Designing and improving the efficiency of placement of logistics infrastructure for storage, distribution and trade of agri-food products

Abstract

Purpose: The article considers a methodological approach to the formation and determination of potential locations of logistics infrastructure: warehouse storage facilities, wholesale distribution centers for storage, marketing and trade of agro-food products.

Design/methodology/approach: A study of 204 objects - administrative districts and cities of Kazakhstan, where the production, storage, distribution and trade of agri-food products is carried out. The standardization of indicators, cluster, correlation-regression, factor analysis was carried out, the method of ranking and center of gravity.

Findings: At the first stage of the study, potential locations of distribution centers of agricultural products were identified based on the proposed criteria. Based on factor analysis, new factors have been formed in order to determine the criteria for choosing the location of the logistics infrastructure. Cluster analysis made it possible to differentiate territories and determine the characteristics of the logistics infrastructure for their placement, depending on their specialization. At the second stage, the potential locations of logistics infrastructure and the geographical location of objects on the territory of administrative-territorial units were clarified. At the third stage, with the help of weighting coefficients and an integral indicator of the attractiveness of the location of logistics infrastructures, the service area of the logistics infrastructure of storage, sales and trade is determined in accordance with potential locations on the territory. The proposed approach, in contrast to the existing ones, takes into account the peculiarities of the functioning of the storage, marketing and trade infrastructure and links these facilities with transport and warehouse availability in the regions.

Research limitations/implications: The study is aimed at complementing existing approaches and methods for determining the location of logistics infrastructure facilities with a more detailed account of the specialization of districts and the economic potential of regions.

Practical implications: The conclusions allow us to use different criteria when determining the location of logistics infrastructures depending on their purpose. They also provide important information in the process of designing logistics infrastructure, conducting a differentiated investment policy during their construction and operation.

Originality: In this article, a new point of view is given on the choice of criteria for the placement and determination of the number of logistics infrastructure, based on their functional purpose, specialization of districts and the potential of regions, which increase their efficiency.