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Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics- Top 40 Ideas

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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

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Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics- Top 30 Ideas

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

Old Industries and New Industries

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, including Augmented reality (AR), Big Data, Gamification of the supply chain, moving supply chain to “Cloud,” and Internet of Things (IoT) – Industry 4.0. Also, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning in supply chain alongside 3D Printing are now needed to support the product life cycle.

30 Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics for 2020

On these premises, any supply chain management thesis should be comprehensive. There several topics and areas to consider, and below are 30 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 linking to Virtual Teams or Self Organised Teams (Agile PM)
COVID 19 impacted 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

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.

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.

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

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 Dr. Muddassir Ahmed

Dr. Muddassir Ahmed is a global speaker, blogger and supply chain industry, expert. Dr Muddassir Ahmed has received a PhD in Management Science from Lancaster University Management school. Muddassir is a Six Sigma black belt and has founded scmdojo.com with the intention to enable supply chain professionals and supply chain teams to solve the problems they face in their jobs & business.

Follow SCM Dojo Social Networks

About Zaragoza Logistics Center

Zaragoza Logistics Center is a research and educational institute affiliated to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Zaragoza . Core research areas in logistics and supply chain management at Zaragoza Logistics Center (ZLC) strive to be actionable and applied so that people and organizations can make decisions and take action.

Zaragoza Academic Partnership (ZAP)

The Zaragoza Academic Partnership (ZAP) Program allows companies to sponsor ZLC students’ thesis projects for both masters ZLOG , ZLOGb and MDSC . It is an initiative to enhance applied research and bring industry-academia relationships closer together in the field of supply chain management. Each year students are required to complete thesis projects and many of them work with our partner companies on challenging and innovative research projects through the ZAP Program.

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50 Supply chain and logistic dissertation topics for 2024

The meaning of supply chain management

To look into supply chain management. There is a poor understanding of how the supply chains operate. Therefore, elaborating how these systems can be managed is necessary. The same issues are evident in the search for supply chain thesis topics. Most interesting supply chain topics are already researched in detail. Therefore, getting a better topic that can be defended at ease is quite challenging. Despite having our well-researched topics online, you can also access supply chain management thesis topics pdf from our website. we have also compiled a list of Ph.D. topics.

1. Impact of Ukraine and Russia war on global logistics and supply chain

This topic tries to find the consequence of the ongoing war in Europe on the supply chain and logistics of the world. This is one of the best logistic dissertation topics for 2022 that is not yet covered in length. Therefore, one can easily develop a great thesis from it.

2. Africa as a new heart for the global supply chain

This topic tries to explain why Africa is the new emerging market and manufacturing hub for global supply. Africa has untapped potential such as cheap labor that may be utilized to meet global supply needs.

3. Strategies used for cost reduction in supply chain management

To find out how to minimize expenditure during supply. High costs tend to affect the outcome in the provision cycle.

4. Effects of E-logistics on supply chain

To determine the outcome of E-logistics on any given process during the distribution of goods or services. Failure to recognize better ways of reaching out to those involved in supply. This is one of the most diverse supply chain management research topics of 2022. It still has so much gap to be covered.

5. Mobility solutions for supply chain

To identify faster ways to efficiently move goods or services. The delay faced during supply has a negative impact on all the participants.

6. Importance of digital transformation on supply

To reveal how adapting to new technology impacts business outcomes. Some employees are unwilling to adapt to change and hence resist training.

7. An analysis of supply chain integration

Evaluating whether incorporation of many participants improves results. Getting onboard partners that are unable to meet deadlines.

8. Evaluating supply chain resilience

Assessing how adaptable the systems are to change. Maintaining the new changes can be challenging.

9. Critical analysis of supply chain agility

To discover how fast businesses can adjust to meet the market requirements. Some firms take a long time to remodel to be at par with current trends.

10. Evaluating risks involved in the supply chain

Gauging the dangers that one can encounter in the supply process. Some risks are man-made and hard to deal with.

11. Managing the supply chain globally

To figure out ways of staying afloat in the market in many regions. There is high competition affecting supply and demand globally which some producers fail to meet.

12. Optimizing costs of the supply chain

To work out methods of upgrading product value while retaining a reasonable price. Upgrading products leads to a rise in prices.

