supply chain management phd thesis

Theses - Supply Chain 2020 Project

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Since its launch in 2004, a large number of masters theses, as well as a few doctoral theses, have been conducted as part of the SC2020 Project, in centers from the SCALE Network. An exhaustive list of these theses, as well as links to access them, are presented here.

Doctoral Theses at MIT

Title:  Effect of scenario planning on field experts' judgment of long-range investment decisions . Author: Phadnis, Shardul. Advisors: Yossi Sheffi, Chris Caplice and Mahender Singh. Year: 2012. Program: Doctoral Thesis, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI:  http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/96020

Title: A methodology to capture, evaluate and reformulate a firm's supply chain strategy as a conceptual system . Author: Roberto Perez-Franco. Advisors: Yossi Sheffi and Mahender Singh. Year: 2010. Program: Doctoral Thesis, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/62761

Title: Dynamic Retail Assortment Models with Demand Learning for Seasonal Consumer Goods . Author: Felipe Caro. Advisor: Jérémie Gallien. Year: 2005. Program: Doctoral Thesis, Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33415

Master Theses at MIT

Title: A Qualitative Mapping and Evaluation of an Aerospace Supply Chain Strategy . Author: Jonathan Hung and Nicholas Pierce. Advisor: Roberto Perez-Franco. Year: 2011. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URL: CTL Publication Link

Title: Redefining organizational boundaries : building an aware and agile organization by enabling new social interactions . Author: Benjamin Maupetit. Advisor: Mahender Singh. Year: 2009. Program: S.M. in Technology and Policy Program, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/52754

Title: Evolutionary supply chain risk management: transforming culture for sustainable competitive advantage . Author: Romain Lévy. Advisor: Mahender Singh. Year: 2008. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics and S.M. in Technology and Policy Program, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/42928

Title: Exploring the future of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry : a supply chain perspective . Author: Loïc Lagarde. Advisor: Yossi Sheffi and Mahender Singh. Year: 2007. Program: S.M. in Technology and Policy Program, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/40294

Title: The Supply Chain Response to Environmental Pressures . Author: Julie Rebecca Paquette. Advisor: Randolph E. Kirchain. Year: 2006. Program: S.M. in Technology and Policy Program, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34530

Title: Demand Management: A Cross-Industry Analysis of Supply-Demand Planning . Author: Peng Kuan Tan. Advisor: Lawrence Lapide. Year: 2006. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/36139

Title: Order Promising/Fulfillment and Customer/Channel Collaboration in Supply Chain Management . Author: Yimin An and Samuel Srethapakdi. Advisor: Mahender Singh. Year: 2006. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/36148

Title: Analysis of Sourcing & Procurment Practices: A Cross Industry Framework . Author: Ioannis G. Koliousis. Advisor: Edgar Blanco. Year: 2006. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/36143

Title: Analysis of Supplier Involvement in New Product Development and Launch . Author: Herman Alex Kurapov. Advisor: Chris Caplice. Year: 2006. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/35614

Title: A Cross Industry Analysis and Framework of Aftermarket Products and Services . Author: Petros Englezos. Advisor: Lawrence Lapide. Year: 2006. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/35539

Title: An Examination of Boeing’s Supply Chain Management Practices within the Context of the Global Aerospace Industry . Author: Daglar Cizmeic. Advisor: Kirkor Bozdogan. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33315

Title: An Exploration of of Supply Chain Management Practices in the Aerospace Industry and in Rolls-Royce . Author: Mohit Tiwari. Advisor: Kirkor Bozdogan. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33373

Title: Supply Chain Strategies in the Apparel Industry: The Case of Victoria’s Secret . Author: Sumit Kumar. Advisors: Sharon Novak and Lawrence Lapide. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33324

Title: The Dynamics of Supply Chains in the Automotive Industry . Author: Niklas Braese. Advisor: Lawrence Lapide. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33312

Title: The Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: A Diagnosis of the State-of-the-Art . Author: Mahender Singh. Advisor: Charles H. Fine. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33354

Title: Supply chain practices in the petroleum downstream . Author: Santos Manzano, Fidel. Advisor: Lawrence Lapide. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33345

Title: An analysis of current supply chain best practices in the retail industry with case studies of Wal-Mart and Amazon.com . Author: Chiles, Colby Ronald; Dau, Marguarette Thi. Advisor: Gabriel R. Bitran. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33314

Title: Framework for the study of governance in the supply networks : Wal-mart : "Enlightened Despot" model . Author: De Graeve, Denis. Advisor: Gabriel R. Bitran. Year: 2004. Program: S.M. Technology and Policy Program, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/28504

Title: An Evaluation of Scenario Planning for Supply Chain Design . Author: Yishai Boasson. Advisor: Yossi Sheffi. Year: 2004. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/28504

Master Theses at ZLC

Title: Analysis of Supply Chains in the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry . Author: Marc-Elliott Finkelstein. Advisor: Paul M. Thompson. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, Zaragoza Logistics Center. Link:  Download .

Title: Supply Chain Excellence in the Pharmaceutical Industry: Novartis– A Case Study . Author: Gourav Narayan Mukherjee. Advisor: Prashant Yadav. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, Zaragoza Logistics Center. Link:  Download .

Title: Excellent Supply Chains In The Oil Industry: Royal Dutch/Shell . Author: Stefan Röthlisberger. Advisor: Prashant Yadav. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics, MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, Zaragoza Logistics Center. Link:  Download .

Title: Supply Chain Excellence in the Retail Industry: METRO AG – A Case Study . Author: Manuela Schranz-Whitaker. Advisor: Paul M. Thompson. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics, MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, Zaragoza Logistics Center. Link: Download .

Title: SC2020: Toyota Production System & Supply Chain.  Author: Macharia Brown. Advisor: Prashant Yadav. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics, MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, Zaragoza Logistics Center. Link:  Download .

Title:  Excellence In European Apparel Supply Chains: Zara.  Author: Phyllis Chu. Advisor: Paul Thompson. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics, MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, Zaragoza Logistics Center. Link:  Download .

Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management

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PhD in Supply Chain Management

Program description.

At the University of Oklahoma, the substantive emphasis of the doctoral program in Supply Chain Management focuses on nurturing and shaping independent scholars in supply chain management.  The doctoral program places a high emphasis on formal and informal mentoring of students. Faculty. work closely with PhD students training them to become great scholars, educators, and colleagues. Our faculty is renowned within the field of supply chain management and have extensively published their research in top academic supply chain journals. They also are active in industry research with several years of field experience in top global companies around the world.

All domains within supply chain management including procurement, operations and logistics are emphasized.

The University of Oklahoma doctoral program will help you develop an in-depth knowledge of supply chain management topics. Since research in supply chain management takes place at the intersection of many underlying “foundation” disciplines, you will be encouraged to also study concepts and principles in organizational theory, industrial engineering, psychology, health sciences, and economics.  For the methods training, students are encouraged to upskill not only in advanced statistical techniques but also in econometrics, panel data analyses, structural equation modeling, meta-analysis and systems dynamics (to name a few). Rigorous and scientific method based qualitative techniques such as ethnographic studies, case study research, design science and action research are also encouraged.  Our doctoral program provides you with the necessary skills for a successful career of research and teaching in top notch research-oriented universities.

The program’s objectives are:

• to provide a strong foundation in supply chain management concepts for research and teaching
• to prepare students for academic careers in supply chain management

The doctoral program in Supply Chain Management focuses on competence in strategic aspects of supply chain management, supply chain management theory, and behavioral concepts in supply chain management. Students receive rigorous training in many research methodologies that are important to conduct rigorous supply chain management research. Most doctoral candidates are appointed to a research assistantship early in their program to encourage interaction with faculty members.  In addition, many summer research and research related-travel opportunities are provided for students. It is expected that Oklahoma supply chain management specialization doctoral students be intimately involved in activities that prepare them for their careers as academics such as PhD program consortiums in key supply chain management conferences, presenting papers at reputed national and international conferences and working with faculty and industry partners to attract research grants that will enable students to pursue and conduct cutting edge research in supply chain management.

For more information contact Professor Qiong Wang at   [email protected]

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Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain management: a review of Nordic contributions from 2009 to 2014

• Original Paper
• Open access
• Published: 14 March 2016
• Volume 9 , article number  5 , ( 2016 )

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• Christopher Rajkumar 1 ,
• Lone Kavin 1 ,
• Xue Luo 1 &
• Jan Stentoft 1  

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The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze Nordic doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain management (SCM) published from the years 2009–2014. The paper is based on a detailed review of 150 doctoral dissertations. Compared with previous studies, this paper identifies a trend toward: more dissertations based on a collection of articles than monographs; more dissertations focusing on inter-organizational SCM issues; a shift from a focal company perspective to functional aspects and supply chain-related research; and finally, a continued decreased focus on the philosophy of science. A score for measuring the significance of article-based dissertations is also proposed.

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1 Introduction

One way to keep track of the progress of logistics and supply chain management (SCM) discipline is to analyze the doctoral dissertations within the research area. By reviewing such dissertations, it will be possible to gain some interesting information regarding the development and direction of research within the discipline. Specifically, such a review will help us to understand the different approaches in relation to research framework, methodologies, theories applied and the empirical interpretations. Furthermore, the review could not only provide valuable insights into potential research gaps within the discipline, but also pave way for recognizing interesting topics for future research [ 13 , 41 ]. Besides, given that PhD students are likely to form the next generation of established researchers, research conducted by them is important to the SCM discipline as it helps keeping the discipline on track with emerging topics as well as stimulate theory generation.

The number of PhD students in the Nordic countries has increased significantly during the last decades [ 24 , 41 ]. Based on the rise in the number of dissertations as well as their varying content, it is interesting to investigate the requirements that are part of completing a PhD dissertation. There has been an escalation in dissertations that are based on collections of articles instead of a monograph [ 41 ]. A reason for this might be an increasing pressure to publish at the universities [ 21 ], which might be driving PhD students to learn and master the craft of publishing from the very start of their career. No matter what, the culture of many research departments is characterized by a high focus on performance in terms of publications in ranked journals [ 2 , 20 , 22 , 27 ]. Therefore, by choosing an article-based dissertation, PhD students might have a better opportunity to work together with other PhD students and senior researchers; in doing so, they also learn how to “play the game.”

The first two comprehensive digest of doctoral dissertations completed within the Nordic countries was conducted by Gubi et al. [ 13 ] and Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ]. These efforts provide PhD students, other academic staff as well as practitioners with an overview of what has been researched within the logistics and SCM area. These studies have also facilitated the comparison of Nordic dissertations themes to those in the USA (e.g., compiled by Stock [ 31 ] and Nakhata et al. [ 25 ]). Prior research has demonstrated that much confusion exists concerning SCM definitions and its overlap with logistics [ 32 ]. This paper extends the work of Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ] that applies what Halldórsson et al. [ 14 ] call a relabeling approach between the terms of logistics and SCM. The purpose of this paper is to document the progress of doctoral work in logistics and SCM within the Nordic countries between 2009 and 2014. In all, 120 relevant dissertations were identified; however, we were unable to retrieve eight dissertations either in physical form or electronically; therefore, only 112 dissertations were reviewed. With a point of departure within the dimensions and classified categories of these two above-mentioned reviews, this paper provides two analyses:

An analysis of identified Nordic dissertations from the year 2009–2014; and

A longitudinal analysis that compares the above analysis with the result from Gubi et al. [ 13 ] and Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ].

Accordingly, the analyses within this paper will not only reveal several important insights, but also identify new, potential research areas within the logistics and SCM discipline. Based on these insights, it will be possible to coordinate future research efforts and avoid any unnecessary replication or duplication of previous work.

The rest of the paper is organized as follows: Sect.  2 provides a brief literature review of earlier contributions dealing with doctoral dissertation reviews. Section  3 discusses the methodology used in this study; it also outlines the limitations concerning the chosen methodology. Subsequently, Sect.  4 discusses the results obtained from analyzing the Nordic dissertations. Finally, Sect.  5 concludes with the overall purpose of the paper and some directions for future research activities.

2 Extant literature on doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain management

Several authors have analyzed and classified doctoral dissertations in logistics and SCM, both within the Nordic countries as well as the USA. In this section, nine prior studies—seven American studies and two Nordic studies—are briefly mentioned so as to identify the trends in topical coverage through the years and to see whether there are any similarities between the topics chosen by PhD students across the Atlantic.

The first study of compendiums of PhD research in logistics conducted by Stock back in 1987 [ 28 ] examined 684 dissertations from the period 1970–1986 [ 29 ]. Subsequent reviews were conducted in (1) 1993 covering 422 American dissertations that were completed in the period of 1987–1991 [ 34 ] and (2) 2001 with an analysis of 317 PhD dissertations completed in the period of 1992–1998 [ 31 ]. In 2006, Stock completed his fourth review of PhD dissertations together with Broadus [ 33 ]. This study showed a distinct increasing trend in the number of dissertations within SCM- and/or logistic-related areas in the period from 1999 to 2004 when compared to the period covered by the 2001 study. But surprisingly, the count between 1999 and 2004 fell short of the overall levels of 1987–1991. A more interesting finding of the 2006 study was that the dissertations were more multifaceted due to the fact that they closely mirrored the cross-functional and boundary spanning nature of logistics; at the same time, their multifaceted nature made the classification task more difficult.

Another American study was conducted by Das and Handfield [ 8 ] wherein the authors investigated 117 PhD dissertations from the period 1987–1995 in order to evaluate the intellectual health of the purchasing discipline. The study was an extension of a previous research on purchasing dissertations conducted by Williams [ 39 ] to identify the key focus areas of research in the prior decade. In this study, Williams concluded that the key focus areas covered were supplier selection and development, information systems, organizational and measurement issues, negotiation and purchasing ethics.

The most recent review covering US dissertations was conducted by Nakhata et al. [ 25 ]. In this study, the authors reviewed 609 doctoral dissertations completed between 2005 and 2009. The number of identified dissertations in this study is significantly larger than the four reviews conducted by Stock and colleagues and clearly reflects a significant increase in colleges/universities graduating doctoral students within logistics- and supply chain-related areas. Nakhata et al. [ 25 ] also point out that a forthcoming retirement of academic “baby boomers” during the period 2005–2020 may explain the increase in the PhD production. The most prominent research methodologies employed by doctoral students in the study of Nakhata et al. [ 25 ] are modeling, simulation and empirical quantitative methods.

Two earlier studies of Nordic doctoral dissertations within logistics and SCM have been disseminated in academic journals. The first was developed by Gubi et al. [ 13 ], who reviewed 71 Nordic dissertations published between 1990 and 2001. Most of the dissertations were published as monographs with manufactures and carriers as the primary entity of analysis. The most recent Nordic contribution is by Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ] wherein the authors analyze the development in Nordic doctoral research in logistics and SCM from the years 2002–2008. As opposed to Gubi et al. [ 13 ], Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ] found more dissertations based on a collection of articles, which was reflective of a response to increase publication pressure. In contrast to the Gubi et al.’s [ 13 ] study, the primarily entity of analysis of most dissertations was the manufacturing companies. While prior reviews showed a focal company perspective, the review of Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ] documented a shift toward an inter-organizational perspective covering dyadic and supply chain units of analysis. Additionally, according to Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ], there has also been a decreased focus on the philosophy of science, since most dissertations were being published as collections of articles.

