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The article discusses key interventions for Data warehouse success. In the 1990s, in the U.S. adaptive structuration theory (AST) was developed to understand conflicting results related to warehouse success. This theory analyzes the technological and contextual aspects of the application of a technology, focusing on their interactions. AST recognizes that both the features of a technology and the context in which it is implemented affect the use of that technology. AST states that the structured use of a technology makes it easier to develop a consensus among the users about how the innovation should be used and the appropriateness of that use. Ambiguity about use of the technology diminishes the comfort of the users with the technology. Data warehouses are generally designed around one of two plans. Some data warehouses are designed with a set of data marts that partition the data warehouse into smaller, focused databases tailored to the information needs of a subset of users. Business units that accessed their data through data marts were usually more successful than units that accessed it through a single repository

The article introduces Voxware Inc.'s VoiceLogistics, a voice-directed handling software. VoiceLogistics has directives that fill a warehouse employee's work shift such as order picking, batch picking and cage management. Benefits of VoiceLogistics together with U.S. Foodservice Inc.'s annual business strategy incorporate five goals including growth on profitable sales, improved gross profit, controlled operating expense, improved working capital, and organizational effectiveness.

Highlights the significance of automated material handling equipment in the entertainment industry. Use of automated storage and retrieval machines in the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration building; Background on the radio frequency identification technology being used by the main library in Aarhus, Denmark; Automation of order processing of computer games manufacturer Acclaim Entertainment Inc.; Advantages of non-contact power supply systems developed by Toyota Material Handling Co. INSET: Fleeting Fame and Material Handling.

The article offers news briefs related to developments in the shipping and dealership industry in the U.S. In New York, railroad companies have introduced a comprehensive store-door delivery plan, which would be handled by the Railway Express Agency. Bird-Sykes Co., car distributor of Graham-Paige Motor Corp., has implemented a servicing plan to vehicles purchased on the first year of operation. Sears Roebuck & Co. and Muncie Gear Co. have offered freewheeling device for Model A Ford cars.

The article focuses on how the online shoe store Zappos.com Inc. operates its business particularly its logistics and online fulfillment system. According to Zappos chief executive officer (CEO) Tony Hsieh, they were able to serve their customers in the U.S. in one- or two-day delivery with the help of United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS). It says that the company shipped their products in ocean containers and uses a carousel system which can pick 235 orders of shoes per hour.

The article considers the use of computer-assisted ordering (CAO) by U.S. and European retailers. Despite the pioneering efforts of such retailers as Shaw's, Price Chopper and a few others, U.S. retailers have largely resisted systems that automate the store ordering process. In Europe, retailers have taken the opposite approach, adopting CAO systems provided by such technology vendors as SAP, SAF and Aldata. INSET: Upgrading Handhelds.

The article reports on the measures taken by the U.S. grocery industry to reduce the cost lost to damaged unsaleable products. The cost of such products was reduced by $50 million between 2003 and 2004, according to the "2005 Unsaleables Benchmark Report," sponsored by the Joint Industry Unsaleables Committee. H. J. Heinz Co. conducts audits of its internal and external handling process to identify the causes of product damage. Dunkin Donuts has installed a voice picking technology from Voxware to improve picking accountancies and reduce product damage.

Discusses the impact of the voice-based workflow system on bar code used in food retailing warehouses in the U.S. Support provided by Ken Ackerman of K.B. Ackerman to voice-based warehousing technology; Aplications of voice-directed system in product-picking out of warehouse storage stations; Factor that contributed to the adoption of voice systems; Details of retail stores that are using voice technology; Advantages of voice technology to retailers. INSET: Can Voice Partner With RFID?.

Describes Needham, Massachusetts-based online educational store Smarterkids.com's electronic business logistics solution. Deployment of bar code scanners, data collection terminals, Windows NT operating system, and radio frequency (RF) network in order fulfillment; Benefits include labor savings and ease in handling fluctuations in product demand.

The article highlights the supply chain trends and challenges facing the beverage distributors in the U.S. It mentions the key challenge in beverage distribution focuses on stock keeping unit (SKU) proliferation and inventory control. It describes the difficulty experienced by workers during beverage picking process. The issue of whether to automate or not the case picking and palletizing systems is also provided. INSETS: Winemaker boosts productivity with dry running bottling-line;Automated palletizing gives bottled water company a clear.

The article focuses on the implementation of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems in the U.S. According to advocates, shifting from paper-based to electronic order could eliminate errors that is caused by illegible handwriting. However, it is noted that making such shift could pose challenges to hospitals. Tips for hospitals on how to efficiently shift to CPOE are offered. The CPOE efforts of some hospitals are also explored. INSETS: Identifying best practices;Consultants offer CPOE warnings.