13. Supply chain progressive gradation

To determine how to maintain growth. Stagnation affects most production firms at some point.

14. Effects of leadership changeover in supply chain

To know how to keep the chief officers for longer periods. Getting new employers can affect businesses negatively since they need time to master the new roles.

15. How environmental changes affect the supply chain

To deduce whether the climate can affect the supply chain. It is hard to predict the changes that can occur within a locality.

16. What does big data do to supply chain management?

To evaluate the impact of a variety of high-volume data in supply chain management. There is limited room for improvement.

17. Impact of the Green project on the supply chain

To investigate how managers can integrate environmentally friendly processes during production. Establishment of firms with no consideration of their impact on the environment.

18. Importance of Total Quality Management

To evaluate the importance of every member of the team maintaining high standards in their various areas. Pulling in the same direction will always be a cutting edge for all organizations.

19. Effects of political factors on supply chain management

To look into issues related to the government that could influence how goods flow from one point to the next. Regional instabilities due to wars interrupt the normal flow of products.

20. How the law affects supply chain management

To prove that some laws can hinder business systems from normal operation. Businesses that do not meet the stipulated codes of conduct are not allowed to run.

21. Studying how the IoT works in relation to the supply chain

To ascertain if supply chain management depends on IoT for its smooth operation. Some businesses are unable to keep up hence lose customers.

22. Fourth Industrial Revolution and supply chain management

To determine if 4IR is beneficial to supply chain management. Specialization and flexibility are costly as boundaries become more blurry.

23. Establishing the relationship between supply chains and the performance of firms

To show how a firm’s potential affects the movement of its products. Failing firms can hardly have sustainable supply chains.

24. Effects of Covid-19 on supply chain management

To determine how the pandemic affected businesses and their customers. The pandemic caused businesses to shut down while others had to change modes of operation.

25. Profit maximization in supply chain management

Identifying how to get the most out of the goods and services produced. Wrong pricing of products leads to massive losses that are damaging to the firms.

26. What roles do technological changes play in the supply chain?

To expose how technology is shaping the production of both goods and services. Rapid technological changes have had a huge impact on supply chains.

27. Importance of business relationships in supply chain management

To plan how beneficial partnerships can be established. Poor consumer supplier relations disrupt efficiency.

28. How is manufacturing important in the supply business?

To establish how significant manufacturing is in the supply chain business. Expensive processes are involved due to a lack of proper planning.

29. Customer satisfaction in relation to supply chain management

To find out how best to meet consumer needs. Good or service production without customer participation.

30. Impact of supply chain management on business

To research the extent to which supply chain management affects any given organization. Inefficient managers lead to the collapse of supply chains.

31. Supply chain efficiency versus effectiveness

To clarify what the two terms mean in the supply chain. Producers are incapable of differentiating the two concepts.

32. Significance of logistics

To know how to handle logistics to maximize output. Lack of qualified logisticians to handle the procedures involved.

33. Does analytics in supply chain matter?

To demonstrate the significance of analytics in supply. Insufficient information on analytics.

34. How supply chains can affect a country’s growth and development

To point out ways in which a disruption in supply chains can cripple progress. Inadequate resource allocation.

35. Use of AI in organizations

To make a comparison between artificial intelligence and human intelligence in firms. Laxity in embracing the use of machines in making decisions.

36. The future of supply chain management

To analyze what lies ahead in the product distribution sector. Inability to correctly predict the market trends.

37. Types of supply chains

To name and list the types of supply chains. Lack of clarity on the types of supply chains that exist.

38. How firms adhere to supply chain ethics

To determine how ethics affect organizations. Inadequate knowledge on the functions of these ethics.

39. Importance of supply chain management to the society

To give a detailed explanation of how the people benefit from proper regulations of supply chains. Few people understand what is involved in production and supply.

40. Supply chain visibility

To discuss how visibility can be maintained from the initial to the final stage. Few suppliers have the ability to trace their goods.

41. How an organization can ensure supply chain sustainability

To find out how companies deal with social, economic, and environmental issues in the process of supplying goods or services. There is disregard for issues that arise relating to the products being distributed.

42. How quality control works in supply chain management

To understand the role of quality control in supply chain management. Suppliers ignore matters related to quality controls resulting in poor outcomes.