The method applied for identifying, collecting and reviewing the doctoral dissertations in this paper follows a three-step process. These steps are explained in the following subsections.

3.1 Identifying and collecting Nordic doctoral dissertations

The first step consisted of sending e-mails to contact persons at different research institutions within the Nordic countries (i.e., Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) as outlined in [ 41 ]. Based on this e-mail contact, the list was further modified (e.g., adding University of Vaasa in Finland and Linnaeus University and Örebro University School of Business in Sweden). The final list included 39 research institutions which are presented in “Appendix 1.” A contact person at each of the 39 research institution was identified and was contacted by e-mail. The e-mail provided a clear statement of the research project and requested the list of completed doctoral dissertations within logistics and SCM within the analysis period. This process provided an initial list of 120 dissertations. Majority of these dissertations were accessible in electronic form (we either received them by e-mail or downloaded them from the corresponding institution’s Web site). The rest of the dissertations were available in hard copy form.

3.2 Validating the initial list of doctoral dissertations

The second step was concerned with the validation of the identified dissertations by senior researchers from each of the Nordic countries. This step was completed by e-mailing the initial list to these senior researchers and by attending the 27th annual NOFOMA conference in June 2015 at Molde University College. This process resulted in the inclusion of an additional 41 dissertations, thereby increasing the total count to 161.

3.3 Reviewing the received dissertations

In the third step, a detailed review of the 161 dissertations took place. During this process, three dissertations were excluded since they were judged as not being within the scope of the present analysis. Out of this net list of 158, it was possible to conduct reviews of 150 dissertations. As mentioned earlier, we were unable to retrieve eight dissertations as well as there was no response from the authors when we e-mailed them requesting for the copy of their dissertation. A complete list of the dissertations is included in “Appendix 2.” The detailed review took place against a review framework as described in [ 13 , 41 ]. Our analysis covered additional review elements as the dissertations were mostly based on a collection of articles. These elements were: (1) number of articles, (2) type of article (journal publication, book chapter, conference paper, working paper or unpublished paper), (3) year of publication, (4) ranking of the journal, (5) number of authors on each article and (6) the doctoral candidate’s author number for the specific article.

3.4 Limitations

This dissertation review has some limitations that are worthwhile to mention. First, even though the gross list of dissertations was reviewed and validated by senior researchers within the Nordic countries, there is a possibility that some dissertations were not identified. Second, reviewer subjectivity could not be completely eliminated in the review of the 150 dissertations. However, in order to minimize subjectivity, an aligned interpretation of the review elements and their outcome was obtained by a common review of three different types of dissertations (one monograph and two article-based dissertations). Third, the list of dissertations that was composed and reviewed stems from the NOFOMA research community. Obviously, other Nordic researchers may produce doctoral dissertations that deal with topics under the scope of this review, but is outside the NOFOMA radar (e.g., researchers belonging to European Decision Sciences Institute (EDSI), European Logistics Association (ELA), European Operations Management (EurOMA), International Purchasing and Supply Education and Research Association (IPSERA) or Logistics Research Network (LRN) or Rencontres Internationales de Recherche en Logistique (RIRL) (International Research Conference on Logistics and Supply Chain Management). This study can make observations only based on the dissertations reviewed under the NOFOMA umbrella. Fourth, since the contact persons were not provided with a definition of logistics and SCM, they might have excluded some dissertation that could have fallen within the scope of this analysis. Moreover, the senior researchers whom we e-mailed for dissertations might not be from the department of logistics and SCM. Therefore, including definitions for logistics and SCM will have no impact.

This section is concerned with specific analyses of the 150 reviewed doctoral dissertations. For comparative purposes, the data from the present review are portrayed and analyzed with the categories that are similar to those used by Gubi et al. [ 13 ] and Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ]. The results are displayed in tables and are followed with appropriate comments and interpretations.

4.1 Number and type of dissertations finalized in the period 2009–2014

Table  1 contains the PhD dissertations divided by country, year of publication and type of dissertation (monograph vs. a collection of articles). Compared with the earlier studies, these new figures show some interesting developments. First, the number of finalized dissertations in the period 2009–2014 is 158, which represents an average of 26 dissertations per year. Compared with averages numbers of 10 (from the period 2002–2008) and 6.25 (from the period 1990–2001), this shows that there has been a strong increase in PhD production in this research area. A similar pattern is identified by Nakhata et al. [ 25 ] in their study of doctoral dissertations published by Dissertation Abstracts International in the period of 2005 and 2009. They explain that one reason for such an increase might be an increased level of retiring academicians toward 2020 which creates a stronger market for Assistant Professors. Another explanation could be that there is a drive from the governments to boost the number of annual PhD production in order to support national social, economic and environmental well-being as well as to address major global challenges [ 12 ]. The majority of the Nordic logistics and SCM PhDs come from the Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish research environments. In Denmark, the production is stable with 17 dissertations in the period of 2009–2014. Iceland has reported their first PhD in this period of analysis. Twenty-five Nordic research institutions have produced within logistics and SCM in the period 2009–2014 (see “Appendix 2”).

Another interesting finding in the current review is the increase in the share of dissertations that are based on a collection of articles. As given in Table  1 , 92 out of the 150 dissertations (61 %) are based on a collection of articles. Thus, there is a much higher focus on the craft to write academic articles when compared to the share of article-based dissertations in previous periods (29 % in the period 2002–2008 and 21 % in the period 1990–2001). This trend supports the predictions previously made by Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ]. One plausible explanation for this development might be an increased amount of public and private resource allocation to research environments based on publications in internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals as well as measures such as impact indicators and H-index (see, e.g., [ 27 ]).

4.2 Primary entity of analysis

In Table  2 , all 150 dissertations are classified according to their entity of analysis; the classifications are also compared to previous results reported in [ 13 , 14 ]. The study of the primary entity of analysis in the dissertations shows strong differences. First, the category others has increased to about one-third of the dissertations in the last reported period. This group consists of a variety of dissertations without a specific supply chain actors’ perspective—such as fresh fish supply chains [ 26 ] and healthcare logistics [ 17 ]. Second, in absolute numbers, the manufacturer as the primary entity of analysis has increased when compared to the previous studies; but, if we measure the number as a percentage of the reviewed dissertations, there is a fall from 57 % in the dissertations from 2002 to 2008 to 33 % in the recent study.

Thus, it shows the more classical actors such as wholesalers, retailers and inventory hotels have obtained lesser research focus. Additionally, a remarkably low number of dissertations have focused on retail SCM within the Nordic countries. This is intriguing given the fact that the retail sector is well known for supply chain innovations such as quick response systems, efficient consumer response, distribution centers, reverse logistics, as well as collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment [ 10 ].

4.3 Level of analysis arranged according to year of publication

Table  3 shows the analysis of the dissertations level of analysis arranged by the year of publication.

An interesting development evidenced in the above table is an increased focus on functional themes within dissertations (in the present analysis, this is about 26 % of the dissertations compared with 11 and 10 % in previous analyses). This development is primarily driven by Finnish dissertations and can indicate an emphasis on building stronger knowledge bases in certain sub-disciplines along the supply chain. Examples of such dissertations are [ 18 , 19 ]. Another interesting development is the reduced focus on firm-level analysis and a subsequent increased focus on the supply chain or the network as the level of analysis, with the network level experiencing the highest increase. This increase is strongly evident within Swedish dissertations.

4.4 Research design, time frame and philosophy of science

Table  4 shows the classification of the dissertations according to research design, time frame and philosophy of science. The recent analysis reveals a decrease in share of dissertations that are purely theoretical in nature. Also, the share of dissertations founded on purely qualitative methods has also decreased compared with dissertations published in the period 2002–2008. The drop in share of these two categories has attributed to increases in shares of dissertations based on quantitative methods and on triangulations of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The increase in quantitative research methods can be explained by the increased pressure to publish, thereby favoring quantitative methods over time-consuming qualitative studies (see, e.g., [ 21 ]). While quantitative data collection can be automated, it is not possible for qualitative data collection. Qualitative data collection is, in general, more time-consuming and expensive when compared to quantitative research studies. Thus, it might be more cost-effective to slice one questionnaire survey into a number of articles than doing the same number of articles based on qualitative methodologies. This trend will undoubtedly improve numerical performance metrics. At the same time, this trend need not necessarily deliver new knowledge that could move the discipline significantly forward. Particularly, quantitative surveys are exposed to the phenomenon of “salami-slicing” where the data from a particular project are disseminated in a number of articles that in fact are “sliced” so thinly that there might be overlap of the papers (e.g., text recycling in literature review sections, key findings and discussions ([ 9 , 16 ]). We refer to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) [ 7 ] for a discussion on different forms of text recycling.

Table  4 also shows an increased share of dissertations that apply a longitudinal perspective. Additionally, the share of snapshot time frames has decreased and the share of the category time frame not specified has increased. Examples of dissertations without any specific time frame are by (1) Mortensen [ 23 ], who investigate the concept of attraction and explain its role in initiation and development of buyer–seller relations, and (2) Tynjälä [ 35 ], who conceptually examines the methods and tools for supply chain decision making during new product development. A final remarkable finding from Table  4 is the continued decline of dissertations containing philosophy of science issues. The present analysis identifies 73 % of the dissertations not including such philosophical considerations in comparison with 71 and 45 % in the two previous periods of analysis. Twenty-nine percent of dissertations that are monographs do contain philosophy of science considerations, whereas 25 % have this content among the article-based dissertations. Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ] provided four possible reasons for this decline: (1) There are no mandatory requirements for PhD students to attend philosophy of science courses, (2) article-based dissertations do not rely on philosophy of science argumentations to the same degree as the monographs that typically require more in-depth interaction of this issues and method considerations, (3) there is a lower prioritization of philosophy of science due to higher pressure from external funded projects that do not demand this theme, and (4) logistics and SCM are closely connected with industry that could lead to a perception that philosophy of science is less relevant. To this list, we add four more potential reasons. First, there are no requirements mentioned in Nordic countries’ ministerial orders granting degrees of PhD about unfolding philosophical of science perspectives. Second, few, if any, journals within logistics and SCM demand such discussions. Third, philosophy of science has disappeared from PhD candidates’ syllabi. Finally, only a few PhD advisors have the knowledge to join in such discussions with their PhD students; therefore, they do not send signals for offering such courses. Overall, this development is inexpedient if the discipline really has to move toward theory development [ 6 , 30 ].

4.5 Dissertations distributed according to topic groups and country of origin

Table  5 displays the dissertations according to topic groups based on a title analysis of the 158 identified dissertations. For comparison reasons, the topic groups identified in previous studies were used [ 13 , 41 ] and further supplemented with two new groups risk management and humanitarian logistics. The table shows a continued decline in the share of dissertations related to system design/structure/effectiveness, organizational development/competencies and material handling. In contrast, topics related to system integration/integration enablers and transport/transport systems have obtained increased awareness. The increase in these topics is primarily based on Swedish and Norwegian dissertations.

Additionally, while the study by [ 41 ] found that topics related to humanitarian logistics and risk management were absent, the present review of dissertations has remedied this with dissertations on this topic from Finland and Sweden.

4.6 Article-based dissertations

The study reported in this paper reveals an increased amount of article-based dissertations. This development confirms the expectations raised by Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ]. However, an article-based dissertation can be composed in different ways—e.g., with respect to requirements regarding the type of articles, number of articles, co-author permission and the author order position among the co-authors in an article. The ministerial orders granting the degree of PhDs in the different countries do not provide any guidance and requirements concerning the format of a PhD. This opens up for various interpretations of the required workload to earn the PhD degree. Therefore, the increase in more article-based dissertations requires that we study how the practice of these types of dissertations is unfolded in the Nordic countries. This section takes a closer look at the 92 article-based dissertations and develops a measure to differentiate the various types of dissertations. The subsequent subsection proposes a measure for article-based dissertation; this measure is subsequently used in analyzing the identified Nordic article-based dissertations.

4.6.1 Measure for dissertation score

In order to develop a measure for an average article-based dissertation, we first need to recognize the fact that a specific article that is part of the dissertation can take different forms. Hence, the first element in this proposal for a dissertation measure is to differentiate between the different types of contributions that are part of the article-based dissertation and then to allocate different scores for the different types. The present analysis distinguishes between five different types of articles with specific scores as follows:

Peer-reviewed journal articles, score: 1

Peer-reviewed articles in form of book chapters (e.g., in an anthology), score: 0.8

Peer-reviewed conference articles, score: 0.8

Working papers, score: 0.5

Non-published papers, score: 0.5

The differences in scores are used to reflect different perceptions of workload as well as quality requirements. Thus, a peer-reviewed journal article obtains the highest score of 1 point followed by book chapters and conferences papers with scores of 0.8, and working papers and non-published manuscripts of 0.5 points.

The next step in developing a dissertation score is to propose a measure that takes into account the number of authors as well as the order of the authors. Thus, a sole authored paper by a PhD candidate counts more than a co-authored paper. And, in the present measure, a first-order author position counts more than a lower author position. Table  6 proposes scores for authorship indicators evaluating each of the articles that take into consideration various numbers of authors and author order positions.

Based on the above proposals of different types of articles and measures for different authorship indicators, we can now develop an overall dissertation score based on Formula 1:

Formula 1: overall dissertation score

where S  = overall dissertation score, T  = type of article and authorship factor = number of authors (NoA) * author order position (AOP).

The overall dissertation score is composed of multiplying the scores of the individual articles by the authorship factor. The basic idea is that the highest score per article of 1 point is reduced based on the lower the level of the perceived status of various channels (e.g., journal rankings; journal articles versus book chapters; conference articles versus journal articles/book chapters) and the number of co-authors as well as the author order the PhD student has for the given article. A conference paper that is included in an article-based dissertation, which have been through a double-blind review process (e.g., at a NOFOMA, LRN or a EurOMA conference), is valued 0.8 compared with an article that is published in a peer-reviewed journal. Thus, a conference article is considered as less mature when compared to an article that has been through perhaps several revisions in a journal before acceptance. However, we should avoid with the generalization of the different channels. The Danish Bibliometric Research Indicator, for example, value accepted conference articles as much as some journal papers, if they are accepted to be presented at some conferences (e.g., EURAM and AOM) [ 36 ]. Also, contributions to books are valued differently according to which publisher the work is published with [ 37 ].

The dissertation score is a measure for the PhD dissertation at hand—and thus, the status of it when it was judged and passed. Several article-based dissertations contain non-published papers, working papers and conference articles that find its way to peer-reviewed journals after the degree of PhD has been awarded and further workload is invested in those articles. Other articles of this nature never end in publications for various reasons. Thus, the status of the papers after the PhD evaluation is not included in the dissertation score presented in this article.

An article-based dissertation is evaluated not only on the enclosed articles, but also on the text (the frame) that bind the articles together. Also, herein there seems to be different practices—e.g., the scope and depths on positioning the thesis against extant research; the level and scope of methodological and philosophy of science discussions (see, e.g., [ 3 ]); independent literature reviews as well as discussions on the “red line” between the included articles.

