SCM Research

NOVEMBER 15, 2023

I have often noticed that researchers in our discipline have many questions about what good qualitative SCM research should look like. A new article by Rockmann and Vough, Using Quotes to Present Claims: Practices for the Writing Stages of Qualitative Research , is a great guide for scholars of qualitative management research. It emphasizes the critical fourth stage of qualitative research – the writing of findings – which goes beyond study design, data collection, and analysis.

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SCM Research Study Analysis 208

SCM Research

SEPTEMBER 30, 2023

This article, entitled Apple’s Supply Chain Is on a Collision Course With Climate Change , argues that Apple’s supply chain faces major risks from the climate crisis. Despite its efforts to become carbon neutral, the regions where its suppliers are located are highly vulnerable to climate-related natural disasters and have carbon-intensive energy grids.

Supply Chain Strategy 143

Supply Chain Strategy Supply Chain Planning Global Supply Chain 143

SCM Research

SEPTEMBER 6, 2023

The replication crisis that has deeply affected neighboring disciplines is now under scrutiny in operations management. Eight scholars ( Davis et al. : A Replication Study of Operations Management Experiments in Management Science) took the initiative to examine the replicability of ten influential experimental articles. Their results were disturbing: only six articles were fully replicated, two were partially replicated, and two completely missed the mark.

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Supply Chain Study Research Course 222

SCM Research

JULY 4, 2023

The emergence of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) presents unique challenges to the academic research community. Many researchers are unsure how and when to report their use of such tools, and some even suggest that ChatGPT should be credited as a co-author. An enlightening editorial was recently published (Spanjol & Noble, 2023: Engaging With Generative Artificial Intelligence Technologies in Innovation Management Research—Some Answers and More Questions ).

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SCM Research Journal Supply Chain Software 262

SCM Research

JUNE 9, 2023

Supply chain management (SCM) master’s programs often emphasize functional silos, as reflected in course titles such as “Operations Management” and “Logistics and Distribution Management” While these traditional elements are important, they risk overlooking transformative perspectives necessary in the face of today’s global challenges.

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SCM Education Study Course 250

SCM Research

MAY 5, 2023

Forests are not only a vital resource for maintaining a healthy and stable climate, but they also provide numerous ecosystem services such as biodiversity conservation, soil conservation, and water regulation. However, supply chains that rely on unsustainable practices are a major threat to the world’s forests. This BBC video emphasizes that immediate action is needed to address the drivers of deforestation and promote sustainable supply chains.

Supply Chain 143

Supply Chain Video Global Sustainability 143

SCM Research

APRIL 23, 2023

Ten years ago, on April 24, 2013, the world was shocked by the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh. The tragedy claimed the lives of 1,134 garment workers and injured thousands more. The building housed several garment factories that supplied clothing to major global brands. Rana Plaza highlighted the dominant supply chain logic: that a T-shirt can only be sold at a very low price at the downstream end of the supply chain because the real cost is paid by the workers at the upstream

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Bangladesh Apparel Supply Chain Global 143

SCM Research

MARCH 30, 2023

We have just released a new report, entitled Circular Supply Chain Transformation: Challenges, Opportunities, and Trade-Offs for Circular Smartphones and Computers. It highlights the importance, opportunities, and potential trade-offs associated with circular supply chains for electronic devices in a way that makes it easier for decision makers to understand and navigate the circular transformation.

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Supply Chain Transformation Supply Chain Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Analytics 143

SCM Research

MARCH 12, 2023

Cobalt Wars is one of the most interesting ARTE.tv documentaries I have seen recently. It looks at the supply chain of cobalt, a key ingredient in the batteries of our smartphones and electric cars, and the political, environmental and social challenges associated with that supply chain. (French with English subtitles, also available in German. Not available in all regions.

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Supply Chain Supply and Demand Video Sustainability 143

SCM Research

FEBRUARY 20, 2023

Today I would like to introduce you to our new article entitled Thinking Differently About Supply Chain Resilience: What We Can Learn From Social-Ecological Systems Thinking , which is the result of an exciting collaboration with Mark Stevenson, Steven A. Melnyk, Simin Davoudi, and Lisen Schultz. We argue that the supply chain resilience literature should be expanded to include insights from the social-ecological systems literature.

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Supply Chain Journal Research Supply and Demand 143

SCM Research

FEBRUARY 6, 2023

As the recent debate about ChatGPT has shown, artificial intelligence tools are advancing rapidly. Today, I would like to introduce two AI tools that can be used to improve the language of academic texts. The first tool, Grammarly , can be integrated into programs like Word and suggests improvements, both in terms of errors and style. Grammarly has already found a large following among academic writers.

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SCM Research

JANUARY 26, 2023

How should researchers construct research questions for their academic work? One intuitive answer is by spotting a gap in the existing academic literature. This is certainly an effective approach that follows the Popperian scientific method. In addition to gap-spotting, there is a second approach that deserves a little more attention: problematization.