43. Essential supply chain management tools

To find out which tools are used. Inability to recognize what is required for successful operations.

44. Lack of qualified personnel in the supply chain

To elaborate on the effect of fewer qualified professionals in supply chain management. Supply chain jobs were not considered to be as valuable.

45. Issues faced by supply chain managers

To state challenges that managers go through. Lack of experience in handling customers hence inability to solve the problems that arise.

46. Challenges that operation managers face currently

To discuss what operation managers experience in their line of work. Lack of the right skills to tackle problems.

47. How operation management is crucial in supply chain management

To bring out the significance of operation management.

48. The key elements in logistics

To describe the elements in logistics. Very few people understand the concept and how it works.

49. Logistics versus supply chain management

To bring out the difference between the two processes. Both deal with the end products in an organization.

50. The probability of supply chain managers being replaced by robots

To establish whether machines will take full control of the supply industry. It is difficult to tell really but it is a very interesting area to delve into.

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Home » Blog » Dissertation » Topics » Supply Chain Management » Logistics Management » Dissertation Topics In logistics And Supply Chain Management (30 Examples)

Dissertation Topics In logistics And Supply Chain Management (30 Examples)

Mark Dec 5, 2018 Jun 6, 2020 Logistics Management , Supply Chain Management No Comments

The logistics management refers to the activities carried out within the organization while the supply chain comprises a network of companies coordinating and collaborating together to achieve the desired goals. The dissertation topics in logistics and supply chain management can relate to the different activities and components involved in logistics management and supply chain management. […]

dissertation-topics-in-logistics-and-supply-chain-management

The logistics management refers to the activities carried out within the organization while the supply chain comprises a network of companies coordinating and collaborating together to achieve the desired goals. The dissertation topics on logistics and supply chain management can be related to the different activities and components involved in logistics management and supply chain management.

A list of project topics on logistics and supply chain management are based on how different phases of the project and its success relies on logistics and supply chain management. The logistics functions ensure that the right products are available for the right customers in the right conditions and right quantity at the right time and at the right cost. The logistics functions are integrated and involve customer services, purchasing, production planning, warehouse, and transport.

The research topics in procurement and logistics management would help in exploring and conducting an in-depth analysis of the importance of procurement. It helps the business in ensuring effectiveness and efficiency. The supply chain management involves a network of organizations that collaborate to achieve similar goals. It involves both upstream and downstream linkages along with different activities and processes that aim to produce value for the customers. Both the logistics and supply chain management have a strong impact on the performance, productivity, and profitability of the companies. It helps in responding to the needs of customers and changes in the market.

A list Of Dissertation Topics in logistic management

Investigating the impact of the change in demand and supply on the logistics functions and costs.

Evaluating the growing importance of IT in the management of logistics and supply chain.

Analyzing the influence of IT innovation on the effectiveness of logistics and supply chain management.

Examining the development of logistics capability through the integration of supply chain.

To study the integration of risk management techniques in the supply chain through logistics processes.

To analyze the impact of logistics performance of the company on global business performance.

Studying the logistics and supply chain workflows using the bar code database and RFID.

To examine the impact of logistics functions on the financial performance of organizations.

Analyzing the role of value chain strategy in managing logistics and supply chain.

A study of challenges and opportunities related to the evolution in the logistics functions and processes.

Evaluating the innovations and strategies for logistics and supply chains.

A study of the role of logistics and supply chain management in the success of multinational corporations.

Examining the role of logistics and supply chain management in the enhancement of SMEs.

To study how the logistics and supply chain functions have evolved in the 21st Century.

Understanding the importance of the adoption of logistics and supply chain management principles and concepts.

Evaluating the relationship between the supply chain management and logistics and its different components.

To find out how the evolution of logistics and supply chain management contributes to operational effectiveness and strategic differentiation.

Studying the challenges and opportunities related to the globalization of logistics and supply chain management.

To find out the key differences in supply chain management and logistics in light of different theories.

Studying the impact of inbound logistics and outbound logistics on the supplier-customer relationship.

Examining the role of technological advancements in the improvement of logistics and supply chain management of multinational corporations.

To study the role of information management in dealing with supply chain and logistics challenges.

