Category Archives: Supply Chain and Logistics Management
PhD Project: Modelling Innovation at Water Energy Clothing Nexus
Supervisor: Dr Liz Varga
Nascent threats to water, energy, clothing* (WEC) systems are increasingly coming to the fore through competition for land use, production and distribution systems with high levels of emissions, increasing inequality, more frequent extreme weather events and interconnections with food systems. This is placing pressure on the resilience of the global economy, environment and society, exacerbated by the increased rate of discarding clothing, new technologies such as 3D printing, and a greater quantity and variety of waste. Policy makers have also to consider targets to cut carbon emissions and climate change impacts particularly from increasingly imported goods, elevating uncertainties about nexus outcomes.
This research will take a trans-disciplinary approach focusing on the interconnections between disciplines, examining trade-offs and related economic, environmental and societal outcomes. Case study data will be collected to provide examples of low impact WEC systems operating at different scales from micro to macro. There will be several explanations for their success and also innovation potential in other locations or at other scales. The research problem to which this doctoral work will contribute is that of how to step up innovation and demonstrate how the threats to WEC resilience can be alleviated.
There are various opportunities for examining this field of study:
- Creating alternative representations of the intersections of WEC systems thus contributing to the definition of WEC Nexus, the understanding of this phenomena and the identification of constructs to explain the condition and its desirability.
- Designing a database of WEC global systems which will represent the dynamics of WEC systems, federating data from multiple sources, and identifying patterns in big data, to provide insight into changing patterns of WEC threats.
- Co-creating business models with practitioners and academics for stepping up innovation, for example, by diffusion elsewhere at the same scale, larger scale or smaller scale or by growth in the same location, all of these with or without adaptation(s).
- Modeling abstracts, rules and algorithms (i.e. business models) demonstrating the potential for stepping up innovation, highlighting new opportunities and barriers to WEC resilience, such as improving unemployment, or increasing poverty.
- Simulating the role of alternative international policy decisions to determine the potential for alleviating threats , identifying feedbacks, rebound effects and other influencers to systemic survival.
- Examining the transition in various future scenarios, such as population growth, urbanization, rising energy costs, disease affecting raw materials, disrupted supply chains (e.g. climate events, terrorism) and identifying the future scenarios which bring on instabilities most quickly.
These doctoral studies will be related to EPSRC funded project Stepping Up (EP/N00583X/1) providing access to a team of investigators and researchers, and the wider community of projects interested in the WEF Nexus including http://steps-centre.org/engagement/nexus-network/. More broadly this work connects to the supervisor’s global research and projects in complex infrastructure systems, which are large socio-technical systems integrated with the environment and infrastructure (energy, transport, water, waste and telecommunications).
*Clothing is intended to cover the broader area of Textiles, Clothing, Footwear and Leather.
Candidate requirements:
- Masters in a scientific, mathematical, engineering, urban geography, textiles science or environmental discipline.
- Motivation to improve societal resilience through reduced emissions or resource consumption whilst recognizing the need for economic viability using novel business models and the need for decision-making for sustainability.
- Excellent numeracy skills and ability to represent socio-technical systems in models, e.g. using Matlab.
- Excellent critical thinking and explanatory skills with a desire to work across disciplines, using multiple methods and synthesizing large data sets.
- Candidates should satisfy Cranfield School of Management admission criteria. Please see Admission Requirements for English language requirements.
Expressions of interest alongside a CV are invited via email to liz.varga@cranfield.ac.uk in the first instance.
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PhD Project: Modelling Innovation at Water Energy Food Nexus
Supervisor: Dr Liz Varga
Threats to water, energy, food (WEF) availability and security are placing pressure on the resilience of the economy, environment and society, due to, amongst other things, over use of land, high levels of emissions, increasing inequality, unhealthy diets, and more frequent extreme weather events. Policy makers have also to consider targets to cut carbon emissions and climate change impacts elevating uncertainties about nexus outcomes. Stakeholders from industry, government and society need support to make good decisions.
This research will take a trans-disciplinary approach focusing on the interconnections between disciplines, examining trade-offs and related economic, environmental and societal outcomes. Case study data will provide examples of low impact WEF systems operating at different scales from micro to macro. There will be several explanations for their success and also innovation potential in other locations or at other scales. The research problem to which this doctoral work will contribute is that of how to step up innovation and demonstrate how the threats to WEF availability and security can be alleviated.
