In-plant logistics simulation model for the catering service industry towards sustainable development: A case study

Carman K.M. Lee, Shuzhu Zhang (Corresponding Author), Kam K.H. Ng

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

An increasing number of people are conscious of the environmental awareness in various industries, particularly in city areas. It is now a popular trend for the urban catering service industry to outsource its labor-intensive activities, such as dishwashing, to a central dishwashing facility, in which labor force management and optimization are essential. Moreover, the increasing labor cost and fluctuating labor supply drive the increasing need for labor force optimization. This research develops an in-plant logistics simulation model for a central dishwashing facility with the purpose of improving its labor force utilization rate. A discrete event simulation model is established to simulate the tableware washing process, and this model is employed in a one-stop environmentally hygienic dishwashing service provider for trial implementation. The simulation result has been compared with actual situations, identifies the main bottlenecks of the tableware washing process, optimizes the utilization rate of the labor force, and further helps to improve the productivity.

Original languageEnglish
Article number3655
JournalSustainability (Switzerland)
Volume11
Issue number13
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Jul 2019

Keywords

  • Catering service industry
  • Discrete event simulation
  • Dishwashing service
  • Labor force optimization
  • Sustainability

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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