Examining the emergence of information technology and its impact on the third and fourth party logistics systems.

A study of the applications of the Internet of Things in the field of logistics.

Investigating the role of logistics and supply chain management in dealing with emerging challenges and complexities.

An examination of the procurement cost management in the lean organizations in emerging economies.

An investigation of the relationship between supply chain management and procurement.

Studying the procurement management of specialized projects in the commercial construction sector.

A study on the examination of practical implementation practices related to green sustainable procurement strategies.

Investigating the trends and challenges in the supply chain and its impact on the digital revolution and globalization.

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Thesis Ideas for Supply Chain Students!

Supply Chain Education and Certification – What’s Missing?

As students go back to school many of them are entering the final year of their University or College program. Many of these programs require the completion of a thesis or major project of some sort, intended to be an overarching project drawing on all of the knowledge that the students have acquired to that point to put it into application.

My recollection is that this was a stressful period trying to think about what subject you would base your thesis on and hoping it would be good enough to support a full blown these.

As such we thought it would be helpful to outline a number of thesis ideas that have the potential to make for great thesis topics for students to consider.

The Objective of the Thesis

Students have spent 3 years or 4 years or more in classroom training across a variety of subjects, some of which they were required to take and some of which they elected to take. Along the way they have accumulated a tremendous amount of knowledge and some experience.

The point of the thesis is to channel all of that education into a singular project that draws on and applies all, or much, of that training. Using learnings acquired through years of classroom courses and combining that with additional research, new thinking should be developed so as to coalesce all of that background into a thesis.

The thesis should both advance knowledge in the respective field, as well as advancing the knowledge and expertise of both the writers and any readers.

The thesis is usually a written document which may also be presented in an oral format. The Professor who sponsors and mentors the thesis for the students may be the sole reviewer of the document, or there may be a committee to which the authors must present and defend the thesis, its content and its conclusions.

Potential Thesis Topics

As more and more educational institutions offer undergraduate and graduate Supply Chain Management programs, an ever increasingly exciting and well educated student population is getting to that stage in their programs where they need to complete theses or major projects to complete their degrees.

And while Supply Chain Management has been recognized as a term since 1982 , the understanding, scope and appreciation of the field has continued to evolve. My personal view is that Supply Chain is a very broad, all-encompassing field, touching virtually every aspect of any business or operation.

What makes this such an exciting career path is also what makes it such an exciting educational choice. It offers such a wide breath of subject matter to learn about that any single aspect of the field could be its own degree program.

It is also exciting because Supply Chain is at the epicentre of most of what is going on in the world. The Coronavirus pandemic, climate change, digital technology, food waste and world hunger, sustainability, humanitarian aid, disaster planning and recovery, cyber security, and more are all issues for which Supply Chain plays either a leading, or supporting, role.

Here is our list of potential thesis ideas for Supply Chain students to consider. Some of these thesis ideas are very broad and some are narrower. Within this range are innumerable thesis possibilities.

1. The Digital Supply Chain

We live in the digital age. Every aspect of our lives is touched by digital technology. And Supply Chain is a part of that. The Digital Supply Chain in its widest expanses involves the real time, end to end electronic connectivity of every aspect of the Supply Chain.

Technologies include Blockchain, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Drones, Machine Learning, Big Data, Cloud Computing, Control Towers, Robotics, Autonomous vehicles, and on and on and on.

Any one of these technologies is thesis worthy. Beyond these technologies themselves there are also the issues of cultural impacts, investment challenges, standardization and scalability, ease of implementation and ease of use, integration, and more. These ancillary considerations are very real, can be prohibitive to technological implementation, and are also great thesis topics.

2. The Resilient Supply Chain

If the importance of robust Supply Chains wasn’t apparent before the pandemic, the Coronavirus certainly exposed the fragility of global Supply Chains in virtually every industry in every country around the world. From masks to ventilators, to toilet paper to lumber to vehicles, goods of every kind have experienced supply-demand disruptions that have wide spread impacts on our lives.

On top of that it is true that there is always a disaster of some kind, whether natural or man-made, in any part of the world. These disasters cause all manner of disruptions to our lives and our economies. In some cases there are adequate disaster recovery plans and responses. But far too often there is insufficient planning and execution in dealing with these disasters, resulting in Supply Chain disruptions far and wide.