The overall purpose with the dissertation score is to propose a measure to be used for discussing the scope and content-type of a PhD dissertation. What is enough? And how much of a dissertation can be co-authored with others? Is one dissertation better than another because it includes articles that are published? It is our experience that there are differences in what is needed in an article-based dissertation both within a department at a research institution and between research institutions. The present dissertation score can help in discussing what is needed and also in developing department guidelines.

The proposed overall dissertation score formula is not without limitations. First, the division of types of articles and their scores is subjective. The peer-reviewed journal category, for example, can be further divided into different scores by following specific journal ranking lists. Second, the scores for various numbers of authors and their author order position in the proposed authorship factor calculation are also subjective and can be altered. The order of authors of a paper does not necessarily display the true workload of different authors. The order of authors can be organized using different principles such as a simple alphabetical listing, organized after seniority (experience); listing the person first who got the idea to the article as the first author; or listing PhD students first because they need the credit more than their senior co-authors. Third, the dissertation score does not include a time perspective (i.e., the length of the PhD program)—a higher score can be obtained over a 5-year period when compared to a 3-year period. Fourth, the dissertation score does not take into consideration the extent of thesis frame (the text accompanying the articles such as scoping, positioning, methods, philosophy of science, contribution and implications). Fifth, the score of author order position decreases based on the position; this may not reflect the actual work load. In summary, as with any measures in general, this overall dissertation score also has its own shortcomings and these are important to be considered to ensure the practical use of the score. However, in spite of the sometime magical status of numbers—we should remember that “numbers are just number” and that they can be used to jump start discussions on how to compose an article-based dissertation.

4.6.2 Dissertation scores

This section provides an analysis of the 92 article-based dissertations using the dissertation score developed in the above subsection. This number is divided among 12 Danish, 27 Finnish, 37 Swedish and 16 Norwegian dissertations. As given in Table  7 , the dissertations vary in the number of included articles spanning from three to eight articles. The majority of the dissertations are composed of four to six articles. The average number of articles counts to 4.84. Table  7 also shows that the average dissertation score increases from 1.53 with three articles to 5.38 with eight articles. This is not surprising given the design of the formula.

Furthermore, Table  7 shows that including journal articles is a well-established practice among the reviewed dissertations. The share of journal articles counts 54 % among dissertations with four articles (71/132); 62 % among dissertations with five articles (80/130); and 69 % among dissertations with six articles (99/144). After journal papers, conference papers and non-published papers are the second most typical types that are included in article-based dissertations. Finally, Table  7 shows that including reviewed books chapters is not that prevalent among the dissertations reviewed.

This review also shows that there are more PhD candidates at Chalmers University of Technology with highest number of contributions at 18 dissertations followed by Molde University College with 16 dissertations and Lund University with 11 dissertations (see Fig.  1 ). In all, the 92 article-based dissertations contain 446 articles divided into the five types discussed in Sect.  4.6.1 . Out of this, 266 are peer-reviewed journal articles of which 68 are from Chalmers University of Technology; 39 are from Molde University College; and 39 are from Lappeenranta University of Technology. In total, 83 articles are included as conference papers; 64 are included as non-published papers; 27 are included as working papers; and only six articles take the form of book chapters.

Average dissertation scores divided by research institution. AU Aalto University, ASB/AU Aarhus School of Business/Aarhus University, CUT Chalmers University of Technology, HSE Hanken School of Economics, JIBS Jönköping International Business School, KI Karolinska Institutet, LiU Linköping University, LU Lund University, LUT Lappeenranta University of Technology, MUC Molde University College, SU Stockholm University, TSE Turku School of Economics, TUD Technical University Denmark, UO University of Oulu, UV University of Vaasa, USD University of Southern Denmark

Figure  1 demonstrates a relatively high variety among the dissertations across the different research institutions with respect to the average institutional dissertations (ranging from 1.47, 2.47, 2.76, 2.96, 3.03, 3.12, 3.22, 3.25, 3.45, 3.83, 3.87, 3.93, 4.11, 4.22, 4.28, 5.02). Four of the six dissertations composed of three articles (see Table  7 ) are Danish dissertations from Aarhus School of Business/Aarhus University. In contrast, eight out of the 24 dissertations holding six articles are composed of 4–6 peer-reviewed journal articles. The dissertation score is here suggested as an instrument that can be used in discussions on what is required to earn the degree of PhD at the specific research institutions and, through benchmarks, facilitate alignment processes if needed. With the limitations in mind, a PhD student can discuss with her or his advisor(s) as of what type of articles are required; whether co-authored articles with advisors or other senior researchers or PhD students can be included; and how a PhD student documents her or his contribution in each article if they are co-authored. The dissertation score can also stimulate further discussions on what should be included in the binder of the dissertation—e.g., prioritizes theme to be discussed in the binder instead of adding another article.

4.7 Potential topics for inclusion in the dissertations

The review process of the 150 dissertations reveals that five research areas seem to be under-prioritized among Nordic scholars within logistics and SCM. The topics are as follows (not prioritized):

Cloud technology Although there is a focus on maximizing the effectiveness of shared resources [ 5 ], the increased availability of high-capacity network, low-cost computers and storage devices as well as the widespread adoption of hardware virtualization, service-oriented architecture, and autonomic and utility computing have led to a growth in the use of cloud technology. In spite of its increased importance, it is distinct that this subject has not received more attention in the dissertations reviewed.

Globalization of SC As mentioned previously, this topic was still largely ignored in the dissertation reviewed. With the natural outcome of expanding growing market and sustaining competitive advantage, companies have to make key decisions about managing costs and complexity through globalized supply chain (see, e.g., [ 11 ]).

Supply chain innovation (SCI) The discipline of innovations has branched out into the supply chain context and should be regarded as an important topic. While firms are applying their assets, operating resources and capabilities to develop new ways of improve performance, they cannot ignore the importance of their supply chain partners in enabling product and process innovations (see, e.g., [ 1 ]). Accordingly, more attention needs to be paid to this topic.

Security This topic was also mentioned in the previous study by Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ]. Yet, this topic has only received limited attention among the 112 dissertations published between 2009 and 2014. Security is increasingly becoming a major concern to both private and public sector organizations. Security searches for cooperative arrangements between businesses as well as identifies risks before the goods move. It is also concerned with controlling theft and reducing illegal import and export of stolen goods. There are many areas of research within the topic of security from formal aspects to empirical research (see, e.g., [ 4 , 40 ]). Hence, it is essential that researchers start focusing on the different aspects of this topic in the future. This is one of the key topics of research within supply chain now as well as in the distant future.

Big data This is currently drowning the world. The huge amount of data is an invaluable asset in the context of supply chains. The quality of the evidence extracted significantly benefits from the availability of broad datasets. On the one hand, extensive vision is more promising when extra data are available. And, on the other hand, it is a big challenge. The current approach is not appropriate to handle large data, and therefore, there is a need for new solutions to handle large datasets. This research field is new and rapidly evolving [ 38 ], and there is also a lead-time issue before we see the first dissertations within this area. As a result, any initial effort taken will be a strong contribution from both experimental and theoretical perspective (see, e.g., [ 15 ]).

5 Conclusion

This paper has set out to analyze the development of Nordic doctoral dissertations in logistics and SCM from the years 2009–2014. The paper identified 158 dissertations relevant for review; out of this, 150 dissertations were reviewed in depth based on different criteria. Compared with previous studies, this research found several important developments in Nordic doctoral research. First, there has been an increase in the average annual number of finalized dissertations when compared to previous Nordic studies. The results predominantly show the remarkable increase in dissertations between 2009 and 2014 (158 dissertations) wherein Sweden ranks highest followed by Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, respectively. Second, there has been a decrease in dissertations that focus on classical entities of analysis such as carriers, wholesalers, retailers and inventories. Therefore, it is clear that the PhD dissertation’s focal point is still more on manufacturing firms (50/150) rather than on other entities. Third, there has been an increase in functional subject areas of logistics and SCM and the supply chain/network level. Fourth, the number of dissertations containing philosophy of science discussions is continuing to decline. As mentioned earlier, there is a significant increase in article-based dissertations and these dissertations do not adopt philosophy of science; as a result, there is an extreme decrease (110/150). Finally, there is clear shift toward disseminating doctoral research as an article-based dissertation (2009–2014: 92/150; 2002–2008: 26/70; 1990–2001: 15/71, respectively). However, this piece of research has demonstrated that the content of the Nordic article-based dissertations varies along dimensions such as types of articles included, the number of articles included and the number of co-authors at the papers. A dissertation score has been suggested as a measure for initiating discussions about such dissertations at a single research institution and as a benchmark between different institutions. As discussed earlier, such a score is not without limitations and must not stand alone. Therefore, the next logical step might be to discuss how far should we go with the number and the type of contributions. What is enough in order to earn a PhD degree? The content of this paper can be used to match the expectations of PhD students and their supervisors so as to find the right path to learn the craft of conducting and disseminating logistics and SCM research.

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Department of Entrepreneurship and Relationship Management, University of Southern Denmark, Kolding, Denmark

Christopher Rajkumar, Lone Kavin, Xue Luo & Jan Stentoft

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Appendix 1: Research institutions contacted

Aalborg University

Aarhus School of Business/Aarhus University

Copenhagen Business School

Danish Technical University/Technical University of Denmark

Roskilde University

University of Southern Denmark

Aalto University

Åbo Akademi University

Hanken School of Economic

Helsinki University

Lappeenranta University of Technology

National Defence University

Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration

Tampere University of Technology

Technical Research Center of Finland

Turku School of Economics

University of Oulu Business School

University of Vaasa

University of Iceland

BI Norwegian School of Management

Institute of Transport Economics

Molde University College

Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

SINTEF Industrial Management

University of Oslo Business School

University of Nordland

Chalmers University of Technology

Gothenburg University

Jönköping International Business School

Karolinska Institute Department of Public Health Sciences

Linköping University

Linnæus University

Lund University

Örebro University

Stockholm School of Economics

Stockholm University

Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute

University College of Borås

Appendix 2: Doctoral dissertations identified

2.1 danish dissertations.

Aarhus School of Business/Aarhus University:

Abginehchi, S. (2012), Essays on Inventory Control in Presence of Multiple Sourcing , Aarhus.

Bach, L. (2014), Routing and Scheduling Problems — Optimization using Exact and Heuristic Methods , Aarhus.

Bendre, A.B. (2010), Numerical Studies of Single - stage, Single - item Inventory Systems with Lost Sales , Aarhus.

Bodnar, P. (2013), Essays on Warehouse Operations , Aarhus.

Christensen, T.R.L. (2013), Network Design Problems with Piecewise Linear Cost Functions , Aarhus.

Du, B. (2011), Essays on Advance Demand Information, Prioritization and Real Options in Inventory Management, Aarhus.

Hanghøj, A. (2014), Papers in Purchasing and Supply Management: A Capability - Based Perspective , Aarhus.

Kjeldsen, K.H. (2012), Routing and Scheduling in Liner Shipping , Aarhus.

Copenhagen Business School:

Andreasen, P.H. (2012), The Dynamics of Procurement Management — A Complexity Approach , Frederiksberg.

Kinra, A. (2009), Supply Chain (Logistics) Environmental Complexity , Frederiksberg.

Nøkkentved, C. (2009), Enabling Supply Networks with Collaborative Information Infrastructures: An Empirical Investigation of Business Model Innovation in Supplier Relationship Management , Frederiksberg.

Yu, L.A. (2012), Fabricating an S&OP Process: Circulating References and Matters of Concern , Frederiksberg.

University of Southern Denmark:

Jensen, J.K. (2013), Development of Environmentally Sustainable Food Supply Chains , Kolding.

Mikkelsen, O.S. (2011), Strategic Sourcing in a Global Organizational Context , Kolding.

Mortensen, M.H. (2011), Towards Understanding Attractiveness in Industrial Relationships , Kolding.

Zachariassen, F. (2011), Supply Chain Management and Critical Theory: Meta - Theoretical, Disciplinary and Practical Contributions to the Supply Chain Management Discipline Based on Insights from the Management Accounting Discipline , Kolding.

Technical University of Denmark:

Jørgensen, P. (2013), Technology in Health Care Logistics , Lyngby.

2.2 Finnish dissertations

Aalto University School of Business:

Aaltonen, K. (2010), Stakeholder Management in International Projects , Finland.

Ahola, T. (2009), Efficiency in Project Networks: The Role of Inter - Organizational Relationships in Project Implementation , Finland.

Ala-Risku, T. (2009), Installed Base Information: Ensuring Customer Value and Profitability after the Sale , Finland.

Groop, J. (2012), Theory of Constraints in Field Service: Factors Limiting Productivity in Home Care Operations , Finland.

Helkiö, P. (2013), D eveloping Explorative and Exploitative Strategic Intentions — Towards a Practice Theory of Operations Strategy , Finland.

Hinkka, V. (2013), Implementation of RFID Tracking across the Entire Supply Chain , Finland.

Karjalainen, K. (2009), Challenges of Purchasing Centralization — Empirical Evidence from Public Procurement , Finland.

Karrus, K. (2011), Policy Variants for Coordinating Supply Chain Inventory Replenishments , Finland.

Kauremaa, J. (2010), Studies on the Utilization of Electronic Trading Systems in Supply Chain Management , Finland.

Nieminen, S. (2011), Supplier Relational Effort in the Buyer – Supplier Relationship , Finland.

Peltokorpi, A. (2010), Improving Efficiency in Surgical Services: A Production Planning and Control Approach , Finland.

Porkka, P. (2010), Capacitated Timing of Mobile and Flexible Service Resources , Finland.

Rajahonka, M. (2013), Towards Service Modularity — Service and Business Model Development , Finland.

Ristola, P. (2012), Impact of Waste - to - Energy on the Demand and Supply Relationships of Recycled Fibre , Finland.

Seppälä, T. (2014), Contemporary Determinants and Geographical Economy of Added Value, Cost of Inputs, and Profits in Global Supply Chains: An Empirical Analysis , Finland.

Tenhiälä, A. (2009), Contingency Theories of Order Management, Capacity Planning, and Exception Processing in Complex Manufacturing Environments , Finland.

Torkki, P. (2012), Best Practice Processes — What are the Reasons for Differences in Productivity between Surgery Units , Finland. NOT reviewed

Turunen, T. (2013), Organizing Service Operations in Manufacturing , Finland.

Tynjälä, T. (2011 ) , An Effective Tool for Supply Chain Decision Support During New Product Development Process , Finland.

Viitamo, E. (2012), Productivity as a Competitive Edge of a Service Firm: Theoretical Analysis and a Case Study of the Finnish Banking Industry , Finland.

Voutilainen, J. (2014), Factory Positioning in an Unpredictable Environment: A Managerial View of Manufacturing Strategy Formation , Finland.

Åbo Akademi University:

Nyholm, M. (2011), Activation of Supply Relationships , Turku.

Hanken School of Economic:

Antai, I. (2011), Operationalizing Supply Chain vs. Supply Chain Completion , Finland.

Haavisto, I. (2014), Performance in Humanitarian Supply Chains , Finland.

Harilainen, H. (2014), Managing Supplier Sustainability Risk , Finland.

Tomasini Ponce, R. (2012), Informal Learning Framework for Secondment: Logistics Lessons from Disaster Relief Operations , Finland.

