart warehouse management systems for the pallets where QR codes are utilised
for automated in-house management of pallets in warehouses. The use of QR codes is thus
found to be an unprecedented innovation for the implementation of smart warehouse
management systems.

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5 Conclusion

In conclusion, smart warehouses are a combination of automation technologies, similar to

smart homes, that automate warehousing operations using robots, AMRs, IoT, digital twins,
and 5G. This technology enhances efficiency and productivity, reduces human labour,
minimises eros, and provides real-time updates. It relies on Artificial Intelligence, the Internet
of Things, and robotics to manage various warehouse operations. Examples of smart
warehouses include Amazon's Kiva Robots, DHL's IoT technology, and Albaba's Cainiao
Smart Logistics Network. The functional view of smart warehouse management systems
highlights the roles and interactions of key system dimensions, ensuring smooth functionality
and transparent comprehension of their roles and duties.

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