3. Sustainability

According to searcherp , Supply Chain sustainability (SCS) is “a holistic view of supply chain processes, logistics and technologies that affect the environmental, social, economic and legal aspects of a supply chain’s components.

Factors that affect SCS include amount of waste, carbon footprint and emissions, air pollution, labor violations, deforestation and the health and safety of workers. SCS is based on the principle that socially responsible products and practices are not only good for the planet and the people who live here, they are also good for building positive brand awareness, minimizing environmental impact and improving long-term profitability.”

Sustainability is not only topical but it is an imperative for our collective future viability. Supply Chain is central to the development and implementation of solutions for improving any aspect of sustainability. Another great source of thesis topics with great contributions to society, our lives, and our planet.

We need to develop truly robust and resilient Supply Chains. We need fresh thinking on how to create this resiliency beyond the often meagre thinking that has gone into Supply Chain design to date. Theses based on any commodity or industry focussed on creating this resiliency would provide benefits with far reaching impacts.

4. Climate Change

Dealing with climate change is more than just a matter for scientists and politicians. According to bcg.com , “Eight global supply chains ( Food, Construction, Fashion, FMCG, Electronics, Auto, Professional Services and Freight) account for more than 50% of annual greenhouse gas emissions.”

Improving the efficiency of these Supply Chains is not just about technology. The processes, logistics, and operations of these Supply Chains can be improved so as to reduce climate impacts. A thesis tackling climate change in any of these areas can help all of us for all time.

5. Risk Management

A philosophy at the core of any Supply Chain strategy and operation is that of risk management . If your company is more risk averse then you may carry extra inventory and have more dual sources and operations. If you are less risk averse you may carry only just in time inventory, rely on single sources, and run a very lean operation.

There are pros and cons for either approach but the common denominator in either strategy is risk. The amount of risk you do or don’t assume will cost you money. If you run a lean operation then the slightest disruption can shut down your business very quickly. Yet if you run a very fat operation (eg. lots of redundant inventory) then the extra costs and cash demands can equally shut your business down.

A proper balance of Supply Chain considerations is necessary to ensure continued operation but in support of business realities (eg. cash). Risk management expertise needs to be elevated everywhere. A thesis focussed on optimizing risk management capabilities will shape Supply Chain strategies everywhere.

Thesis Ideas in Conclusion

The prospect of doing a University thesis can be daunting. It is demanding in every way with respect to your time and energy. As such it is necessary to pick a thesis topic that is both interesting to you as well as valuable to your educational institution and larger societal concerns.

Supply Chain is such an incredibly broad profession that it offers no end of challenges and opportunities. Within Supply Chain are innumerable topics for any thesis and for any interest.

We’ve offered several suggestions for your thesis. This thesis ideas list is by no means exhaustive but it is representative of the topics which we are interested in and which we consider to be top of mind at this time.

Good luck on your thesis on behalf of us here at Supply Chain Game Changer. And be sure to let us know what topics you choose for your thesis.

Copyright © Mortson Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Understanding the State of Supply Chain Sustainability

Sustainability

The emphasis on sustainability within supply chains across industries has increased in recent years. Today, companies across the globe report on sustainability efforts and progress each year and set goals to reach ambitious environmental and social sustainability targets. This increased focus has prompted questions regarding how sustainability practices are interpreted and understood. How do different demographic groups (i.e., gender, language, location, age, and industry) interpret the current state of supply chain sustainability? Have the long-term implications of COVID-19 affected companies’ commitments to supply chain sustainability? Our analysis used response data from the 3rd Annual State of Supply Chain Management Survey and context gathered through supply chain executive interviews to answer the two main research questions. After slicing the survey response data into demographic categories – gender, age range, region, survey language translation, and industry – we performed non- parametric Mann-Whitney-U and Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA tests to see if the different groups interpret sustainability commitments significantly differently. When testing within single demographics, results showed significant differences in responses by demographics. This seemed to explain some of the difference in how people interpreted supply chain sustainability; however, when isolating groups further, this became less apparent. Upon isolating the gender, age range, and location demographics by major industries, fewer responses showed significant differences. From this, we can conclude that comparisons of sustainability guidelines and practices should be industry-specific, rather than specific to other demographics such as gender, age, or location. Our capstone results could provide the basis for future research to understand the variations in how different groups of people interpret supply chain sustainability within the same company, industry, or outside of an organizational setting entirely.

