CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Codification refers to the process of representing each item by a

number, the digits of which indicate the group, the subgroup, the type and the

dimension of the item. Nawerere (2019) asserts that, codification of products

or materials can be termed as the identification of products that deals with

uniquely identifying each item in the inventory. Nawerere (2019) defines

codification as the allocation of codes to all groups of items in the store for

easy control and tracking. According to Nawerere (2019) again, codification

of materials is step in maintaining stores in a systematic way, materials are

classified in such a way that storing, issuing and identifying products becomes

easy generally.

Cooper and Lambert (2015) defines warehousing function as

concerned with physical handling of raw materia1s and component parts until

they are used in production process. The warehouse is a part in logistic system

where a firm stores or holds raw materials, semi- finished goods or finished

goods for varying periods of time and García-Arca (2014) defines

warehousing as the storage of materials that is to say packaging, finished

goods and raw materials at different stages of supply chain. However John and

Bowen (2020) defines a warehouse as a facility that consolidate products to

reduce transportation costs, achieve economies of scale in manufacturing or in

purchasing or provide value added processes and shorten response time.

The process of codification involves activities like identifying of

materials, classifying and numbering of items Saeed and Kersten, (2019). This

is applicable to items that are repetitively used and stocked, the system aids

logistics processes, to include supply, purchasing, maintenance, warehousing,

transportation and planning. For the case of classification of materials involve

grouping of items according to predetermine criteria since large number of

items are regularly handled by warehouses and therefore their planning and

co-ordination need special attention.

(Volkonskaya, 2020) states that one of the prerequisites of codification

is to know the basic nature and characteristics of all materials used in an

enterprise, classify them in broad categories and then to group and sub-group

them in logical progression of kinds, type and size. Codification is an aspect of

store management in a way that products brought into stores are immediately

assigned system code for easy identification, this is necessary to avoid

problems of multiplicity of inappropriate or incorrect names assigned to

products. Codification enables organizations identify stock articles, materials

or merchandise and their reference, Similar codes are encountered daily in

many walks of life. Postal address codes, telephone numbers, credit card

symbols, card registration numbers for instance. Benyouce (2020) Also

Codification can be advantageous over plain language descriptions when the

population of people or things to be referred to becomes large, In small stores

with limited range of stock it could be better to use plain language descriptions
but as the range of stock increases there is increasing scope to save time and

avoid confusion by using stock codes. According to Alan (2008), codification

helps store manager in controlling materials or management of materials

highly depends on the system adopted for effective coding of materials stored.

Codification, in addition, enables organizations check stock more frequently, a

rolling inventory avoids a massive annual exercise but demands constant

attention throughout the year. (Vrat, 2014). Codification is important in a way

that it enables organizations to accurately plan safety stock, better gauge your

lead time targets and optimize the resources that organizations spend to

prevent production overtime, Aaron ( 2014).

Calvo (2020) explains the warehousing roles which include

consolidation, It means collecting smaller quantity of goods to form a larger

quantity in order to real use lower transportation rates by moving the less than

truckload (LTL) shipments relatively short distances to and from a warehouse.

Warehousing can allow a firm to consolidate smaller goods into a larger

quantity of goods with significant savings in transportation. Another major

usage of warehousing is to provide service to customers, having goods

available in warehouse when a customer places an order particularly if the

warehouse as in a reasonable proximity to the customer usually lease to

customer satisfaction.

Finally, warehousing usage is protection against contingencies such as

delays in transportation, vendor stock outs or strikes by truck.

Warehouses stock large inventories of raw materials to avoid production holds

ups due to shortage of raw materials. World Health Organization in Ghana do

carryout codification to classify diseases, (Opoku, 2020). It provides a

comprehensive coding system for diseases and health codification used on

death certificates, hospital and other vital recodes, for example, office of

National Statistics. (Johnson, 2023). Due to codes allocated on death

certificate the organization is in position to determine the death number. This

assists in evaluation process and also to determine the trend between the death

population and those still living. However much as the organization has

deployed the use of codes to determine death rate, the total population in the

country, it has failed to get updated data about death rates a thing that hinders

planning and brings about confusion in statistical data. (Wonodi, 2020).