A directory of merchandise order processing agencies in the U.S. and Canada is presented including PacNet Services Ltd in Vancouver, Canada, Dydacomp in Totowa, New Jersey, and Avexxis Corporation in Avon, Connecticut.

The article provides facts and practices relevant to the use of warehouse management systems. Less than 30 percent of warehouses are efficient, according to "Benchmarking Warehouse Performance, " a study by the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. To resolve such problems companies can use the aid of consultants to provide unbiased evaluation of company processes and potential vendors.

The article focuses on the shortage problem faced by defense companies in the U.S. to supply the needs of the Defense Department resulting from the war in Vietnam. It relates on the 120 requests a week for supplies of various items such as copper products and aluminum extrusions to fulfill contracts. It says that Pentagon orders are increasing and that defense industries have to set priority orders. Meanwhile, it mentions that civilian sectors are not likely to get extended priority orders.

Details the automation of Washington State Liquor Control Board's distribution center in Seattle, Washington in 2002. Information on the automated order picking system used; Components of the buffer storage systems; Materials handling solution applied. INSET: Create a baseline andimprove the audit trail.

The article provides information on the criteria for the excellence in branded partnership programs awards and its recipients in the U.S. The author stated the award requires frozen food vendors to have practiced disciplined execution on order processing and logistics. In addition, it requires vendors to provide customized useful tactics and strategies on pricing and promotion. Moreover, it also requires vendors to have no surprises towards its retailers and must not hide information.

The article focuses on the demand forecasting by U.S. grocers that are adopting the omnichannel approach in marketing. Topics mentioned include the percentage of grocers that adopt a fully integrated strategy based on the annual report by "Progressive Grocer" magazine, the daily fluctuation of demand due to shelf life and product availability, and the need to optimize the workforce in order picking.

The article announces the completion of the full integration of the sophisticated order entry and tracking web portal of CryoPort Inc. with DHL's ordering and billing systems in the U.S. It mentions that the CryoPort Express Dry Shipper solution allows customers of DHL to order directly from CryoPort in which they receive DHL shipping rates. It also notes the effectiveness of the ordering and billing systems of CryoPort to offer speed and convenience as what their customers tell them.

Reports on the plan of HR Spinner Corp. to open a distribution facility in Wenatchee, Washington. Distribution of packaging materials by the company; Corporate history; Location of its facility.

Features various products in for engineers in industrial engineering in the U.S. Product description of the EasyPick system developed by FKI Logistex; Distinct features of ECE 20 horizontal order picker developed by Jungheinrich AG; Design of the Back Office case developed by HigherGround Inc.

Reports on the development of an order fulfillment system by U.S.-based clothing company, Levi Strauss & Co. Enhancement of the company's customer service centers that will provide a final verification process for outbound shipments; Use of a fixed-mount, self-contained visible laser diode bar code scanner for outbound shipments; Benefits from the improved accuracy of orders.

Focuses on the logistics department of the pharmaceutical firm Pfizer Inc. Success in moving more than 9,000 shipments of Viagra to retail outlets in the United States; Recipient of the DIANA Award from the National Wholesale Druggists' Association; Order-fulfillment mezzanines of the site in Memphis, Tennessee; Utilization of logistics technology in the transportation operation.

Reports that member libraries of the Universal Serials and Book Exchange in the U.S. have been able to order periodical issues through the DIALOG DIALORDER system from December 1, 1983.

The article reports on the purchase of HyperWare Inc.'s BoxPro estimating and order entry system by Grand Praire, Texas-based Jim Dandy Boxes Inc. in the U.S. It states that the system is fully integrated with ACCPAC's Accounting Suite and offers an affordable Windows based business solution for corrugated box plants and brokers. Information about BoxPro can be sought at 215-639-9540.

The article discusses the latest warehouse aisle designs applied in the U.S. The fundamental processes of a unit load warehouse are to receive goods, store them and then retrieve them from storage and load them for shipment. Just recently, all known warehouses stuck to two design rules, all rows of storage and the aisles between them must be parallel to one another. Designer Kevin Gue present an optimization-based model for two new layouts for unit load warehouses.

The author compares store operations in Europe and in the U.S. He claims that only a handful of U.S. retailers have made a commitment to computer-assisted ordering (CAO), but CAO is practically de rigueur in Europe. He believes that U.S. retailers have as much reason to automate store ordering as Europeans. He emphasizes that there is no reason for U.S. retailers to lag behind Europe when it comes to tracing or ordering products.

Presents news briefs on the U.S. government as of September 5, 2005. Resignation of Department of Defense Inspector General Joseph Schmitz; Purpose of the smart cards to be issued by the Homeland Security Department to responders of emergency scenes; Information on the electronic ordering system for drug stores and other businesses launched by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Agencies that will join forces to recruit lawyers interested in civil rights or labor and employment law.

