A state-of-the-art classification and review of parameters that affect the design, control, and operating strategies of order-picking systems

The order-picking process has a significant impact on both the overall logistics costs as well as the customer service level, and as a result, is characterized as one of the highest priority warehouse activities for productivity and performance improvements. Although various existing studies focus on the design of order-picking systems as well as on a series of decision-making problems, there is still a need for a holistic framework that will map and categorize the parameters (e.g. total/forward area design, order-picking equipment, storage assignment policies, level of picking locations, order picking technologies, resource planning characteristics, order picking operational policies, routing strategies, product characteristics, order profile, etc.) that should be considered by researchers and practitioners for the design, control, and evaluation of order picking systems. To this end, the aim of this paper is to provide a state-of-the-art classification and review of parameters by adopting the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach. Overall, 389 articles were reviewed, and the identified parameters are classified into three categories: order-picking system design, order-picking system control, and order-picking system evaluation. Furthermore, this literature review aims to present managerial implications that directly affect the successful design of order-picking systems and identify a future research agenda.