There are various opportunities for examining this field of study:
- Creating alternative representations of the intersections of WEF systems thus contributing to the definition of WEF Nexus, the understanding of this phenomena and the identification of constructs to explain the condition and its desirability
- Designing a database of WEF systems for some or all of the UK which will represent the dynamics of WEF systems, federating data from multiple sources, and identifying patterns in big data, to provide insight into changing patterns of WEF threats.
- Co-creating business models with practitioners and academics for stepping up innovation, for example, by diffusion elsewhere at the same scale, larger scale or smaller scale or by growth in the same location, all of these with or without adaptation(s).
- Modeling abstracts, rules and algorithms (i.e. business models) demonstrating the potential for stepping up innovation, highlighting new opportunities and barriers to WEF availability and security, such as improving unemployment, or increasing poverty.
- Simulating the role of alternative governance structures to determine the potential for alleviating threats , identifying feedbacks, rebound effects and other influencers to systemic survival
- Examining the transition in various future scenarios, such as population growth, urbanization, rising energy costs, disrupted supply chains (e.g. climate events, terrorism) and identifying the future scenarios which bring on instabilities most quickly
These doctoral studies will be related to EPSRC funded project Stepping Up (EP/N00583X/1) providing access to a team of investigators and researchers, and the wider community of projects interested in the WEF Nexus including http://steps-centre.org/engagement/nexus-network/. More broadly this work connects to the supervisor’s global research and projects in complex infrastructure systems, which are large socio-technical systems integrated with the environment and infrastructure (energy, transport, water, waste and telecommunications).
Candidate requirements:
- Masters in a scientific, mathematical, engineering, urban geography or environmental discipline.
- Motivation to improve societal resilience through reduced emissions or resource consumption whilst recognizing the need for economic viability using novel business models and the need for decision-making for sustainability.
- Excellent numeracy skills and ability to represent socio-technical systems in models, e.g. using Matlab.
- Excellent critical thinking and explanatory skills with a desire to work across disciplines, using multiple methods and synthesizing large data sets.
- Candidates should satisfy Cranfield School of Management admission criteria. Please see Admission Requirements for English language requirements.
Expressions of interest alongside a CV are invited via email to liz.varga@cranfield.ac.uk in the first instance.
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PhD Project: Food Waste in Qatar
Supervisor: Dr Emel Aktas
Applications are invited from potential PhD students with a background in operations research, industrial engineering, logistics and supply chain management.
Cranfield School of Management is leading an exciting research project on food waste in Qatar, with particular focus on waste incurred in the food supply chain due to associated operations as well as demand of customers including the hospitality sector and end-consumers. As part of this research project we invite applications from researchers with exposure to soft and hard operational research methods, including problem structuring and simulation. The research work is expected to have strong elements of quantitative data analysis and modelling. You are expected to provide a research proposal of maximum 20 pages including Introduction, Literature Review and Methodology sections.
If successful, along with your PhD you will be working in an international team of seven unpacking the food waste situation in Qatar from a logistics and supply chain management point of view.
Please contact Dr Emel Aktas with your CV to receive applicant information pack and guidelines for proposal preparation.
Admission requirements:
- A minimum of a 2:1 (or equivalent) at first degree level is preferred.
- Candidates should satisfy Cranfield School of Management admission criteria. Please see Admission Requirements for English language requirements.
Deadlines:
- Funding is available for the project. Deadline for submitting PhD research proposals is 7th August 2015.
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Transformational Journey: Dr Alice Maynard CBE & Dr John Towriss
Dr Emma Parry, Director, International Executive Doctorate (DBA) and Reader in Human Resource Management welcomes a valuable contribution to this DBA webinar series by Dr Alice Maynard, DBA Alumna from our 2003 cohort. Alice’s research focused on the economic appraisal of transport projects and her supervision panel members were Dr John Towriss, Dr Richard Kwiatkowski and Dr Val Singh. Having graduated in 2008, Alice talks us through her research and DBA experience, sharing how it has contributed to her career so far. Dr John Towriss contributes from a faculty support perspective.
About Dr Alice Maynard:
Dr Alice Maynard’s work with the rail industry laid the foundations for the Department for Transport’s ‘Railways for All’, making rail travel much easier for disabled people. Her doctoral thesis at Cranfield uniquely demonstrated the economic value of inclusive station design. As a consultant she works with national transport bodies increasing inclusion through better governance practices.
Alice led the Board of Scope, the disability charity, in developing an ambitious strategy to deliver its vision of equal opportunity for disabled people and their families. The strategy capitalises on Scope’s strong reputation and the improvements she oversaw in its financial and management capability after she became Chair in 2008. Her experience at Scope led Alice to establish with colleagues in the third sector the Association of Chairs. It aims to enhance chairing in nonprofits, given the key role Chairs have in ensuring Board and organisation performance.