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SCM Research Course 143

SCM Research

JANUARY 2, 2023

As in previous years, I am making a prediction about what could be important topics in supply chain management research. Here are three predictions: (1) OpenAI has demonstrated the incredible potential of machine learning , and this will have numerous implications for the management of supply chains. It is important for our discipline to consider the potential and drawbacks of this technology at an early stage. (2) Supply chain resilience remains a critical issue.

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SCM Research

DECEMBER 7, 2022

OpenAI has attracted a lot of attention in recent weeks, and for good reason. The research institute, which focuses on developing artificial intelligence technologies and promoting their safe and responsible use, has made significant strides in advancing the field of AI. One area where OpenAI could have a significant impact is in the field of supply chain management.

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Supply Chain Software Supply Chain Optimization Supply Chain Strategy Optimization Software 143

SCM Research

NOVEMBER 10, 2022

Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union is currently experiencing a massive increase in gas prices. This threatens the resilience of many supply chains. An analysis by the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) now shows that a small group of just 300 products causes a large part of almost 90% of the gas consumption of German industry during their manufacture.

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Supply Chain Ukraine Chemicals Analysis 143

SCM Research

OCTOBER 18, 2022

Once again this year, an SCM-related teaching case received an award at the Case Center Awards and Competitions : It is entitled Apple Inc: Global Supply Chain Management and written by P. Fraser Johnson. In this case, students are placed in the role of Apple’s CEO Tim Cook, who has to make a strategic decision about the company’s complex supply chain.

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Supply Chain Software Supply Chain Strategy Global Sourcing Strategies 143

SCM Research

OCTOBER 5, 2022

Something that I, as a reviewer and editor, have unfortunately seen too often in academic manuscripts is a lack of cohesion and coherence. Cohesion is the glue that holds sentences together. Coherence makes sure ideas connect to create a clear “whole”. In this video, Write to the Top looks at the elements that create strong cohesion and coherence.

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Video Research 143

SCM Research

SEPTEMBER 24, 2022

This year Raconteur has once again put together a very readable report entitled Supply Chain Resilience 2022. The authors ask, “As disruption continues to plague international supply chains, what can organisations do to build resilience and ensure efficiency?” And they provide answers: “From reducing waste and cutting costs to onshoring and upgrading systems, our Supply Chain Resilience report explores the strategies making the difference”.

Waste Reduction 143

Waste Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies Supply Chain Strategy Supply Chain 143

SCM Research

SEPTEMBER 3, 2022

Something that is long-established in other management disciplines but sadly almost completely neglected in the SCM discipline is research related to sensemaking. In short, sensemaking “involves turning circumstances into a situation that is comprehended explicitly in words and that serves as a springboard into action” (Weick et al., p. 409). Such research is concerned with subjective interpretations rather than objective truth and is therefore better suited to the study of social science phenom

SCM 143

SCM Supply Chain Research Study 143

SCM Research

AUGUST 15, 2022

As in previous years, the Journal of Supply Chain Management recently announced the winning paper of the 2021 Best Paper Awards at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management. And here it is: On Publicness Theory and Its Implications for Supply Chain Integration: The Case of Criminal Justice Supply Chains by Aline Pietrix Seepma, Dirk Pieter van Donk, and Carolien de Blok.

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SCM Journal Supply Chain Meeting 143

SCM Research

AUGUST 10, 2022

The International Energy Agency has just released a new special report entitled Solar PV Global Supply Chains. It examines solar PV (= photovoltaic) supply chains “from raw materials all the way to the finished product, spanning the five main segments of the manufacturing process: polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells and modules”. The authors argue that “[p]utting the world on a path to reaching net zero emissions requires solar PV to expand globally on an even greater scale, raising concerns abou

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Global Supply Chain Material Savings Supply and Demand 143

SCM Research

AUGUST 9, 2022

Language in academic texts should not only be used to list arguments, to summarize methodical steps, or to report results. Too often, as a reviewer, I have read manuscripts that have not effectively used what I consider to be the most important function of language in academic texts: Above all, language should serve to communicate with the reader. In some cases, I could not believe how imprecise sentences were formulated, how unconvincing arguments were developed, and how the language simply lac

Research 143

Research SCM Course Report 143

SCM Research

JUNE 7, 2022

Should academic articles be interesting? At least that is the main message of the famous article That’s Interesting! Towards a Phenomenology of Sociology and a Sociology of Phenomenology by Davis (1971). Generations of Ph.D. students have read it, and those who have not should definitely do so. However, there are also authors who have criticized Davis’s arguments.

Research 143

Research Education Study 143

SCM Research

APRIL 19, 2022

Experiments have exerted a growing methodological influence on the SCM discipline in recent years. In their recently published article on this subject, entitled Experiments in Strategy Research: A Critical Review and Future Research Opportunities , Bolinger et al. (2021) examine and categorize experiments by “[identifying] topic areas in which experiments have been effectively deployed as well as several literature streams that have a limited amount of prior experimental research.

Research 110

Research Supply Chain Strategy SCM Supply Chain 110

SCM Research

MARCH 28, 2022

The paragraph is probably the most important unit of a well-written academic texts. It has a specific structure and standards that make it effective and enjoyable to read. This video demonstrates how to construct good paragraphs and improve writing with better clarity and flow.

