In-Plant Logistics Simulation Model for the Catering Service Industry Towards Sustainable Development: A Case Study

Carman K.M. Lee, Shuzhu Zhang and Kam K.H. Ng
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Carman K.M. Lee: Department of Industrial Engineering, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Shuzhu Zhang: Department of Information Management and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Finance & Economics, Hangzhou 310018, China
Kam K.H. Ng: Department of Industrial Engineering, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 13, 1-11

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.

Keywords: catering service industry; dishwashing service; discrete event simulation; labor force optimization; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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