What the study found
The study found that automated warehousing systems were rated higher than manpower-based systems for productivity, safety, and long-term operating expenses. Manual systems were described as better for flexibility and lower initial investment.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that the findings offer practical insight for managers who are evaluating warehouse automation strategies. The study also suggests that combining multiple fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making methods and sensitivity analysis can strengthen the robustness of decision outcomes.
What the researchers tested
The researchers applied an integrated fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making framework, which uses fuzzy logic to compare options under uncertainty across several criteria. They combined Fuzzy EDAS, Fuzzy TOPSIS, Fuzzy AHP, and Fuzzy VIKOR, and added sensitivity analysis for Fuzzy EDAS and Fuzzy VIKOR. They evaluated automated and manpower-based warehousing systems using six criteria: productivity, safety, flexibility, initial investment, annual expense, and error rate.
What worked and what didn't
Across the evaluation, automated warehousing systems consistently outperformed manpower-based alternatives on productivity, safety, and long-term operating costs. Manual systems retained advantages in flexibility and lower initial investment. The sensitivity analysis was used to test whether rankings changed when criterion weights were altered, and it was presented as supporting result credibility.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe the specific warehouse settings, sample size, or data sources used in the comparison. It also does not provide detailed ranking values or statistical measures beyond the reported consistency of the results.
Key points
- Automated warehousing systems ranked above manpower-based systems overall.
- Automation performed better for productivity, safety, and long-term operating expenses.
- Manual warehousing retained advantages in flexibility and lower initial investment.
- Four fuzzy decision-making methods were combined in one framework.
- Sensitivity analysis was applied to Fuzzy EDAS and Fuzzy VIKOR to test ranking robustness.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Automated warehousing ranked above manpower-based systems
- Authors:
- Servet SOYGUDER, Gürkan Galip Dinler
- Institutions:
- Ankara University, Ankara University
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-30
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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