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Video How To Research 143

SCM Research

MARCH 15, 2022

The world is shocked by the Putin regime’s war of aggression against Ukraine – a war in the middle of Europe. It almost seems to me that our species has climbed back into the trees. This war already has many impacts on supply chains, and further implications will only become apparent with a time lag. Instead of taking the long necessary step to expand renewable energies, many EU countries have relied on cheap oil and gas supplies from Russia for too many years.

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Europe Ukraine Russia Food 110

SCM Research

FEBRUARY 23, 2022

Yesterday, the European Commission adopted a long-awaited Proposal for a Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence. It aims to “set out a horizontal framework to foster the contribution of businesses operating in the single market to the respect of the human rights and environment in their own operations and through their value chains, by identifying, preventing, mitigating and accounting for their adverse human rights, and environmental impacts, and having adequate governance, m

Sustainability 143

Sustainability Europe Government Supply Chain 143

SCM Research

FEBRUARY 8, 2022

The year 2022 has been going on for quite a while. I see the following topics at the top of the agenda in both academia and business: First, the last few months have been characterized by a large number of supply chain hiccups. Missing chips in the automotive industry have become a symbol of this development. Therefore, supply chain resilience is more important than ever.

Supply Chain Planning 143

Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Scenario Planning Automotive 143

SCM Research

DECEMBER 21, 2021

In this video, Martin Parker, a Professor at the University of Bristol, UK, and author of the book Shut Down the Business School , argues that business schools encourage students to think that they should approach the future with the same tools that have created our problems. He thinks we need new schools, what Martin calls “schools for organizing” We should ask ourselves what SCM teaching might look like at such schools.

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SCM Video Tools Research 143

SCM Research

DECEMBER 5, 2021

There are different types of case-based research methods that differ considerably in their basic assumptions and objectives. An example of such a method is the multi-case theory-building approach, which is based on the work of Kathleen M. Eisenhardt. Her 1989 article, which laid the foundation for this method, has been cited tens of thousands of times to date.

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Research Examples Data Case Study 143

SCM Research

OCTOBER 20, 2021

This year’s Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics goes to David Card “for his empirical contributions to labour economics” and Joshua D. Angrist and Guido W. Imbens “for their methodological contributions to the analysis of causal relationships”. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences writes in a comprehensive article about the scientific background of this prize (PDF): “Taken together, […] the Laureates’ contributions have played a central role in establishing the so-called design-based approach in

SCM 143

SCM Research Policies Analysis 143

SCM Research

SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

What distinguishes a good paper? The idea should be creative, the methodological approach should be flawless, and there should be a theoretical contribution. Sure. However, good communication with the reader is at least as important as all of the rest. Unfortunately, very often I have reviewed manuscripts that contain interesting theories, data, and results, but are simply not well-written.

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How To Journal Strategy Price Mitigation Strategies 162

SCM Research

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

How can innovation and new business models transform global supply chains in the transition to a sustainable economy? On September 8, I look forward to joining Juliane Reinecke (King’s College London), together with our speakers from Anglo American and the World Economic Forum, to discuss this topic in a webinar on Supply Chain Transformation for a Sustainable Future.

Supply Chain Transformation 143

Supply Chain Transformation Sustainability Supply Chain Modeling 143

SCM Research

AUGUST 26, 2021

Survey research is one of the most important methodologies in our discipline. Over time, the demands on survey research in SCM have increased – for good reasons. In particular, the design of survey research must reduce the risks of both common method bias and respondent bias. In their important 2018 editorial, entitled Survey Research Design in Supply Chain Management: The Need for Evolution in Our Expectations , Flynn and her coauthors (2018) distinguish between four types of survey research de

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Supply Chain Design Survey Research Supply Chain 28

SCM Research

AUGUST 18, 2021

Every departmental coffee machine has probably already witnessed heated discussions on the subject of authorship. Indeed, there are no generally accepted standards for assigning authorship. McNutt et al. (2018) define authorship as follows: “Each author is expected to have made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; or the creation of new software used in the work; or have drafted the work or substantively revis

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Study Analysis Software Data 143

SCM Research

AUGUST 9, 2021

The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was released today. Bringing together the latest advances in climate science, it addresses the most updated physical understanding of the climate system. Even without this new IPCC report, it should be clear that our planet is in an existential crisis: The scale and intensity of the recent floods in Germany have broken all records and the ongoing fires in Greece have reached biblical proportions; Greek Prime Mini

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SCM Greece North America Switzerland 32

SCM Research

AUGUST 5, 2021

Two of the leading operations & supply chain management journals have recently announced their best paper award winners. First, the Journal of Supply Chain Management ’s Harold E. Fearon Best Paper Award goes to Fabrice Lumineau and Nuno Oliveira, who published an article that is entitled Reinvigorating the Study of Opportunism in Supply Chain Management.

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SCM Journal Supply Chain Design Cost Reduction Strategies 28