Vainionpää, M. (2010), Tiering Effects in Third - party Logistics: A First - Tier Buyer Perspective , Finland.

University of Oulu Business School:

Juntunen, J. (2010): Logistics Outsourcing for Economies in Business Network , Finland

Lappeenranta University of Technology — Industrial Engineering and Management:

Karppinen, H. (2014), Reframing the Relationship between Service Design and Operations: A Service Engineering Approach , Lappeenranta.

Kerkkänen, A. (2010), Improving Demand Forecasting Practices in the Industrial Context , Lappeenranta.

Laisi, M. (2013), Deregulation’s Impact on the Railway Freight Transport Sector’s Future in the Baltic Sea Region , Lappeenranta.

Lättilä, L. (2012), Improving Transportation and Warehousing Efficiency with Simulation - Based Decision Support Systems , Lappeenranta.

Niemi, P. (2009), Improving the Effectiveness of Supply Chain Development Work — An Expert Role Perspective , Lappeenranta.

Pekkanen, P. (2011), Delay Reduction in Courts of Justice — Possibilities and Challenges of Process Improvement in Professional Public Organizations , Lappeenranta.

Salmela, E. (2014), Kysyntä - Toimitusketjun Synkronointi Epävarman Kysynnän ja Tarjonnan Toimintaympäristössä , Lappeenranta. NOT reviewed.

Saranen, J. (2009), Enhancing the Efficiency of Freight Transport by Using Simulation , Lappeenranta.

Lappeenranta University of Technology — School of Business:

Kähkönen, A. (2010), The Role of Power Relations in Strategic Supply Management — A Value Net Approach , Lappeenranta.

Lintukangas Annaliisa, K. (2009), Supplier Relationship Management Capability in the Firm’s Global Integration , Lappeenranta.

Vilko, J. (2012), Approaches to Supply Chain Risk Management: Identification, Analysis and Control , Lappeenranta.

Turku School of Economic:

Koskinen, P. (2009), Supply Chain Challenges and Strategies of a Global Paper Manufacturing Company , Turku.

Lorentz, H. (2009), Contextual Supply Chain Constraints in Emerging Markets — Exploring the Implications for Foreign Firms , Turku.

Rantasila, K. (2013), Measuring Logistics Costs. Designing a Generic Model for Assessing Macro Logistics Costs in a Global Context with Empirical Evidence from the Manufacturing and Trading Industries , Turku.

Solakivi, T. (2014), The Connection between Supply Chain Practices and Firm Performance — Evidence from Multiple Surveys and Financial Reporting Data , Turku.

Tampere University of Technology:

Jokinen, J. (2010), Multi - Agent Control of Reconfigurable Pallet Transport Systems , Tampere. NOT reviewed

University of Vaasa:

Addo-Tenkorang, R. (2014), Conceptual Framework for Large - Scale Complex Engineering - Design & Delivery Processes. A Case of Enterprise SCM Network Activities and Analysis , Finland.

Kärki, P. (2012), The Impact of Customer Order Lead Time - Based Decisions on the Firm’s Ability to Make Money — Case Study: Build to Order Manufacturing of Electrical Equipment and Appliances , Finland.

Moilanen, V. (2011), Case study: Developing a Framework for Supply Network Management , Finland.

Nugroho Widhi, Y K. (2009), Structuring Postponement Strategies in the Supply Chain by Analytical Modeling , Finland.

2.3 Icelandic dissertations

University of Iceland — School of Health Sciences:

Nga, M. (2010), Enhancing Quality Management of Fresh Fish Supply Chains through Improved Logistics and Ensured Traceability , Reykjavik.

2.4 Norwegian dissertations

Norwegian University of Science and Technology:

Bai, Y. (2013), Reliability of International Freight Trains, An Exploratory Study Drawing on Three Mainstream Theories , Trondheim.

BI Norwegian School of Management:

Hatteland, C.J. (2010), Ports as Actors in Industrial Networks , Norway.

Bjørnstad, S. (2009), Shipshaped Kongsberg Industry and Innovations in Deepwater Technology, 1975 – 2000, Norway.

Hoholm, T. (2009), The Contrary Forces of Innovation - An Ethnography of Innovation Processes in the Food Industr, Norway.

Zhovtobryukh, Y (2014), The Role of Technology, Ownership and Origin in M&A Performance, Norway.

Molde University College:

Halse, L.L. (2014), Walking the Path of Change. Globalization of the Maritime Cluster in North West Norway , Norway.

Salema, G.L. (2014), The Antecedents of Supplier Logistics Performance: an Empirical Study of the Essential Medicines Supply in Tanzania, Norway.

Chaudhry, M.O. (2014), An Assessment of Linkages between Investment in Transport Infrastructure and Economic Development, Norway.

Søvde, N.E. (2014) Optimization of Terrain Transportation Problems in Forestry, Norway.

Iversen, H.P. (2013) Logististikkerfaringer i Psykiatri og Psykisk Helsearbeid: Om Forståelse, Organisering og Ledelsed av Relasjoner i en Profesjonell Organisasjon i Omstilling, Norway.

Bottolfsen, T. (2013) The Impact of Internal, Customer and Supplier Integration on Store Performance , Norway.

Schøyen, H. (2013) Identifying Efficiency Potentials in Maritime Logistics: Investigations from Container and Bulk Trades , Nowary.

Jin, J.Y. (2013) Cooperative Parallel Metaheuristics for Large Scale Vehicle Routing Problems, Norway.

Regmi, U.K. (2013) Essays on Air Transport Marketing and Economics , Norway.

Glavee-Geo, R. (2012) The Antecedents and Consequences of Supplier Satisfaction in Agro Commodity Value Chain: an Empirical Study of Smallholder Cocoa Growers of Ghana , Norway.

Lanquepin, G. (2012) Algorithms for Dynamic Pricing and Lot Sizing, Norway.

Qin, F.F. (2012) Essays on Efficient Operational Strategy of Urban Rail Transit, Norway.

Qian, F.B. (2012) Passenger Risk Minimization in Helicopter Transportation for the Offshore Petroleum Industry , Norwary.

Bø, O. (2012) Aspects of Production Tracking Systems in the Supply Network for Caught Seafood , Norway.

Yue, X. (2010) Competition and Cooperation: a Game theoretic Analysis on the Development of Norwegian Continental shelf, Norway.

Shyshou, A. (2010) Vessel Planning in Offshore Oil and Gas Operations , Norway.

Thapalia, B.K. (2010) Stochastic Single - commodity Network Design , Norway.

Bakhrankova, K. (2010) Production Planning in Continuous Process Industries: Theoretical and Optimization Issues, Norway.

Bhatta, B.P. (2009) Discrete Choice Analysis with Emphasis on Problems of Network - based Level of Service Attributes in Travel Demand Modeling , Norway.

Burki, U. (2009) Cross Cultural Effects on the Relational Governance of Buyer – Supplier Relationships: an Empirical Study of the Textile Exporting Firms of Pakistan , Norway.

Vaagen, H. (2009) Assortment Planning under Uncertainty, Norway.

Saeed, N. (2009) Competition and Cooperation among Container Terminals in Pakistan: with Emphasis on Game Theoretical Analysis, Norway.

2.5 Swedish dissertations

Chalmers University of Technology:

Almotairi, B. (2012), Integrated Logistics Platform the Context of the Port Relational Exchanges and Systematic Integration , Gothenburg.

Andersson, R. (2009), Supply Chain Resilience through Quality Management , Gothenburg.

Bankvall, L. (2011), Activity Linking in Industrial Networks , Gothenburg.

Behrends, S. (2011), Urban Freight Transport Sustainability — The Interaction of Urban Freight and Intermodal Transport , Gothenburg.

Ekwall, D. (2009), Managing Risk for Antagonistic Threats against Transport Network , Gothenburg.

Ellis, J. (2011), Assessing Safety Risks for the Sea Transport Link of a Multimodal Dangerous Goods Transport Chain , Gothenburg.

Finnsgård, C. (2013), Materials Exposure: The Interface between Materials Supply and Assembly , Gothenburg.

Fredriksson, A. (2011), Materials Supply and Production Outsourcing , Gothenburg.

Hanson, R. (2012), In - Plant Materials Supply: Supporting the Choice between Kitting and Continuous Supply , Gothenburg.

Hilletofth, P. (2010), Demand – Supply Chain Management , Gothenburg.

Hjort, K. (2013), On Aligning Returns Management with the Ecommerce Strategy to Increase Effectiveness , Gothenburg.

Ingrid, H. (2014), Organizing Purchasing and Supply Management across Company Boundaries , Gothenburg.

Ivert, L. (2012), Use of Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Systems to Support Manufacturing Planning and Control Processes , Gothenburg.

Kalantari, J. (2012) Foliated Transportation Networks - Evaluating Feasibility and Potential , Gothenburg.

Kharrazi, S. (2012), Steering Based Lateral Performance Control of Long Heavy Vehicle Combinations , Gothenburg.

Lindholm, M.E., (2012) Enabling Sustainable Development of Urban Freight from a Local Authority Perspective , Gothenburg.

Mirzabeiki, V. (2013), Collaborative Tracking and Tracing — A Supply Chain Perspective , Gothenburg.

Roso, V. (2009), The Dry Port Concept , Gothenburg.

Sternberg, H. (2011), Waste in Road Transport Operations — Using Information Sharing to Increase Efficiency , Gothenburg.

Styhre, L. (2010), Capacity Utilization in Short Sea Shipping , Gothenburg.

Sundquist, V. (2014), The Role of Intermediation in Business Networks , Gothenburg.

Thörnblad, K. (2013), Mathematical Optimization in Flexible Job Shop Scheduling: Modelling, Analysis, and Case Studies , Gothenburg.

Jönköping International Business School:

Borgström, B. (2010), Supply chain strategising: Integration in practice, Jönköping.

Cui, L.G., (2012), Innovation and network development of logistics firms, Jönköping.

Skoglund, P. (2012), Sourcing decisions for military logistics in Peace Support Operations: A case study of the Swedish armed forces, Jönköping.

Jafari, H. (2014), Postponement and Logistics Flexibility in Retailing , Jönköping.

Wikner, S. (2011), Value Co - creation as Practice — On a supplier’s capabilities in the value generation process, Jönköping.

Karolinska Institute Department of Public Health Sciences:

Anund, A. (2009), Sleepiness at the Wheel , Sweden.

Linköping University:

Ekström, J. (2012), Optimization Approaches for Design of Congestion Pricing Schemes , Linköping.

Feldmann, A. (2011), A Strategic Perspective on Plants in Manufacturing Networks , Linköping.

Hansson, L. (2010), Public Procurement at the Local Government Level: Actor Roles, Discretion and Constraints in the Implementation of Public Transport Goals , Linköping.

Isaksson, K. (2014), Logistics Service Providers Going Green — A Framework for Developing Green Service Offerings , Linköping.

Lindskog, M. (2012), On Systems Thinking in Logistics Management — A Critical Perspective , Linköping.

Malmgren, M. (2010), Managing Risks in Business Critical Outsourcing: A Perspective from the Outsourcer and the Supplier , Linköping.

Martinsen, U. (2014), Towards Greener Supply Chains: Inclusion of Environmental Activities in Relationships between Logistics Service Providers and Shippers , Linköping.

Mårdh, S. (2013), Cognitive Erosion and its Implications in Alzheimer’s Disease , Linköping.

Musa, S.N. (2012), Supply Chain Risk Management: Identification, Evaluation and Mitigation Techniques , Linköping.

Olstam, J. (2009), Simulation of Surrounding Vehicles in Driving Simulators , Linköping.

Thoresson, K. (2011), To Calculate the Good Society: Cost - Benefit Analysis and the Border between Expertise and Policy in the Transport Sector , Linköping. NOT reviewed.

Linnaeus University:

Farvid, S.M. (2014), Essays on Inventory Theory , Sweden.

Samadi, R. (2010), Supply Chain Optimization and Market Coordinated Inventory , Sweden. NOT Reviewed.

Lund University:

Bagdadi, O. (2012), The Development of Methods for Detection and Assessment of Safety Critical Events in Car Driving , Lund.

Eng Larsson, F. (2014), On the Incentives to Shift to Low - Carbon Freight Transport , Lund.

Howard, C. (2013), Real - Time Allocation Decisions in Multi - Echelon Inventory Control , Lund.

Lundin, J. (2011), On Supply Chain Incentive Alignment: Insight from a Cash Supply Chain and a Trucking Service Supply Chain , Lund.

Olander, M. (2010), Logistik och Juridik. Moderna Affärsförbindelser och Kontrakt som Utmaningar för Förmögenhetsrätten, Lund. NOT Reviewed

Pazirandeh, A. (2014), Purchasing Power and Purchasing Strategies — Insights from the Humanitarian Sector , Lund.

Urciuoli, L. (2011), Security in Physical Distribution Networks: A Survey Study of Swedish Transport Operators , Lund.

Olander Roses, K. (2014), From PowerPoints to Reality - managing Strategic Change in the Paper Packaging Industry , Lund.

Sohrabpour, V. (2014), Packaging Design and Development for Supply Chain Efficiency and Effectiveness, Lund.

Abbasi, M. (2014), Exploring Themes and Challenges in Developing Sustainable Supply Chains - A Complexity Theory Perspective , Lund.

Ringsberg, H. (2013), Food Traceability in Regulated Fresh Food Supply Chains with an Emphasis on the Swedish Fishing Industry , Lund.

Beckeman, M. (2011), The Potential for Innovation in the Swedish Food Sector , Lund.

Dominic, C. (2011), Packaging Logistics Performance , Lund.

Johansson, O. (2009), On the Value of Intelligent Packaging - A Packaging Logistics Perspective , Lund.

Pålsson, H. (2009), Logistics value of using tracking data from uniquely labelled goods , Lund.

Stockholm University, Department of Psychology:

Eriksson, G. (2014), On Physical Relations in Driving: Judgments, Cognition and Perception , Stockholm.

Örebro University School of Business:

Ahlberg, J. (2012), Multi - Unit Common Value Auctions: Theory and Experiments , Örebro.

Arvidsson, S. (2010), Essays on Asymmetric Information in the Automobile Insurance Market , Örebro.

Bohlin, L. (2010), Taxation of Intermediate Goods — A CGE Analysis , Örebro.

Krüger, N. (2009), Infrastructure Investment Planning under Uncertainty , Örebro. NOT reviewed

Liu, X. (2013), Transport and Environmental Incentive Policy Instruments — Effects and Interactions , Örebro. NOT reviewed

Lodefalk, M. (2013), Tackling Barriers to Firm Trade. Liberalisation, Migration, and Servicification , Örebro.

Sund, B. (2010), Economic Evaluation, Value of Life, Stated Preference Methodology and Determinants of Risk , Örebro.

Swärdh, J. (2009), Commuting Time Choice and the Value of Travel Time , Örebro.

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Rajkumar, C., Kavin, L., Luo, X. et al. Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain management: a review of Nordic contributions from 2009 to 2014. Logist. Res. 9 , 5 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12159-016-0132-0

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SupplyChainGuide.org

Guide to Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics Programs

On This Page:

Earning a DBA or Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics can take your SCM career to the highest of heights! While exploring cutting-edge theories and tools, you’ll have the opportunity to work on practical research projects that will prepare you to become a supply chain professor, executive, or consultant. Use our guide to learn more about doctoral programs in SCM/L, including curricula, career paths, and the differences between the DBA & Ph.D. Or leap ahead to our degree directory to find a supply chain doctorate that works for you. 