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.

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Chair of Logistics and Supply Chain Management
TUM School of Management
Technische Universität München

Theses, Project Studies & IDPs

We welcome students to engage in state-of-the-art research projects.

For this, we supervise Bachelor and Master theses, Project Studies, and Interdisciplinary Projects (IDPs). Below you can find a list of offered topics. You can also suggest a topic of your own (areas can include but are not limited to: transportation logistics, inventory management, warehouse management, retail, supply chain management, procurement and sourcing, lot sizing or production systems).

Please consider the information below regarding the application process .

Note that since we have a high load of ongoing theses, among future applications we will favor students who have already conducted their project study at our chair.

Bachelor Theses

Omnichannel Inventory Management for Perishable Goods: Strategies and Optimizations (advisor: Mahsa Nakhost )
Analysis of Goals and Strategies in On-demand Food Delivery (advisor: Nicolas Kuttruff )

Master Theses

Resilient and Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Sustainable Supply Chains through Voluntary Certification and Regulatory Requirements (advisor: Alexander Bloemer )
Audit Collaboration to Incentivize Supply Chain Sustainability (advisor: Alexander Bloemer )
Decomposition Methods for Service Network Design Problems under Disruption Risks (advisor: Kai Zhu )

Supply Chain Inventory Management

Multi-Echelon Spare Parts Inventory Optimization (advisor: Moritz Rettinger)
End-to-End Spare Parts Management in Service Supply Chains (advisor: tbd)

Digital Logistics and Transportation Optimization

Enhancing Customer Selection in Decomposed Multi-Period Vehicle Routing Problems through Innovative Objective Function Formulations (advisor: Nicolas Kuttruff )
AGV Scheduling Optimization for Production Line Feeding (advisor: Moritz Rettinger)

Data Science, Optimization and Reinforcement Learning in Logistics

Data-driven Optimization in Transportation with Disruption Risks (advisor: Kai Zhu )
Ordering Decision Automation in C-Parts Warehouse (advisor: Mahsa Nakhost )

Project Studies

AI enabled knowledge sharing within manufacturing supply-chains (advisor: tbd)
Digital Service Transformation for Dealers and OEMs (advisor: tbd)
Solving Heterogeneous VRPs with Minimum Utilization Constraints in Cooperation with SAP (advisor: Nicolas Kuttruff )
The Role of Digital Tools in Enabling Industrial Symbiosis (advisor: Chunting Liu )

Interdisciplinary Projects (IDPs)

Automation of Ordering Decisions in C-Parts Wholesale (advisor: Mahsa Nakhost )

Application

If you are interested in doing your Bachelor (Master)’s Thesis at our group, then please send an e-mail (in English) to [email protected] with the following information:

Current Transcript of records
Topic of Interest & Preferred starting time
Application form (only for Master thesis applications)

Do you like to suggest a topic of your own? Please also include:

Description of the topic

If you do not find a particular topic to apply to, please contact us for a list of further topics with application documents, specifying the field of research you are interested in: Mobility, transportation logistics, inventory management, warehouse management, retail, supply chain management, procurement and sourcing, lot sizing or production systems.

Please note: Since we have a high load of ongoing theses, among future applications we will favor those students who have passed more courses at our chair.

How to prepare a scientific manuscript?

Seminar papers as well as bachelor/master's thesis and project studies vary in length and depth. However, they share same requirements and standards with regard to format and style. We therefore summarized good practice for you in our:

Guidelines and writing tips

MS Word template

Latex template (You can also copy the Overleaf project from this link to your own project board)

How to submit your Thesis or Project Study?

Hard copy submission:

Bind your thesis using adhesive binding (Klebebindung) . PLEASE refrain from spiral binding (Ringbindung).
Print your name and title at the binding spine.
Submit TWO hard copies of your Bachelor/Master thesis and Project Study to the responsible supervisor.
Please also consider the information given in Guidelines and writing tips

Electronic submission:

Collect all relevant data, model and the thesis as PDF in a ZIP folder and upload it to the Moodle module, your supervisor assigns you to.
Signature to the page Declaration of Authorship .
Filled form Permission to View My Final Thesis .
The subject of the email should be Thesis Submission Name/Matriculation Number: xxxxxx . You may choose the file names for the thesis and all the other documents.