Highlights the Controlled Substance Ordering System, developed by PEC Solutions Inc. to replace paper-based order forms by electronic transactions in the pharmaceutical industry in the U.S. End to a time-consuming and expensive process using the Drug Enforcement Administration's Form 222; Issuance of digital certificates to individuals at pharmacies or distributors who are certified to order schedule II drugs; Requirement of technology investments throughout the industry.

Reports on the plan of beauty salon products distributor Maly's of California in Valencia to open a distribution center in Utah as of August 22, 2004. Expected date of the opening of the distribution center; Background on the distributor; Reason behind the formation of the corporation Five State Maly's.

Reports on the result of the rollout of an in-store ordering system for warehouse products, including support for the Sunrise deadline, by Certified Grocers Midwest in Illinois on January 1, 2005. Sale of Symbol PDT 6100 Portable Laser Terminals by Heartland Computers to Certified; Information on Symbol PDT 6100 Portable Laser Terminals.

Presents the complaint of a customer in ordering a cellular phone from Sprint PCS in Colorado. Problems encountered in making the transaction through the Web site of Sprint; Cause to the duplicate charges for the order; Response of the company to the complaint.

The article reports on the move of case goods importers to rely on domestic warehouses in the U.S. It states that the move is made because domestic warehouses help serve those small and mid-sized dealers who do not want to order full or mixed containers. Ed Grund, chief executive officer of A .R. T. Furniture, infers that he is hoping that the container-direct and the domestic warehouse strategy would continue to help his company build its business with accounts of all sizes.

The article offers various information related to ophthalmology in the U.S. Carl Zeiss Meditec launched the online coherence tomography resource Eye On OCT. Haag-Streit USA released the Lenstar LS 900 optical biometer which has a precision of Optical Low-Coherence Reflectometry. Abbott Medical Optics Inc. introduced its online ordering service called AMOeasy site for cataract customers.

The article discusses the automation trends in the aggregate industry based on the 2007 Critical Trends in the U.S. Aggregate Industry survey. Four percent of respondents cite billing and order processing as the type of automation they are investing in. There was a decline in the percentage of business that reported investing in plant control. The survey showed an increase in investing in all types of technology from 39% to 55%.

The article reports on the installation of an automatic order processing system utilizing bar code integration by Cornerstone Automation Systems Inc. at Goody Goody Liquor in the U.S. All order processing and tax stamp labeling at the liquor distributor was performed by hand prior to the installation of the automated system. The system uses tabletop chain conveyors, eight Datalogic Matrix 2000 fixed-position bar code scanners, an ST-600 label applicator, a Rockwell programmable logic controller conveyor control, and the SolidCount software.

The article discusses the job opportunities stock clerks and order filler in the U.S. Stock clerks and order fillers receive, unpack, check, store and track merchandise or materials. They keep records of items entering or leaving the stockroom and inspect damaged or spoiled goods. They sort, organize and mark items with identifying codes such as price, stock or inventory control codes so that inventories can be located quickly and easily.

This article focuses on the implementation of computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems in the pharmaceutical industry in the U.S. Despite studies that demonstrate how the technology reduces medical errors, only 4.2 percent of hospitals nationwide have implemented CPOE systems. The hospitals that have tried the technology said that the investment paid off in delivering safer health care. Published studies have credited the systems with reducing medication errors by as much as 81 percent. But there are still no research studies documenting how the systems actually reduce adverse drug events and impact patient safety.

The article focuses on the introduction of computerized provider order entry system (CPOE), which will replace practice protocol system in the medical care industry of the United States. Physicians using CPOE begin to understand how they can provide care in a whole new way. Brian Jacobs, director of technology and patient safety at Cincinnati Children's Hospital describes this system as very efficient and useful. Medication errors are down 35%. That's partly because illegible handwritten orders have been replaced by electronic orders that are automatically sent to the pharmacy, radiology and lab.

Reports concerns over excess vehicle inventory of General Motors Corp. in Detroit, Michigan. Details on the vehicle ordering system of the company; Factors contributing to low vehicle sales; Decision of the company to provide incentives for dealers.

Examines the business opportunity sought by Hewlett-Packard Co. in selling its HP 3000 minicomputer to mail-order companies as an order- fulfillment system. HP's own undertaking of overhaul in order-fulfillment processes; Uptime capability of HP 3000; Sturdiness of operation; Hardware characteristics desired by mail-order users.

The article offers an insight on the issues that affect the automobile collision industry in the U.S. It concentrates on the contention of collision repairers on the State Farm electronic parts ordering application and the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) meeting. It points out that the industry may continue to suffer for many years without the State Farm program. It adds that any carrier need not to manage the business of shops if majority of the latter operate at high level.

The article offers information on the primary distributor relationship maintained by food service operators, while purchasing products from a single distributor in the U.S. It mentions that pricing is an important influencer, while choosing a primary distributor. It mentions that online ordering and tracking are the part of distributor service.