What is a Doctorate in Supply Chain Management and Logistics Programs?

A Doctorate in Supply Chain Management and Logistics (SCM/L) is a research-intensive degree that is designed for students who are interested in working in academia or high-level SCM positions within the industry. Students who choose to pursue a Ph.D. or DBA in Supply Chain Management typically have a passion for pushing the boundaries of SCM and logistics through innovation and research. They seek to make a difference in the field of supply chains by asking “what is possible?” rather than “what is standard practice?”

If this sounds like the right fit for your goals, take a moment to explore the opportunities in our listings . As a doctoral student in SCM/L, you’ll tackle courses in business, operations research, marketing, and quantitative methods. You’ll study everything from the ins & outs of consumer behavior to the complexities of global logistics management. In the second half of the degree, you will also be required to complete a dissertation on an SCM/L topic of your choosing.

Types of Supply Chain Management and Logistics Doctorates

Many types of doctorate programs in our listings focus on SCM/L fields, so it’s important to find one that fits your needs. Standard offerings include:

• Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management: This program focuses on the strategic and operational aspects of supply chains, from planning and procurement to delivery and final consumption. In addition, it teaches students how to optimize supply chains through data analysis and modeling.
• Ph.D. in Logistics: A Ph.D. in Logistics is a degree that helps you learn about how companies operate on a global scale. Coursework covers a broad range of topics, including theory development and research methods.
• DBA in Supply Chain Management and Logistics: The DBA in SCM/L is a graduate program that mixes fundamental business subjects with a concentration on supply chain research and management. This degree is best-suited to students who wish to work as supply chain executives.

Your choices don’t end there! A variety of specialty Ph.D. programs in Supply Chain Management and Logistics are also available, including:

• Ph.D. in Operations Management: This program is designed for students who want to work as operations executives or consultants. A Ph.D. in Operations Management will teach you about how businesses operate and how to optimize operations to improve performance.
• Ph.D. in Global Supply Chain: This Ph.D. will focus on the management of global supply chains, including elements such as cultural differences and international logistics. You’ll learn about how to conduct research in a global setting.
• Doctor of Engineering (DE) in Logistics: A DE in Logistics is a degree that investigates how companies operate on a global scale. The coursework covers a broad range of topics, including theory development and research methods.
• Ph.D. in Supply Chain Engineering: This Ph.D. focuses on the design and optimization of supply chains. It is perfect for students with a background in engineering and offers an interdisciplinary approach, allowing students to explore a variety of topics in the field.
• Ph.D. in Supply Chain Analytics: A Ph.D. in Supply Chain Analytics will teach you how to use data analytics to improve supply chain performance. The program provides students with a strong foundation in quantitative methods and research skills that can be used in a variety of industries.

DBA vs. Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics

Both the DBA and Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics programs will teach you about the research and management of supply chains. However, there are a few key differences between these programs:

Decision Factors

• The DBA in SCM/L focuses specifically on professional and real-world applications, while the Ph.D. focuses more on research & theory.
• The DBA in SCM/L is designed for students who want to work in the supply chain industry, while the Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management is designed for students who want to work in academia or research.
• DBA programs are designed for working professionals, while Ph.D. programs are full-time.
• DBA programs typically take less time to complete (three years), while a Ph.D. is expected to take three to five years.
• Expect 60 credit hours to complete a DBA program and more than 90 credit hours for a Ph.D. program.

Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management Overview

Most Ph.D. programs in Supply Chain Management and Logistics take three to five years to complete. You’ll be required to take advanced-level coursework in supply chain management and logistics, complete a range of research projects and academic papers, and write a dissertation. Credit hours for a Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics will vary, but you can expect to complete a minimum of 90 credit hours.

Admissions Requirements

To be accepted into a Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics program, prospective students must have a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution (or the international equivalent). GRE or GMAT scores are frequently required. Some programs will also expect you to have prior work experience in the field of supply chain management.

We’ve included links to admissions requirements in our listings so you can assess whether you’re ready to apply. Be prepared to provide the following items:

• Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Professional résumé
• Letters of recommendation
• GRE or GMAT scores
• Statement of purpose
• Application fee
• Financial guarantee form
• TOEFL scores (international students)
• Relevant background experience

Note: If you only have a bachelor’s degree, you may be able to apply for a streamlined bachelor’s-master’s-doctorate pathway within the university. Ask the Ph.D. program coordinator about your options.

Universities are at liberty to develop their own plans of study for a Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics. A doctorate founded on business administration is not going to have the same focus as a doctorate in engineering. However, most SCM/L doctoral programs will offer a range of intriguing courses that will teach you about the research and management of supply chains.

Here are some subjects you can expect to encounter in a standard SCM/L doctorate in our listings :

• Supply Chain Management Theory
• Strategic Sourcing
• Logistics Management/Systems
• Business Analytics
• Supply Chain Strategy
• Organizational Research Methods

During this time, you could also be writing up academic papers for submissions to journals & conferences and working on industry-related projects.

Comprehensive Exam

Ph.D. coursework is frequently completed in the first few years of your doctorate. Before you’re allowed to write your dissertation, you’ll usually be expected to pass a Comprehensive Exam. This exam will test your knowledge of the material covered in your Ph.D. program in Supply Chain Management and Logistics. It’s typically a written exam, although departments often have the discretion to make it an oral exam as well.

Dissertation & Defense

Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics Programs almost always include a five-chapter dissertation. (DBA programs could contain a doctoral thesis.) Here’s how the Ph.D. dissertation process works:

• Choose a Dissertation Topic: You’ll collaborate with a faculty advisor to find a topic of interest. A dissertation should be a deep-dive into a specific realm of research. Examples of real-life SCM dissertation titles include: “A Study of the Relationship Between Lean Manufacturing Practices and Supplier Performance;” “A Diagnosis of Supply Chain Integration in the Health Sector;” and “Product-Service Bundling in Manufacturing Firms.”
• Defend Your Proposal: Once you’ve selected your dissertation topic, you’ll be expected to develop a research proposal and gain departmental approval to write your dissertation. For example, you might be asked to deliver an oral presentation about your proposed topic.
• Write Your Dissertation: If your dissertation proposal is accepted, you can begin gathering data and pursuing research avenues. A Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics dissertation is typically around 100-120 pages long, so be prepared to spend a few years in writing up your work.
• Defend Your Dissertation: Before you can graduate, you will need to defend your dissertation in front of a committee. The committee will usually consist of three to five members, including a chairperson. The committee will ask you questions about your research and dissertation. You may also have to answer questions from an audience.

What Can You Do with a Doctorate in Supply Chain Management and Logistics?

A doctorate in SCM/L can provide you with the skills & knowledge to work in a range of high-paying fields, including academia, research, and logistics management. Most Ph.D. graduates secure positions as university professors, but the right DBA or Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management & Logistics can also open doors to various executive & consultancy positions.

Possible career paths for doctoral graduates include:

• University Professor or Lecturer: Many Ph.D. in SCM/L programs are explicitly designed to prepare you for a career in academia. Upon graduation, you’ll be qualified to teach undergraduate and graduate students about the research and management of supply chains. Look for Ph.D. programs that include teaching assistantships, opportunities to submit academic papers to journals, and conference presentations.
• Research Scientist: A doctorate could also help you secure a position as a top-level researcher in numerous SCM/L fields. Take a look at recent job postings for titles such as Senior Operations Research Analyst, Research Scientist, Senior Technical Analyst, and the like. High-paying research jobs may be available within global companies and the federal government.
• Supply Chain Executive: Earning the right doctorate in SCM/L can qualify you to become a supply chain executive. Doctoral programs like WashU’s DBA in Supply Chain Management are designed for this kind of purpose. If you’re considering Ph.D. programs, check if the curriculum is relevant for consultants & executives and ask about career paths for alumni.
• Consultant: Graduates of SCM/L doctoral programs are also in a prime position to become supply chain management consultants. As an industry freelancer with extensive research experience, you’ll be qualified to step in and help companies improve their supply chain operations through various initiatives.

Ready to start assembling a shortlist of Ph.D. and DBA options? Use these listings to narrow down your choices. Keep in mind that many Ph.D. programs will be full-time, campus-based, and fully funded by the university. DBA programs will have more flexibility in scheduling and may be available online. But you will also have to pay quite a bit for tuition.

All Doctorate in Supply Chain Management Programs

The university of alabama.

Culverhouse College of Business

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Ph.D. in Operations Management

Arizona state university.

W.P. Carey School of Business

Tempe, Arizona

PhD in Supply Chain Management

University of arkansas.

Department of Supply Chain Management

Fayetteville, Arkansas

Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management

University of california-riverside.

School of Business

Riverside, California

Ph.D. in Business Administration - Operations & Supply Chain Management

University of miami.

Herbert Business School

Coral Gables, Florida

PhD in Business - Operations Management

Phd in operations management, georgia institute of technology.

Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering

Atlanta, Georgia

PhD in Industrial Engineering - Supply Chain Engineering

University of illinois at urbana-champaign.

Gies College of Business

Champaign, Illinois

PhD in Business Administration - Operations Management Emphasis

Indiana university bloomington.

Kelley School of Business

Bloomington, Indiana

Purdue University

Krannert School of Business

West Lafayette, Indiana

PhD in Supply Chain and Operations Management

Iowa state university.

Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business

Capitol Technology University

Department of Doctoral Programs

Laurel, Maryland

Doctor of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management

Offered Online

University of Maryland-College Park

Robert H. Smith School of Business

College Park, Maryland

PhD Program - Supply Chain Management Specialization

Massachusetts, university of massachusetts amherst.

Isenberg School of Management

Amherst, Massachusetts

PhD in Management Science - Supply Chain Management

Michigan state university.

East Lansing, Michigan

Ph.D. in Logistics

Ph.d. in operations and sourcing management, university of minnesota-twin cities.

Supply Chain & Operations Department

Minneapolis, Minnesota

PhD in Business Administration - Supply Chain and Operations

University of missouri-st louis.

College of Business Administration

Saint Louis, Missouri

PhD in Business - Logistics and Supply Chain Management Emphasis

Washington university in st louis.

Olin Business School

DBA in Supply Chain, Operations, and Technology

University of nebraska-lincoln.

College of Business

Lincoln, Nebraska

Ph.D. in Business - Supply Chain Management And Analytics Specialization

Rutgers university.

Rutgers Business School

Newark, New Jersey

Ph.D. in Management - Supply Chain Management Concentration

Cornell university.

SC Johnson College of Business

Ithaca, New York

PhD in Management - Operations, Technology, and Information Management

New york university.

Leonard N. Stern School of Business

New York, New York

Syracuse University

Whitman School of Management

Syracuse, New York

North Carolina

Duke university.

Fuqua School of Business

Durham, North Carolina

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Kenan-Flagler

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

North Dakota

North dakota state university-main campus.

Department of Transportation, Logistics, and Finance

Fargo, North Dakota

Ph.D. in Transportation and Logistics

Air force institute of technology-graduate school of engineering & management.

Graduate School of Engineering & Management

Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

Doctor of Philosophy in Logistics

Kent state university at kent.

Ambassador Crawford College Of Business And Entrepreneurship

Ph.D. in Business Administration - Supply Chain Concentration

Ohio state university-main campus.

Fisher College of Business

Columbus, Ohio

University of Toledo

Operations and Technology Management Department

Toledo, Ohio

PhD in Manufacturing and Technology Management - Operations and Supply Chain Management

University of oklahoma norman campus.

Michael F. Price College of Business

Norman, Oklahoma

University of Oregon

Lundquist College of Business

Eugene, Oregon

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania state university-main campus.

Smeal College of Business

University Park, Pennsylvania

Business Ph.D. with Supply Chain and Information Systems Emphasis

Temple university.

Fox School of Business

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

PhD in Business Administration - Operations and Supply Chain Management

University of pittsburgh-pittsburgh campus.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

PhD in Business Analytics and Operations

Rhode island, university of rhode island.

Kingston, Rhode Island

Ph.D. in Business Administration - Supply Chain Management Specialization

Ph.d. in operations and supply chain management specialization, south carolina, clemson university.

Department of Management

Clemson, South Carolina

Ph.D. in Business Administration - Supply Chain Management

University of south carolina-columbia.

Darla Moore School of Business

Columbia, South Carolina

Ph.D. in Production/Operations Management

The university of tennessee.

Knoxville, Tennessee

Texas A & M University-College Station

Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering

College Station, Texas

Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Engineering - Supply Chain Management Focus

Ph.d. in business administration - operations & supply chain management, the university of texas at austin.

McCombs School of Business

Austin, Texas

IROM PhD in Operations Management

University of houston.

Bauer College of Business

Houston, Texas

University of North Texas

G. Brint Ryan College of Business

Denton, Texas

University of Utah

David Eccles School of Business

Salt Lake City, Utah

Ph.D. in Business Administration - Operations Management

Liberty university.

Lynchburg, Virginia

DBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Old dominion university.

Strome College of Business

Norfolk, Virginia

Ph.D. in Business Administration - Information Technology/Supply Chain Management Concentration

Virginia tech.

Pamplin College of Business

Blacksburg, Virginia

Ph.D. in Business Information Technology - Operations Management, Supply Chain, Management Science

University of wisconsin-madison.

Madison, Wisconsin

PhD in Operations and Information Management

University of wisconsin-milwaukee.

Lubar School of Business

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

PhD in Management Science - Supply Chain and Operations Management

Managing supply chain disruptions: role of firm resilience and strategic focus on innovation

Major Professor

Committee member, journal title, journal issn, volume title, research projects, organizational units, journal issue, is version of.

This dissertation focuses on the area of supply chain disruption management and aims to make a contribution by studying how firms can manage supply chain disruptions by (i) becoming resilient and by (ii) reducing the risk of supply chain disruption arising out of innovation. Firm resilience is the ability of the firm to: be alert to supply chain disruptions, to adapt and quickly respond to changes brought by a supply chain disruption and the ability to recover and return back to a state of greater competitiveness. In this dissertation, I emphasize the role of firm resilience in mitigating the effects of a supply chain disruption and focus on understanding factors that enhance firm’s resilience. I first develop the concept of firm resilience, explore its antecedents and consequences and empirically establish its nomological and predictive validity. I then look at supply chain disruptions that result from firm’s strategic focus on innovation and consider the role of a risk management infrastructure that a firm has in place in reducing the risk of these disruptions. In this dissertation I use structural equation modeling to as a methodology to test my hypothesis.

Description

Subject categories, collections.

At the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics

MIT PhD Opportunities in Logistics and Supply Chain

Mit interdisciplinary scm phd study opportunities.

MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL) researchers advise select students in the  Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Transportation  led by MIT’s Mobility Initiative, a cross-disciplinary graduate program in transportation which provides graduate degrees for students interested in transportation studies and research. 

The Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Transportation provides a structured and follow-on doctoral program for students. The interdepartmental structure of the degree allows students flexibility in developing individually tailored paths of study that cross both disciplinary and departmental lines. The student’s research is performed at, and is supervised by faculty at the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics. Detailed requirements for the program can be found  here .

