1.1 SUPPLY CHAIN IMBALANCES
Despite all of the initiatives in e-commerce, supply chain integration, effi
cient consumer response, quick response, and just-in-time delivery, the sup
ply chain connecting manufacturing with end consumers will never be so
well coordinated that warehousing will be completely eliminated. However,
as these initiatives take hold, the role and mission of warehouse operations
are changing and will continue to change dramatically. This book holds up
flexibility as the key to success in warehousing and describes how to
increase the flexibility of warehouse operations through process design, sys
tem selection and justification, and layout configuration.