In 2014 Alice was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of York, and won the Sunday Times / Peel Hunt Not-for-profit / Public Service Organisation Non-Executive Director of the Year. She was on the Cranfield 100 Women to Watch list in 2013 and 2014 and was in the inaugural ‘Power List’ of the 100 most influential disabled people. In January 2015 she was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours for her services to disabled people and their families.
Key motivator: Particularly interested in the balance between economic benefit, resource management and the ethical drivers in critical social support systems such as transport and social care.
Cranfield International Executive Doctorate (DBA)
Next Doctoral Open Day at Cranfield School of Management – 4 Nov 2015
PhD Project: Supply ChainFinance for SMEs (Grocery Sector)
Supply chain finance has attracted great interest from various companies and stakeholders. However, there has been limited research undertaken to address smaller and medium sized organisations – most research to date tends to focus on large organisations.
There is considerable merit in examining supply chain finance for SMEs as these companies have different demands, operations, processes and requirements compared to larger organisations. These differences can then affect supply chain finance structures and performance.
This PhD topic will examine these points of difference and will aim to cross-compare financial performance between micro, small and medium-sized organisations – focusing on the grocery sector.
Supervisors: Professor Michael Bourlakis and Dr Simon Templar
Application Details: The PhD candidate should hold a minimum 2.1 class undergraduate degree in business and management, sociology, psychology, social psychology, anthropology or related discipline and have passed, or expect to have passed by autumn 2015, a Master’s degree or equivalent research experience in a work setting. In this project ethnographic research methods will be particularly important. See Admission Requirements for English language requirements.
Funding Details: Funding may be available on a competitive basis through the Cranfield School of Management studentship scheme.
Deadline: Expressions of interest alongside a CV are invited via email to: m.bourlakis@cranfield.ac.uk and simon.templar@cranfield.ac.uk by mid-April 2015 for bursary applications or end of July 2015 for self-funded applications.
Thurs 19th March: Cranfield School of Management Doctoral Open Day
Webcast: A transformation – my DBA story: Dr Peter Saxton
Dr Emma Parry, Director, International Executive Doctorate (DBA) and Reader in Human Resource Management welcomes a valuable contribution to this DBA webinar series by Dr Peter Saxton, DBA Alumnus (1999 cohort) & Owner-Director at Capstick Saxton Associates Ltd.
Having completed his DBA in 2003, Peter was one of the very first to undertake the programme at Cranfield, back in 1999, with a thesis entitled `The impact of consensus on performance in monopolistic supply situations in the air transport industry`, supervised by Dr David Partington, Prof Cliff Bowman and Prof Mark Jenkins.
In this webcast, Peter talks us through his research and DBA experience, explaining how it has contributed to his career so far. Professor Mark Jenkins contributes from a faculty support perspective.
Cranfield’s Top 40: Jun, Jul, Aug 2014
Here are the top downloaded pieces of content from the Cranfield Collection of E-Research throughout the months of June, July and August 2014.
#CranfieldDBA Reunion 2014
It was lovely to catch up with some of our DBA Alumni on 2nd July – and a huge thank you to all those who contributed to the day’s events: Alumni, Faculty Supervisors, Current Researchers and Research Office and Alumni Office Staff.
Dr Alice Maynard set the scene for the evening BBQ event by delivering an inspirational presentation entitled ‘Curiouser & Curiouser: Building a portfolio career from a rabbit hole’.
Here are some related links from Alice:
End the Awkward – http://bit.ly/1jN7rCh
Strip for Scope! – http://bit.ly/1mWTarx
Congratulations to Alice on all of her recent achievements:
- Named by The Female FTSE in 2013 as one of the 100 Women to Watch http://bit.ly/1kffCaA
- Presented with an honorary degree by The University of York http://bit.ly/1oy1r4E
- Awarded by The Sunday Times in April for her not-for-profit Non-Executive Director work http://bit.ly/1o2gd0t
- Presented with a Non-Executive Director Award in May http://bit.ly/1mUsYxM
We hope to see you all again in 2015 and look forward to hearing all about your year!
Cranfield International Executive Doctorate (DBA)
Mohamed Aljunaibi: My #CranfieldDBA Research
Mohamed Aljunaibi, Cranfield International Executive Doctorate (DBA) Researcher explains his research interest around talent management in the procurement function.
SoM Research Insights 