Additionally,  The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)  and  The Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS)  offer PhD research opportunities in Logistics and Supply Chain as a part of their degree programs.

Students are encouraged to apply to the  Interdepartmental Program  or may apply directly to the CEE or IDSS departments and indicate on their application their interest in pursuing research in Logistics and Supply Chain. Students must apply through either CEE or IDSS and indicate on their application their interest in pursuing research in Logistics and Supply Chain. Students would then develop an  interdisciplinary degree proposal  with their department committee and submit to the Office of Graduate Education for approval.

Application deadlines to doctoral programs vary by department.

MIT SCALE Network Doctoral Study Opportunities

University of zaragoza phd in logistics and supply chain management.

This full-time program follows the highest international quality standards for doctoral studies, from the intensive admissions process to the comprehensive exam and thesis defense. Students in their second year can spend a semester or longer at MIT and have the opportunity to study at other leading business and engineering schools. The ZLC PhD degree and MIT-Zaragoza certificate enable graduates to take faculty positions at leading universities around the world or to become innovation leaders for international companies.

MIT Logistics & Supply Chain PhD Program Links:

• Interdepartmental PhD Program in Transportation and application info
• CEE PhD program and application info
• I DSS PhD program and application info

MIT SCALE Network Logistics & Supply Chain PhD Info:

• ZLC’s Doctorate program

Supply chain risk management : exploring an integrated process for managing interdependent risks and risk mitigation strategies

Downloadable content.

• Qazi, Abroon.
• University of Strathclyde
• Doctoral (Postgraduate)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Department of Management Science.
• The goal of this research is to investigate interdependency modelling of supply chain risks, and to develop and empirically evaluate a supply chain risk management process that not only integrates all stages of the process but also captures interdependencies between risks and risk mitigation strategies. The proposed process is tailored to the risk management needs of both conventional and project driven supply chains. Project driven supply chains necessitate experimenting untested (unique) strategies depending on the level of project complexity whereas in the case of conventional supply chains, there is generally a consensus in establishing interdependencies between risks and the efficacy of strategies. A systematic literature review methodology was employed to identify research gaps and establish the research agenda. In order to gain an insight into industrial practice, empirical research was conducted in South Australia involving semi-structured interviews with experts in project risk management that resulted in the development of a project complexity and risk management (ProCRiM) process. The research gaps identified and the findings of the empirical research helped in developing dependency based probabilistic supply chain risk measures that can be readily used for assessing and managing risks associated with global supply chains. In order to capture interdependencies between supply chain risks, strategies and performance measures, two case studies were conducted in reputed supply chains involving semi-structured interviews and focus group sessions that resulted in the development of two risk management frameworks: an adapted version of ProCRiM applicable to project driven supply chains and a framework specific to conventional supply chains. The research also focused on investigating the merits and challenges associated with implementing the proposed process. In order to capture the risk appetite of a decision maker, a process namely supply chain risk network management is developed and illustrated through a simulation study.
• Doctoral thesis
• 10.48730/n30r-3b35
• 9912551893302996

Faculty of Social Sciences, Economics, and Business Administration

• Chair of Supply Chain Management
•   University of bamberg
• Social Sciences, Economics and Business Administration
• Subjects and Institutes
• Business Administration

The following PhD theses relevant to our research topics have been completed at the chair and the associated Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS:

Naumann, V.: Smarte Produkt-Service Systeme: Eine transformations- und kostenorientierte Untersuchung, in Pflaum A.: Schriftenreihe Supply Chain Management und Digitalisierung, Band 1, Fraunhofer Verlag, 2022

Seit vielen Jahren wird insbesondere im industriellen Umfeld eine zunehemnde Serviceorientierung von Unternehmen beobachtet. Gleichzeitig ziehen die Digitalisierung un ddas Internet der Dinge (IoT) immer stärker in alle Bereiche von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft ein. In der fusionierten Betrachtung dieser Trends sind smarte Produkt-Service Systeme ein strategisches Vehikel für Unternehmen. Die Arbeit analysiert und strukturiert den Stand der Forschung zu Produkt-Service Systemen und smarten Produkt-Service Systemen. Dabei erörtert sie wesentliche Begriffsverständnisse und Konzepte. Auf Basis einer empirischen Studie im Maschinen- und Anlagenbau forumuliet die Arbeit sozio-technischen Transformationsrahmen und identifiziert Bedingungen für Anbieter smarter ergebnisorientierter Produkt-Service Systeme. Zudem wird ein gestaltungsorientiert entwckeltes Leenszyklusmodell für IoT-bezogene Kosten smarter Produkt-Service Systeme präsentiert. Eine Darlegung konkreter imperative für Wissenschaft und Praxis runden die Arbeit ab.

Menden, C.: Handling Data Problems in Machine Learning Applications in Supply Chain Management, in Pflaum, A.: Schriftenreihe Logistik und Informationstechnologien, Band 10, Fraunhofer Verlag, 2022

In recent years, considerable progress has been made in research on artificial intelligence, particularly in the sub-area of machine learning (ML) where information is extracted from huge data sets. In practice, however, the existing data is often dirty, erroneous, not available in sufficient quantity, or does not meet the requirements for a direct application of ML methods. Against this background, data augmentation (DA) methods can be used to improve the data quality with the aim of enabling an initial application of ML methods or improving the results of existing ML methods. Today, there is a wide ran of different DA methods which makes it oftentimes difficult to select an appropriate DA method for a particular application. Further, it remains unclear what the potential benefits and possible obstacls are to using DA for ML methods in practice. In this regard, this dissertation aims to contribute to a better understanding of DA and to demonstrate, by means of a multiple-case study, how DA can improve the performance and applicability of ML methods in the context of supply chain management.

Schulz, E.: Erfolgreiche Entwicklung datengetriebener Geschäftsmodelle am Beispiel der produzierenden Industrie, in Pflaum, A.: Schriftenreihe Logistik und Informationstechnologien, Band 9, Fraunhofer Verlag, 2021

Da mit der Zunahme digitaler Technologien eine Vielzahl an Daten generiert wird, sehen Unternehmen neue Geschäftsmöglichkeiten. Insbesondere produzierende Unternehmen gehen von einem großen Umsatzpotential durch datengetriebene Geschäftsmodelle aus. Jedoch scheiert zurzeit ein roßteil de Versuche, neue datengetriebene Geschäftsmodelleerfolgreich zu entwickeln. Zudem geht aus der wissenschaftlichen Literatur hervor, dass die Umsetzung erfolgreicher datengetriebener Geschäftsmodelle bislang wenig untersucht wurde. Aus diesen Gründe entwickelte und evaluierte die Autorin auf Basis von  Experteninterviews und einer multiplen Fallstudie mit vier erfolgreichen produzierenden Unternehmen ein Rahmenmodell. Dieses beinhaltet 18 Erfolgsfaktoren mit unterschiedlichen Ausprägungen sowie ein Erfolgskonstrukt mit zahlreichen Dimensionen und Unterdimensionen. Je nach Ausgangslage des Unternehmens eignen sich jeweils bestimmte Ausprägungen bzw. Dimensionen. Dies verdeutlicht die Vielfältigkeit und Komplexität bei der Entwicklung. Die Dissertation sclhießt neben identifizierten Forschungsfragen mit Handlungsempfehlungen für das Management derjenigen Unternehmen, die die Entwicklung datengetriebener Geschäftsmodelle planen, aktuell betreiben oder bereits durchgeführt haben.

Harispuru, L.: Datengetriebene Effizienzuntersuchung im Transport - Eine qualitativ-quantitative Ursache-Wirkungsanalyse, in Pflaum, A.: Schriftenreihe Logistik und Informationstechnologien, Band 8, Fraunhofer Verlag, 2021

Der zunehmende Mangel an Fahrer*innen sowie der Preisdruck im Logistikdienstleistungsmarkt erfordern eine gesteigerte Effizienz der Prozesse. Dies betrifft vorgelagerte unternehmensinterne Logistikprozesse der Disposition und des Umschlags an den nachgelagerten Transportprozess. Hierzu bieten datengetriebene Methoden große Chancen zur Verbesserung der Prozesse und des Einsatzes der Ressource Fahrer*in. Die wissenschaftliche Literatur benennt den Bedarf nach Ursachen-Wirkungsanalysen im Transport auf den Effizienzfaktor Zeit. Diese Lücke greift die Autorin auf nd entwickelt ein Wirkungsgerüst aus Einflussfaktoren auf die Transporteffizienz. Dabei zeigt sich die Bedeutung der sich häufenden Zeitverzögerungen vorgelagerter Prozesse auf den Transport und deren Einfluss auf die Transporteffizienz. Die Ursache-Wirkungsbeziehungen werden in ein quantitatives Modellin der Form eines Bayes'schen Netzes überführt und überprüft. Das datengetriebene Vorgehen ermöglicht es, die Effizienz zu analysieren. Des Weiteren werden für Praktiker*innen relevante Handlungsempfehlungen abgeleitet, deren Umsetzung zu einer Steigerung der Effizienz von Transportprozessen führt.

Schwemmer, M.: Neue Logistik – Der Erfolg neuer Logistikunternehmen, in Pflaum, A.: Schriftenreihe Logistik und Informationstechnologien, Band 7, Fraunhofer Verlag, 2021

Mit geringen Gewinnmargen, einer hohen Insolvenzquote und stark auf Geschäftskunden ausgerichteten Leistungen erweist sich die Logistik als spezielles Marktumfeld, das schwierig zu erschließen scheint. Dennoch sind die Potenziale für digitalisierte Lösungsansätze von Start-ups in der Logistik als hoch einzuschätzen. Der Markt für logistische Leistungen ist zudem sehr groß und die Investitionssumme, die in Start-ups in diesem Marktumfeld fließt, nahm in den zurückliegenden Jahren laufend zu. Damit scheint die Zeit der Logistik-Start-ups gekommen zu sein und eine Anzahl von geschätzt 350 dieser neuen Logistikunternehmen widmen sich im deutschsprachigen Raum Logistikfragestellungen. Damit werden sie zu einer Riege der »Neuen Logistik«, um die es in diesem Buch geht. Doch wer sind diese neuen Logistikunternehmen? Wie werden sie erfolgreich? Was sind relevante Erfolgsaspekte? Was ist überhaupt Erfolg? Diese und weitere Fragen stehen im Mittelpunkt der Studie, die neben der wissenschaftlichen Community insbesondere auch Praktiker (Investoren, Gründer, Berater) und sonstige Interessenten anspricht.

Lempert, S.: IoT-Software-Plattformen. Methode zur Bewertung und Auswahl der am besten geeigneten Plattform. Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler. Online verfügbar unter: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-35127-4

Mit der zunehmenden Verbreitung und Bedeutung des Internet der Dinge (engl.: Internet of Things, IoT) nimmt auch die Bedeutung von IoT-Software-Plattformen als zentraler Bestandteil von IoT-Systemen zu. Derzeit konkurrieren in einem wachsenden Markt über 450 Anbieter derartiger Plattformen miteinander. Da IoT-Software-Plattformen komplexe Lösungen darstellen, welche sich sowohl in funktionaler als auch in nicht-funktionaler Hinsicht deutlich voneinander unterscheiden, führt diese Vielfalt zu einem intransparenten Markt. Trotz dieser Vielfalt existiert keine IoT-Software-Plattform, die für beliebige IoT-Anwendungsszenarien gleichermaßen geeignet ist. Vor diesem Hintergrund wird in diesem Buch eine Methode vorgestellt, welche Unternehmen bei der schwierigen Aufgabe unterstützt, die für den eigenen unternehmensspezifischen IoT-Anwendungsfall am besten geeignete IoT-Software-Plattform aus einer Vielzahl von Kandidaten auszuwählen. Dabei fließen in die Bewertung neben der Funktionalität und der Standardunterstützung einer IoT-Software-Plattform auch weitere, nicht-funktionale Eigenschaften (Kosten, Geschäftsmodell, Software-Lizenz, verfügbare Support-Dienstleistungen, Anbieter etc.) ein.

Doetzer, M.: Visibility and flexibility in supply chain risk management: Lessons from Germany, Japan and the USA, in Pflaum, A.: Schriftenreihe Logistik und Informationstechnologien, Band 6, Fraunhofer Verlag, 2021

Kurzbeschreibung: This Book sets out to provide an understanding of flexibility and visibility in supply chain risk management beyond national borders. The first part lays down the basic fundament of disruptive dynamics through the analysis of how pre-disruptive risk phases influence post-disruptive risk phases in interconnected risk sources. The second part of this book built on these findings by analyzing the role of information sharing to enhance the shift between pre- and post-disruptive flexibility capabilities, exemplified by various companies in Japan. The third part has taken a wider approach to provide a contribution beyond national borders, by analyzing the influence of dissimilar cultural behavior on supply chain visibility. The aim of this book is to provide guidance and insights in order to overcome disruptions, to become more resilient, and to bridge the gaps between dissimilar cultures to enhance the positive output in business environments, the global economy, and beyond.

Kress, P.: The impact of digital technologies on the value creation of companies in the manufacturing industry, in Pflaum, A.: Schriftenreihe Logistik und Informationstechnologien, Band 5, Fraunhofer Verlag, 2018

Kurzbeschreibung: This research answers following research question: "How do digital technologies impact value creation of companies in the manufacturing industry?" Therefore, the key digital technologies that impact companies in the manufacutring industry have been indentified by a systematic literature review. In the following, a fucus was set on the value creation of companies in the manufacturing industry. A defining feature of the digital transformation is that networks of firms, instead of individual firms, are competing with each other. Thus, the author of this work created a role model with key cooperation partners of companies in the manufacurting industry by application of grounded theory. Platforms that leverage the digital technology Internet-of-Things (IoT), have the potential to profoundly change the manufacturing industry by disrupting established and enabling new business models. Therefore, the value creation in Industrail-Internet-of-Things (IIoT) platform business models was investigated by the creation of a multiple case study of ten IIoT platform offerings. Thereby, the business model consruct has been apllied as structuring frame of the investigation. Value creation sources of business models (Novelty, Lock-in, Complementarities and Efficiency) have been identified for IIoT platforms.

Papert, M.: Entwicklung eines Ökosystemmodells für das Internet der Dinge - Eine ökosystembezogene Architektur zur Implementierung von Internet-der-Dinge-Lösungen, in: Pflaum, A.: Schriftenreihe Logistik und Informationstechnologien, Band 4, Fraunhofer Verlag, 2018

Kurzbeschreibung: Vor dem Hintergrund der zunehmenden Digitalisierung gewinnt die ökosystembezogene Implementierung von Internet-der-Dinge-Lösungen (IoT-Lösungen) immer mehr an Bedeutung. Trotz vielfältiger Veröffentlichungen zum Thema Ökosystem wird die Auseinandersetzung mit der erfolgreichen Implementierung einer IoT-Lösung vernachlässigt. Diese Lücke greift der Autor in seiner Arbeit auf und entwickelt auf Basis von Experteninterviews mit Anwendungsfällen einen Ökosystemmodellrahmen, welcher die Implementierung einer IoT-Lösung unterstützt. Der Rahmen zeigt auf, welche Ökosystemrollen mit ihren jeweiligen Wertschöpfungsbeiträgen direkt und indirekt an einer Lösungsimplementierung beteiligt sind. Des Weiteren werden im Zusammenhang mit der Ökosystemmodellentwicklung Implementierungsempfehlungen für IoT-Lösungen herausgearbeitet. Aufgrund deren exploratorischen Charakters werden diese Empfehlungen in einer empirischen Studie unter IoT-Lösungsintegratoren auf ihre Bedeutung überprüft. Somit schließt die vorliegende Arbeit eine Lücke in der wissenschaftlichen Forschung bzgl. der erfolgreichen Implementierung einer IoT-Lösung und stellt Praktikern ökosystembezogene Handlungsempfehlungen bereit.

