Introduce the warehouse, its purpose, and its mission Provide a general profile of the warehouse operation: Where is it located? How long has it bee

Final Research Paper

You are to do a comprehensive study of a commercial warehouse operation.  Then, prepare a complete

analysis of the warehouse and write a final report on it.   Keep in mind, this is a graduate level

assignment (valued at 20% of your final grade), and it should be treated as such.  The report should be

organized and formatted as follows:   

You should have a separate title page showing:  the name of the warehouse (you may use a fictitious

name if you choose to), the name of the class (Warehouse Management, SCM 6325), your name, and

the date of submission (10 points).

You are to include the following (capitalized) headings (INTRODUCTION, ANALYSIS, CONCLUSIONS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS, FUTURE OF THIS WAREHOUSE OPERATION) in order to give your research paper

structure and organization (10 points).  You may include subheadings of your choosing under each:

Warehouse Topic – Amazon fulfillment center with robotics.

https://www.amazonfutureengineer.com/fctours

 INTRODUCTION (2 pgs)

Introduce the warehouse, its purpose, and its mission.  Provide a general profile of the warehouse

operation:  Where is it located?  How long has it been in operation?   How did it originate?  How big is

the warehouse?   Give an approximation of the volume of activity handled by the warehouse.  Give a

general description of the types of products it handles.  Describe any growth it has experienced over its

duration.  How many people does it employ (permanent, part time, contract)?   Give a general profile of

the warehouse manager, i.e. experience in warehousing, how long in the position of warehouse

manager?

You may use subheadings of your choice under this required heading. 

(One to two pages for the INTRODUCTION is recommended, more if necessary. Avoid opinions and

recommendations.)

ANALYSIS (min 5pgs)

Role of the Warehouse

Describe and identify the categories of product it handles.  Who are some of its primary customers?  

Give an approximate value of inventory on hand at any point in time.   Provide an approximation of daily

receipts of inventory and daily shipments.  Describe how this warehouse operation adds value to the

customers it supports, and what its role is in the supply chain of its customers.

You may use subheadings of your choice under this required heading. 

(1/2 to one page for the role of the warehouse is recommended, more if necessary. Avoid opinions and

recommendations.)

Warehouse Processes

Describe the warehouse processes of receiving, put-away, pick and pick preparation and associated

strategies, replenishment, and dispatch.   Critique the processes.

You may use subheadings of your choice under this required heading. 

(1/2 to one page for warehouse processes is recommended, more if necessary. Avoid opinions and

recommendations.)

Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)

Describe the warehouse management systems to include inventory management and control.   Who has

responsibility for WMS?  How effective is it?  How often is it upgraded?  Does it fit the needs of the

warehouse?  What part of it is manual and what part of it is automated?   Critique the WMS.

You may use subheadings of your choice under this required heading. 

(1/2 one page for the WMS is recommended, more if necessary. Avoid opinions and recommendations.)

Warehouse Layout and Materials Storage Equipment 

Describe the rack and storage configuration, along with types of racks, height and weight capacity. 

 Critique.

You may use subheadings of your choice under this required heading.   Critique. (1/2 one page for the

warehouse layout and materials storage equipment (MSE)  is recommended, more if necessary. Avoid

opinions and recommendations.)

Materials Handling and Equipment (MHE)

Describe the types of MHE used by this warehouse, i.e. forklifts, pallet jacks, selecting carts, conveyors,

etc.   How much of it is coordinated with automated handling of inventory, such as automated storage,

put-away, and retrieval systems?   Critique

You may use subheadings of your choice under this required heading. 

(1/2 one page for the MHE is recommended, more if necessary. Avoid opinions and recommendations.)

Cost Structure

Describe the cost structure of this warehouse operation if available.  Look at fixed and variable costs.   

Note: Some warehouse operators/managers may not be willing to share cost information.  If that be the

case, then simply state: “Not Available.”

You may use subheadings of your choice under this required heading. 

(1/2 one page for the cost structure is recommended, more if necessary. Avoid opinions and

recommendations.)

 Health and Safety

What is the health and safety record of this warehouse operation?  How many accidents have occurred

over the past 5 years?   What are some of the things they do to ensure health and safety of their

employees and others associated with the warehouse?

You may use subheadings of your choice under this required heading. 

(1 page for the health and safety is recommended, more if necessary. Avoid opinions and

recommendations.)

Human Resources

Describe how human resources are handled.  Who does it?  Where is it done?   To what extent does this

warehouse employ part time and contract workers?

You may use subheadings of your choice under this required heading.  (1/2 one page for the human

resources is recommended, more if necessary. Avoid opinions and recommendations.)

Outsourcing

Is any portion or all of this warehouse operation outsourced?  If so, how much?  Why has this

warehouse opted for outsourcing?  Has outsourcing improved the performance and cost structure of the

warehouse operation?  Are they considering more outsourcing?

Note: If there is no outsourcing in this warehouse operation, simply state: “This warehouse does not

outsource.”

You may use subheadings of your choice under this required heading. 

(1 page for the outsourcing is recommended, more if necessary. Avoid opinions and recommendations.)

Warehouse and the Environment

Describe this warehouse and its environment.  Does its location fit with the environment?  What do they

do to co-exist amicable with their community?   Do they handle any hazardous materials?  If so, how are

these handled?   Where and how is hazardous waste and trash disposed of?   How do they protect

employees from hazardous waste and toxic products?  

You may use subheadings of your choice under this required heading. 

(1 page for the warehouse and the environment is recommended, more if necessary. Avoid opinions and

recommendations.)

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (1 pg)

Conclusions

This portion of your research paper are your Conclusions.  Summarize in concise terms facts and

opinions related to this warehouse operation.   What are they doing well?   What could they do better? 

What are some of their strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats?   Interject thoughts,

opinions, and observations to strengthen your conclusions about the effectiveness overall warehouse

operation.  (4 to 6 paragraphs should be sufficient for this portion of your paper.)

Recommendations

Offer 4 to 6 major recommendations for this warehouse operation based on your Analysis and your

Conclusions.  Number each recommendation and state it.  Then, follow each recommendation up with a

concise paragraph (or two) to explain and justify it. 

FUTURE OF THIS WAREHOUSE OPERATION (2 pgs)

From your findings in this study – based on your Analysis and Conclusions and Recommendations, what

do you see as the future of this warehouse?   What do you see of its potential?  Where do you see it

going over the next 5 to 10 years, and what is it going to take to get there?  (1 to 2 pages)

REFERENCES

References are required, i.e. the textbook, lectures, the Internet, and other sources (10 points).   Utilize

APA style and format.  

Note: Failure to follow this format will result in a loss of 10 points from the final grade of the

assignment.   Failure to follow this format will likely result in a disorganized paper, which could result in

further loss of points. 

See the Course Assignments Schedule for the due date of this final research paper. Late submission of

papers will result in a grade of 0.

      *Rubric for Written Assignments

Standard Full Credit Partial Credit No Credit

Knowledge of the issue

(30%)

Full understanding of

the issue (20-30)

Partial understanding of

the issue (10-20)

No understanding of

the issue (0-10)

Integration of material

(50%)

Full integration (35-

50)

Partial integration (20-

35)

Little to no integration

(0-20)

Format (10%) Followed format

instructions (7-10)

Partial following

format instructions (4-

7)

Did not follow format

instruction (0-4)

Organization, grammar,

spelling (10%)

No errors (7-10) Moderate errors (4-7) Unacceptable errors (0-

4)