1.2 Statement of the Problem.

Codification is the process by which all items of supply are identified,

classified and uniquely numbered in a uniform manner by giving the item its

unique character or differentiating the item from any other item of supply

Nawerere, (2019). Codification can help the company control its inventory by

reducing the amount of stock they have on hand and by increasing the

inventory turnover ratio. Usually inventory items are classified into three

categories by following the ABC approach. According to Moshood, (2021)

with codification, logistics departments accordingly make decisions based on

this data. Codification of materials are steps in maintaining stores in a

systematic way. That is to say, materials are classified in such a way that
storing, issuing and identifying of materials become easy. Codification enables

organizations in requesting items or the operational departments, in placing of

orders by the purchase department, in receiving and expediting the items on

receipt from the supplier, in having unique record of each of the items in stores

and in work-in-process or in warehouse so as to facilitate the control over the

loss, deterioration, obsolescence, non-movement system, Nambasa, (2014)

Mega Standard Supermarket is Ugandan supermarket that applies codification

in their business as they use it to track their products using electronic fiscal

devices which help them to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in their

warehouse.

Advantages of codification which has mainly affected Adum stores in

terms of theft where by most of products are being stolen from the shelves due

to failure in monitoring them, Kshetri, (2021), difficult in monitoring the

expiry dates on their products due to few technical personnel responsible.

Therefore, it is upon these study seek to assess the effects of codification on

warehousing efficiency using Adum Standard Supermarket as case study.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

Specifically, the study seeks the following:

1. To identify the types of code in use by stores at Adum

2. To examine computerize system, to keep tracking of their inventories.

3. To determine the effects of codification on warehousing efficiency.

1.4 Research Questions.

1. What are the types of codes in use?

2. What factors affect warehousing efficiency?

3. What is the relationship between codification and warehousing efficiency?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The scope of the study contains content scope, geographical scope and

time scope. The study was generally to investigate the effects of codification

on warehousing efficiency as it specifically establishes the activities of

codification, the factors affecting warehousing efficiency and the relationship

between codification and warehousing efficiency.

The study was conducted at Adum stores Kumasi in the Ashanti part of Ghana.

1.6 Limitation of the study

a) Internal Validity: The questions appropriateness and generalization the

topic will be validated through consultation with the supervisor. The study was

carried out in such a way that there is consistency between theory and practice.

This also was achieved through careful design of directions for measurements

with no variation from group to group.

b) External Validity: The researcher was also financially constrained due to

the amount of funds required to accomplish the research effectively, for

example, costs pertaining to transport, printing, photocopying and also

accessing data from different sources hence making data sourcing difficulty

C) Measurement issues: According to Mugenda (2003), reliability refers to

the measure of the degree to which research instruments yield consistent

results after repeated trials. A research is seen being reliable when it can be

used by a number of different researchers under stable conditions, with

consistent results and the results not varying, (Wallen 2003). In order to ensure

reliability to the study, the researcher will on arranged dates have face to face

with the supervisor in order to measure of internal consistency (i.e. coefficient

of reliability).

d) Statistical Problems: The researcher first seeked permission from respon-

dents before gathering data from them. During data collection the researcher

observed the following ethical considerations; voluntary participation, in-

formed consent and anonymity. The researcher also minded about treating the

respondents’ views with utmost confidentiality.

1.7 Organization of the study

The study will also guide other future researcher intending to carry out further

studies around this topic and as basis of literature review with the purpose of

compiling strong report. The study shall also provide strategies to all business

owners on how to deal with electronic sourcing for better organization

performance. The study findings will help to add on the body of existing
literature about the study variables and this will be of help to future students

and researchers.