Dopslaf, M.: IT-Outsourcing Behavior in the Logistics Sector within the Context of Digitalization - An International Systematic and Comparative Scenario Analysis, in: Pflaum, A.: Schriftenreihe Logistik und Informationstechnologien, Band 3, Fraunhofer Verlag, 2017

Kurzbeschreibung: Being IT-outsourcing an important business trend in the era of digitalization, the topic has received attention from scholars during the last decade. However, the particular phenomenon of IT-outsourcing in the logistics sector, which is also gaining momentum as a business practice, has been much less studied and therefore not present in academic literature. This text provides an interesting an encompassing account on the topic of IT-outsourcing within the context of logistics service providers facing the challenge of digitalization by providing an account of the main drivers and implications of IT-outsourcing in the field of logistics. Based on a conceptual model, an empirical comparative study between the logistics sectors of Germany and Mexico is conducted and further enhanced through information gathered by means of in-depth interviews giving further illumination of the factors influencing IT-outsourcing in both countries.

Preiß, H.: Service Engineering in der Logistik – Die systematische Entwicklung von Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC)-technologiebasierten Mehrwertdienstleistungen, in: Pflaum, A.: Schriftenreihe Logistik und Informationstechnologien, Band 2, Fraunhofer Verlag, 2014

Kurzbeschreibung: Zunehmender Marktdruck und dynamische Umweltbedingungen zwingen Logistikdienstleister ihr Angebotsportfolio zu erweitern. Bisher konnte die wissenschaftliche Literatur allerdings nicht erklären, wie sich diese innovativen, komplexen Mehrwertdienstleistungen systematisch und erfolgreich entwickeln lassen. Diesen "weißen Fleck" greift die Autorin mit der vorliegenden Arbeit auf. Aufbauend auf einem Forschungsansatz nach den Regeln des Design Science Research deckt eine großzahlige Empirie die Ursachen und Wirkungen eines systematischen Vorgehens zur Dienstleistungsentwicklung auf und identifiziert die Logistikbranche als bisher wenig innovativ und strukturiert. Um dem Management im Anschluss eine praxistaugliche Anleitung zum Design von AIDC-technologiebasierten Mehrwertdienstleistungen an die Hand zu geben, leitet die Autorin ein umfassendes Service-Engineering-Werkzeug aus wissenschaftlichen und praktischen Erkenntnissen und Erfahrungen ab: Ein iteratives Vorgehensmodell mit zugehörigem Methodenkatalog und Stage-Gate-Prozess. Dessen Potenziale zeigen sich in zwei Fallstudien, welche als Best Practices für die systematische Dienstleistungsentwicklung im Feld der Logistik dienen können.

Precht, P.: Nutzenprognose der RFID-Technologie – Ein Beitrag zur vorausschauenden Strukturierung, Beschreibung und Bewertung der Nutzenpotenziale von RFID-Anwendungen in der Logistik, in: Pflaum, A.: Schriftenreihe Logistik und Informationstechnologien, Band 1, Fraunhofer Verlag, 2012

Kurzbeschreibung: In der betriebswirtschaftlichen Literatur wird die Nutzenbetrachtung von RFID-Anwendungen in der Logistik weitgehend vernachlässigt. Dieses Manko greift der Autor in seiner Arbeit auf und entwickelt einen erweiterten Nutzenbetrachtungsansatz, mit dessen Hilfe potenzielle Technologieanwender mögliche Nutzenpotenziale vorausschauend strukturieren, beschreiben und bewerten können. Durch die empirische Untersuchung bestätigt sich die These des Autors zum sogenannten "Infrastruktureffekt". Diese besagt, dass im Laufe des operativen Betriebs von RFID-Anwendungen weitere "neue" Nutzenpotenziale identifiziert und umgesetzt werden können. Die Erkenntnisse und entwickelten Handlungsempfehlungen, die aus den Fallstudien resultieren, gewährleisten den Praxisbezug der Forschungsarbeit.

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Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics- Top 40 Ideas

• Career Advice

One of the most frequently asked questions from SCMDOJO followers is, I am doing a Supply Chain Management Master from Europe, the UK or the USA, and I need some Master Thesis ideas in Supply Chain.

Key academic research areas in SCM are offering robust and implementable supply chain management thesis that are transforming worldwide trends. The increasing strength of global Supply Chain Management (SCM) is one functional area that shows several students are seeking a good start, especially in solving significant problems in the form of Masters and PhD thesis .

Nevertheless, with the changing trends in the industry, some students are likely to struggle with the early stages of academic writing. A significant reason for this problem is usually down to a lack of ideas or facing new topics with low research activity.

Old Industries and New Industries

The recent pattern shifts in academia, from the traditional research approach to other conventional methods, is taking a more student-centred view. Most of the supply chain management thesis is crafted by students, including dissertation, topic creation, research, and more with help of their supervisors.

With new industries, like Amazon and Apple, transforming old concepts with technological disruption, there are new trends to look out for to help narrow your supply chain management thesis.

The 7 Powerful Supply Chain Trends (I also dubbed “Supply Chain 7.0”) have the potential to become a powerful influence over time. These trends include Augmented reality (AR), Big Data, Gamification of the supply chain, moving the supply chain to the “Cloud,” and the Internet of Things (IoT) – Industry 4.0. Also, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning in the supply chain, alongside 3D Printing, are now needed to support the product life cycle.

Forbes also highlights the key 2020 Supply Chain Technology Trends that are receiving lots of buzz in Supply Chain Management. In this regard, students seeking top-notch research areas for supply chain management thesis can consider new trends to help create adequate research content.

40  Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics for 2024

On these premises, any supply chain management thesis should be comprehensive. There several topics and areas to consider, and below are 40 Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics for 2020 that students can do research on towards an excellent postgraduate study in SCM.

Digital Transformation

• Digital Transformation Key Attributes; Challenges; enablers & Success Factors.
• Smart Government Initiatives: How Governments are Driving Digital Change.
• Digital Leadership is linking to Virtual Teams or Self Organised Teams (Agile PM).
• Did COVID 19 impact the implementation of digital transformation?
• Cross-functional collaboration in the decision-making process.
• The value of data and interdependencies in decision-making.
• Machine learning techniques in supply chain management.
• Blockchain Technology in Supply Chain Transparency: Evaluating the Impact on Traceability and Trust.
• The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Predictive Analytics for Inventory Management.
• Sustainability in Digital Supply Chain Management: A Comparative Analysis of Environmental Impact.
• Digital Transformation in Warehouse Management: Enhancing Efficiency and Customer Satisfaction

Sustainable Project Management (SPM)

• Can apply the SPM model or any of its dimensions to any type of project
• Can Blockchain help with Sustainable Project Management?
• Factors affecting the application of an efficient supply management system.

IoT- Industry 4.0 and Big Data

• Application of IoT in Logistics – Challenges; enablers & Success Factors
• The practicability of intertwined supply networks with IoT.
• Implementation of IoT in 3PL/4PL Industry – Challenges; enablers & Success Factors
• Big data and impact in DDMRP
• Evaluation of technology use in modern supply chain management.
• The extension of supply chain resilience through Industry 4.0
• The Impact of Industry 4.0 on Supply Chain Management.
• Implementation of E-logistics in Supply Chain Operations.
• Predictive Maintenance Strategies in Industry 4.0-enabled Supply Chains: A Case Study Approach
• Optimizing Supply Chain Decision-Making through Real-time Big Data Analytics
• Cybersecurity Challenges in IoT-Enabled Supply Chains: A Comprehensive Analysis.

Operations and Supply Chain Management

• Risk Evaluation and Management involved in a supply chain
• Partnerships Perspective in Supply Chain Management
• Assessing Supply Chain Risk Management Capabilities
• Implementation of Green Supply Chain Management Practices
• Supply Chain Management Practices and Supply Chain Performance Effectiveness
• The Impact of Supply Chain Management Practices on the Overall Performance of the org
• The Influence of Environmental Management Practices and Supply Chain Integration on Technological Innovation Performance
• The Relationship between Total Quality Management Practices and their Effects on Firm Performance
• Level of Commitment to Top Management regarding the TQM Implementation
• Impact of Mobility Solutions (transportation / latest technologies) on logistics.
• Study on the roles of supply chain management in corporate outsourcing.
• Evaluating strategies for cost reduction in SCM relating to exports and imports.
• Circular Economy Practices in Supply Chain Management: A Case Study Approach
• Demand Forecasting in Omnichannel Retail: A Comparative Analysis of Forecasting Models.
• Ethical and Sustainable Procurement Practices: An Examination of Implementation Challenges and Benefits.

Watch my YouTube vlog explaining more on Top 10 HOT TOPICS for Supply Chain Research for Master Thesis or Ph.D. Thesis.

Get My PhD Thesis- Supplier Development Framework

The supply chain systems of today are more likely to see massive changes technologically in the coming years. Some selected supply chain management thesis topics may face limited data or access to real-time data in making proper research and forecast, including seasonality and trends. So, due diligence is necessary to ensure you not only pick an exciting supply chain management thesis, but you also have sufficient access to data, studies, and materials useful in such an area. The impact of these trends alongside technological advancement in the selected areas would certainly help your thesis stand out and unique.

If are looking for more articles in the education category, you can visit this page

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the emergent research topics in the field of supply chain management.

Blockchain Integration : Exploring the application of blockchain technology to enhance transparency, traceability, and security in supply chains.

Sustainable Supply Chains : Investigating strategies for integrating environmentally friendly practices, ethical sourcing, and social responsibility into supply chain management.

Digital Transformation : Studying the impact of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things on optimizing supply chain processes.

Resilience and Risk Managemen t: Analyzing approaches to build resilient supply chains capable of adapting to disruptions, such as pandemics, natural disasters, and geopolitical events.

Circular Economy : Examining supply chain models that minimize waste and promote the reuse, recycling, and repurposing of materials.

Supply Chain Visibility : Researching ways to improve real-time visibility into supply chain activities to enhance decision-making and responsiveness.

Last-Mile Delivery Optimization : Investigating innovative approaches to streamline and optimize the final stages of product delivery to consumers.

Supply Chain Finance : Exploring financial strategies and tools to optimize cash flow and working capital within supply chains.

Collaborative Supply Chains : Studying methods to enhance collaboration and information-sharing among supply chain partners to achieve mutual benefits.

E-commerce Integration : Examining the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating e-commerce platforms into traditional supply chain models.

What are the 4 areas of supply chain management?

What is the primary goal of the supply chain.

The main goal of a supply chain is to efficiently and effectively manage the flow of products or services from the point of origin to the point of consumption. This involves optimizing processes from procurement and production to distribution and delivery. The overarching objective is to meet customer demands with the right products, in the right quantity, at the right time, while minimizing costs and maximizing overall supply chain performance.

What is the difference between supply chain and supply chain management?

The term “supply chain” refers to the entire network of entities and activities involved in the creation and delivery of a product or service, encompassing suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and customers. “Supply chain management,” on the other hand, is the strategic coordination and oversight of these interconnected processes to optimize efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance overall performance. While the supply chain is the broader concept, supply chain management specifically involves the planning, execution, and control of various elements within that network to achieve business objectives.

Recommended Books

How to get a phd: a handbook for students and their supervisors.

How to Get a PhD: How to Set Yourself Up for Success in the First 12 Months (Getting My PhD)

About the Author-  Dr Muddassir Ahmed

Dr MuddassirAhmed  is the Founder & CEO of SCMDOJO. He is a  global speaker ,  vlogger  and  supply chain industry expert  with 17 years of experience in the Manufacturing Industry in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia in various Supply Chain leadership roles.   Dr. Muddassir  has received a PhD in Management Science from Lancaster University Management School. Muddassir is a Six Sigma black belt and founded the leading supply chain platform SCMDOJO to enable supply chain professionals and teams to thrive by providing best-in-class knowledge content, tools and access to experts.

You can follow him on  LinkedIn ,  Facebook ,  Twitter  or  Instagram

• Research & Improvement

Free Supply Chain Digitalization Assessment

- Measure your organization's current digitalization readiness - 63 survey questions across six categories to achieve the objective

Supply Chain Management PhD Thesis

03 Jan 2024 - 29 Dec 2024

Hamilton, Tauranga

To see available locations for each teaching period, view the teaching periods and locations table .

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You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees. Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment - please see the  Table of Fees and Charges for more information.

Available subjects

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Texas A&M University Catalogs

Master of science in supply chain and analytics.

The Department of Information and Operations Management in Mays Business School offers a non-thesis program leading to a Master of Science degree in Supply Chain and Analytics (MS-SCAN). This degree program equips students to become leaders who can provide innovative solutions that have a direct impact on the financial and operational health of a company. It harnesses a pioneering multidisciplinary approach, teaching students to successfully leverage the dynamic capabilities of data analysis technologies to make real-time decisions to resolve an organization's most complex supply chain challenges. 

Supply chain professionals utilize a combination of analytical and soft skills, making the field ideal for students interested in both logic and creativity. Students will study the latest innovations in sourcing, purchasing, quality assurance, distribution, supply chain optimization, and process improvement. The program also includes an integrated study abroad experience. Graduates of the program will be ready to step into leadership roles in a variety of industries. 

For additional information on the MS-SCAN degree in Mays Business School, please visit  https://mays.tamu.edu/graduate/masters/ms-programs/supply-chain-and-analytics/ , email [email protected] , or call (979) 845-0811.

Steps to Fulfill a Masters Program

Program Requirements

• Student's Advisory Committee

Degree Plan

Credit requirements, transfer of credit, limitations on the use of transfer, extension and certain other courses, final examination, student’s advisory committee.

The Master of Science in Supply Chain and Analytics (MS-SCAN) student’s advisory committee consists of the director of the program, who is a faculty member in the Department of Information and Operations Management at Mays Business School.

If the chair of a student’s advisory committee voluntarily leaves the university and the student is near completion of the degree and wants the chair to continue to serve in this role, the student is responsible for securing a current member of the University Graduate Faculty, from the student’s academic program and located near the Texas A&M University campus site, to serve as the co-chair of the committee. The department head or chair of intercollegiate faculty may request in writing to the associate provost and dean of the Graduate and Professional School that a faculty member who is on an approved leave of absence or has voluntarily separated from the university, be allowed to continue to serve in the role of chair of a student’s advisory committee without a co-chair for up to one year. The student should be near completion of the degree. Extensions beyond the one year period can be granted with additional approval of the dean.

The student’s advisory committee has the responsibility of approving the proposed degree plan for a MS-SCAN student. When necessary, recommendations in cases of academic deficiency will be made to the Graduate and Professional School.

The student’s advisory committee, in consultation with the student, will develop the proposed degree plan. The degree plan must be filed with the Graduate and Professional School and approved by the MS-SCAN director and the department head before the deadline imposed by the MS-SCAN program and no later than dates announced in the Graduate and Professional School calendar of deadlines for graduation.

A student should submit the degree plan using the online  Document Processing Submission System .

A student submitting a proposed degree plan for a Master of Science degree should designate on the official degree plan the appropriate program option.

Additional coursework may be added to the approved degree plan by petition to the MS-SCAN director.

A minimum of 32 semester credit hours of approved coursework is required for the non-thesis option.

A student who has earned 12 hours of graduate credit in residence at Texas A&M University may be authorized to transfer courses in excess of the limits prescribed below upon the advice of the advisory committee and with the approval of the Graduate and Professional School. Courses taken in residence at an accredited U.S. institution or approved international institution with a final grade of B or greater may be considered for transfer credit if, at the time the courses were completed, the courses would be accepted for credit toward a similar degree for a student in degree-seeking status at the host institution. Otherwise, the limitations stated in the following section apply. Coursework in which no formal grades are given or in which grades other than letter grades (A or B) are earned (for example, CR, P, S, U, H, etc.) is not accepted for transfer credit. Courses appearing on the degree plan with grades of D, F or U may not be absolved by transfer work. Credit for thesis research or the equivalent is not transferable. Credit for coursework submitted for transfer from any college or university must be shown in semester credit hours or equated to semester credit hours. An official transcript from the university at which the transfer coursework was taken must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions.

Courses used toward a degree at another institution may not be applied for graduate credit. If the course to be transferred was taken prior to the conferral of a degree at the transfer institution, a letter from the registrar at that institution stating that the course was not applied for credit toward the degree must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School.

Grades for courses completed at other institutions are not included in computing the GPA.

Some departments may have more restrictive requirements for transfer work. If otherwise acceptable, certain courses may be used toward meeting credit hour requirements for the master’s degree under the following limitations.

• Graduate and/or upper-level undergraduate courses taken in residence at an accredited U.S. institution, or approved international institution with a final grade of B or greater will be considered for transfer credit if, at the time the courses were completed, the student was in degree-seeking status at Texas A&M University, or the student was in degree-seeking status at the institution at which the courses were taken; and if the courses would be accepted for credit toward a similar degree for a student in degree-seeking status at the host institution.
• Courses previously used for another degree are not acceptable for degree plan credit.
• The maximum number of credit hours taken in post-baccalaureate non-degree (G6) classification at Texas A&M University which may be considered for application to the degree plan is 12.
• A zero credit 684 or 685 course is only allowed for non-thesis option master's students. A zero credit 681 course can be used for either thesis or non-thesis option master’s students. Other courses, including 691 (Research) hours, are not eligible for zero credit.
• Not more than 8 hours in the combination of 691 (Research), 684 (Professional Internship) or SOPH 680  may be used.
• Not more than 8 hours of 685 (Directed Studies) may be used.
• Not more than 3 hours of 690 (Theory of Research) may be used.
• Not more than 3 hours of 695 (Frontiers in Research) may be used.
• A maximum of 2 hours of Seminar (681).
• A maximum of 9 hours of advanced undergraduate courses (300- or 400-level).
• For graduate courses of three weeks’ duration or less, taken at other institutions, up to 1 hour of credit may be obtained for each five-day week of coursework. Each week of coursework must include at least 15 contact hours.
• Continuing education courses may not be used for graduate credit.
• Extension courses are not acceptable for credit.

For non-distance degree programs, no more than 50 percent of the non-research coursework required for the program may be completed through distance education courses.

To receive a graduate degree from Texas A&M University, students must earn one-third or more of the credits through the institution’s own direct instruction. This limitation also applies to joint degree programs. 

Exceptions will be permitted only in unusual cases and when petitioned by the student’s advisory committee and approved by the Graduate and Professional School.

The final examination is not required for the Master of Science in Supply Chain and Analytics.

A student pursuing the non-thesis option is not allowed to enroll in 691 (Research) for any reason and 691 may not be used for credit toward a non-thesis option Master of Science degree. A maximum of 4 credit hours of 684 (Professional Internship), 8 credit hours of 685 (Directed Studies), and up to 3 credit hours of 690 (Theory of Research) or 695 (Frontiers in Research) may be used toward the non-thesis option Master of Science degree. In addition, any combination of 684, 685, 690 and 695 may not exceed 25 percent of the total credit hour requirement shown on the individual degree plan. All requirements for the non-thesis option Master of Science degree other than those specified above are the same as for the thesis option degree.

The department head or the chair of an intercollegiate faculty, if appropriate, for the program may approve an exception for a PhD student who changes to a non-thesis option MS degree program after at least one year of PhD studies to use 691 credits toward a non-thesis option Master of Science degree. The department head or chair of an intercollegiate faculty, if appropriate, for the program may approve an exception for a master’s student who changes from a MS thesis option degree to a MS non-thesis option degree program to use 691 credits toward a non-thesis option Master of Science degree. In both cases, the student is allowed to use a maximum of 8 credit hours of 685 and 691 combined. Departments, colleges, and interdisciplinary degree programs may opt to establish higher standards. Further, any combination of 684, 685, 690, 691 and 695 may not exceed 25 percent of the total credit hour requirement shown on the individual degree plan. All requirements for the non-thesis option Master of Science degree other than those specified above are the same as for the thesis option degree.

Additional Requirements

Continuous registration, foreign languages, application for degree.

In partial fulfillment of the residence requirement for the degree of Master of Science, the student must complete 9 resident credit hours during one regular semester or one 10-week summer semester in resident study at Texas A&M University. Upon recommendation of the student’s advisory committee, department head or chair of the interdisciplinary program, if appropriate, and with approval of the Graduate and Professional School, a student may be granted exemption from this requirement. Such a petition, however, must be approved prior to the student’s registration for the final 9 credit hours of required coursework.

Students who are employed full-time while completing their degree may fulfill total residence requirements by completion of less-than-full time course loads each semester. In order to be considered for this, the student is required to submit a Petition for Waivers and Exceptions along with verification of his or her employment to the Graduate and Professional School.

See  Residence Requirements .

A student in the thesis option of the Master of Science program who has completed all coursework on his or her degree plan other than 691 (Research) is required to be in continuous registration until all requirements for the degree have been completed.

See  Continuous Registration Requirements .

All degree requirements must be completed within a period of seven consecutive years for the degree to be granted. A course will be considered valid until seven years after the end of the semester in which it is taken. Graduate credit for coursework which is more than seven calendar years old at the time of the final examination (oral or written) may not be used to satisfy degree requirements.

No specific language requirement exists for the Master of Science degree.

For information on applying for your degree, please visit the  Graduation  section.

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Four from MIT named 2024 Knight-Hennessy Scholars

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MIT senior Owen Dugan, graduate student Vittorio Colicci ’22, predoctoral research fellow Carine You ’22, and recent alumna Carina Letong Hong ’22 are recipients of this year’s Knight-Hennessy Scholarships. The competitive fellowship, now in its seventh year, funds up to three years of graduate studies in any field at Stanford University. To date, 22 MIT students and alumni have been awarded Knight-Hennessy Scholarships.

“We are excited for these students to continue their education at Stanford with the generous support of the Knight Hennessy Scholarship,” says Kim Benard, associate dean of distinguished fellowships in Career Advising and Professional Development. “They have all demonstrated extraordinary dedication, intellect, and leadership, and this opportunity will allow them to further hone their skills to make real-world change.”

Vittorio Colicci ’22

Vittorio Colicci, from Trumbull, Connecticut, graduated from MIT in May 2022 with a BS in aerospace engineering and physics. He will receive his master’s degree in planetary sciences this spring. At Stanford, Colicci will pursue a PhD in earth and planetary sciences at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. He hopes to investigate how surface processes on Earth and Mars have evolved through time alongside changes in habitability. Colicci has worked largely on spacecraft engineering projects, developing a monodisperse silica ceramic for electrospray thrusters and fabricating high-energy diffraction gratings for space telescopes. As a Presidential Graduate Fellow at MIT, he examined the influence of root geometry on soil cohesion for early terrestrial plants using 3D-printed reconstructions. Outside of research, Colicci served as co-director of TEDxMIT and propulsion lead for the MIT Rocket Team. He is also passionate about STEM engagement and outreach, having taught educational workshops in Zambia and India.

Owen Dugan, from Sleepy Hollow, New York, is a senior majoring in physics. As a Knight-Hennessy Scholar, he will pursue a PhD in computer science at the Stanford School of Engineering. Dugan aspires to combine artificial intelligence and physics, developing AI that enables breakthroughs in physics and using physics techniques to design more capable and safe AI systems. He has collaborated with researchers from Harvard University, the University of Chicago, and DeepMind, and has presented his first-author research at venues including the International Conference on Machine Learning, the MIT Mechanistic Interpretability Conference, and the American Physical Society March Meeting. Among other awards, Dugan is a Hertz Finalist, a U.S. Presidential Scholar, an MIT Outstanding Undergraduate Research Awardee, a Research Science Institute Scholar, and a Neo Scholar. He is also a co-founder of VeriLens, a funded startup enabling trust on the internet by cryptographically verifying digital media.

Carina Letong Hong ’22

Carina Letong Hong, from Canton, China, is currently pursuing a JD/PhD in mathematics at Stanford. A first-generation college student, Hong graduated from MIT in May 2022 with a double major in mathematics and physics and was inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society. She then earned a neuroscience master’s degree with dissertation distinctions from the University of Oxford, where she conducted artificial intelligence and machine learning research at Sainsbury Wellcome Center’s Gatsby Unit. At Stanford Law School, Hong provides legal aid to low-income workers and uses economic analysis to push for law enforcement reform. She has published numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals, served as an expert referee for journals and conferences, and spoken at summits in the United States, Germany, France, the U.K., and China. She was the recipient of the AMS-MAA-SIAM Morgan Prize for Outstanding Research, the highest honor for an undergraduate in mathematics in North America; the AWM Alice T. Schafer Prize for Mathematical Excellence, given annually to an undergraduate woman in the United States; the Maryam Mirzakhani Fellowship; and a Rhodes Scholarship.

Carine You ’22

Carine You, from San Diego, California, graduated from MIT in May 2022 with bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer science and in mathematics. Since graduating, You has worked as a predoctoral research assistant with Professor Amy Finkelstein in the MIT Department of Economics, where she has studied the quality of Medicare nursing home care and the targeting of medical screening technologies. This fall, You will embark on a PhD in economic analysis and policy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She wishes to address pressing issues in environmental and health-care markets, with a particular focus on economic efficiency and equity. You previously developed audio signal processing algorithms at Bose, refined mechanistic models to inform respiratory monitoring at the MIT Research Laboratory of Electronics, and analyzed corruption in developmental projects in India at the World Bank. Through Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow, she taught computer science to Israeli and Palestinian students in Jerusalem and spearheaded an online pilot expansion for the organization. At MIT, she was named a Burchard Scholar.

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Three from MIT named 2023 Knight-Hennessy Scholars

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PhD student position in Urban Freight Management

Job information, offer description.

The PhD student will work in the EU project GreenTurn that focuses on sustainable e-commerce and returns. The PhD student will be part of the Urban Freight Platform funded by the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations which offers many collaboration and networking opportunities with top researchers worldwide. Chalmers University of Technology is well known for its excellent research and education, it has been ranked 2nd in Europe in the subject of Transportation Science & Technology in 2023 according to Shanghai's Global Ranking, and has a strong collaboration with industry and the public sector. Information about the division and the department The Department of Technology Management and Economics (TME) conducts research about the interaction between technology development, industrial systems, society, people and the environment. The department is organized in five divisions for research and teaching. The research can be divided into three main research areas, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain & Operations Management and Sustainability & Society Studies. The position is placed at the Division of Supply and Operations Management (SOM) which conducts research, education and outreach activities related to transportation, logistics, operations management, and industrial marketing and purchasing. All these fields, in turn, relate to supply chain management. The division focuses on three broad areas: Industrial marketing and purchasing, transportation and logistics, and operations management. The division pursues problem-oriented and inter-disciplinary research, with strong emphasis on industry relevance with high visibility in leading academic journals. Major responsibilities As PhD student you will take part in research at the division in the area of urban logistics. The exact focus of the work will be decided in interaction with the main supervisor. Your major responsibility is to pursue doctoral studies in relation to a specific research aim. At large, PhD studies include a number of doctoral courses, reviewing literature, conducting research studies, and interacting with industrial companies. As a PhD student you take an active role in the research project in preparing for and collecting empirical data, conducting analysis and presenting results. During the project, results will continuously be presented at seminars and on international conferences. Large emphasis when selecting a candidate will be laid on your ability to analyze quantitative data and to describe your results in oral and written forms. Position summary The position is a full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to five years (1+2+2). You will spend approximately 80% of this time on research. As a PhD student you will also, to a maximum of 20%, be involved in teaching bachelor and master courses and/or perform other departmental tasks. You will be enrolled into the postgraduate programme at the research school Technology Management and Economics. The employment is bound to successful completion of department evaluations after one and three years.

Read more about doctoral studies at Chalmers here . Qualifications Master's degree in e.g. Industrial Management and Engineering, Civil Engineering, Business Administration, Management, Economics or similar subjects with an interest in urban freight transport and logistics. The applicant is expected to conduct empirical research as primary activity, foremost applying quantitative research approaches. Results of research are expected to be disseminated through interactions with professionals as well as publications in highly-ranked journals within the subject area. To qualify as a PhD student, you must have a master's level degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits in a relevant field. The position requires sound verbal and written communication skills in English. If Swedish is not your native language, Chalmers offers Swedish courses. We offer Chalmers offers a cultivating and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of  Gothenburg .  Read more about  working at Chalmers  and our  benefits  for employees. Chalmers aims to actively improve our gender balance. We work broadly with equality projects, for example the GENIE Initiative on gender equality for excellence . Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers. Application procedure The application should be marked with reference number 20240293 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically and be attached as PDF-files, as below. Maximum size for each file is 40 MB. Please note that the system does not support Zip files. CV: (Please name the document: CV, Family name, reference number) • CV • Other, for example previous employments or leadership qualifications and positions of trust. • Two references that we can contact. Personal letter: (Please name the document as: Personal letter, Family name, ref.number) 1-3 pages where you: • Introduce yourself • Describe your previous experience of relevance for the position (e.g. education, thesis work and, if applicable, any other research activities) • Describe your future goals and future research focus Other documents: • Copies of bachelor and/or master’s thesis. • Attested copies and transcripts of completed education, grades and other certificates, e.g. TOEFL test results. Use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form. 

Please note: The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete. Incomplete applications and applications sent by email will not be considered.

Application deadline: 2024-09-01

For questions, please contact: Ivan Sanchez-Diaz, Associate Professor, Division of Supply and Operations Management, [email protected] Ivan Cardenas, Assistant Professor, Division of Supply and Operations Management, [email protected]

Requirements

Additional information, work location(s), where to apply.