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45+ Best Supply Chain Management Dissertation Topics 2024

Table of Content

Best Supply Chain Management Dissertation Topics

Top dissertation topics for supply chain management, good supply chain management dissertation ideas, interesting supply chain management dissertation titles, 1. artificial intelligence, 2. sustainability, 3. circular supply chain, 4. supply chain as a service, 5. risk management.

Are you tired of searching for unique supply chain management dissertation topics? Do you want to write an excellent write-up to improve your score? Don't you worry! We have got you. If you are facing such queries and want to get rid of problems, you can seek assistance from our dissertation writers in UK . They will provide you with a 100% plagiarism-free document. However, if you need an instant solution with the trending titles, here in this blog, you will read the list of the best supply chain management dissertation topics. So, before getting to the ideas, you need to know the concept of supply chain management.

Supply chain management is a flow of goods and services through which raw materials get transformed into a final product and can be delivered to the end user. It includes 5 phases, viz., planning, sourcing, production, distribution, and returns. Moreover, by following this cycle you can work smoothly. So, now that you have understood the concept, let's look at the supply chain management dissertation ideas hand-picked by our experts.

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List of Trending Supply Chain Management Dissertation Topics

Here is a list of dissertation topics for supply chain management by our experts. We hope that you may find one that suits your interest. These ideas listed below are unique and can help you reduce your burden of selecting a theme for your paper. You can directly choose one and begin with writing the document. Moreover, it will also benefit you in saving your time and to submit your task before the deadline. So, in the next section, you will read the supply chain thesis topics.

1. The effect of supply chain disruptions on economic growth and global trade

2. What is the impact of e-commerce on supply chain operations?

3. Does globalization affect supply chain risk management?

4. Examine the relationship between corporate social responsibility and supply chain management

5. Explain the emerging trends of the supply chain that are influencing the progress of businesses

6. Analyze the use of blockchain technology in supply chain management

7. A systematic review of electronic supply chain management

8. An analysis of virtual supply chain management

9. Explain the role of a manufacturer manager regarding the manufacturing process

10. Key attributes and challenges of digital transformation

11. How does COVID-19 impact the implementation of digital transformation?

12. Explain how blockchain helps with sustainable project management (SPM)

13. Comparative study on the implementation of supply chain risk management strategies in an industry

14. A brief explanation of the circular supply chain

15. Explain the role of sustainability in modern supply chain management

16. A comparative study on the role of supply chain management in corporate outsourcing

17. What is the use of lean principles in supply chain management?

18. Analysis of green supply chain management and channel coordination

19. Global supply chain management: A historical analysis

20. In-depth understanding of the integration of mobile commerce applications in supply chain management

21. Supply chain management, big data and operations: Correlational analysis

22. A descriptive study: Place of supply chain management in a global economy

23. A comparative study of Radio frequency identification system (RFID) and Internet of Things (IoT) applications in primary logistics

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24. How to find a cross-functional collaboration in the procedure of decision-making?

25. Machine learning techniques facilitate the supply chain processes. How?

26. Explain the relationship between total quality management (TQM) practices and their effect on a firm's performance.

27. How to maintain the chain from manufacturer to wholesaler and in the end, to the consumer by retailer?

28. List down the drawbacks of not checking the quality of services and products before supplying them to the end user (consumer)

29. What are smart government initiatives, and how are they driving the digital age?

30. Why are machine learning techniques crucial to adapt in supply chain management?

31. Implementation of E-logistics in Supply Chain Management

32. Difference between supply chain management practices and supply chain performance effectiveness

33. Write down the risk evaluation and management involved in a supply chain

34. Impact of traditional and circular production economies on safe supply chain management practices in the chemical industry

35. Write down the risk evaluation and management involved in a supply chain

36. What are the barriers to the implementation of an efficient supply management system?

37. Examine the use of reverse logistics in supply chain management

38. What is the impact of transportation modes on supply chain efficiency?

39. Evaluate the role of sustainability in modern supply chain management

40. Impact of globalization on supply chain design

41. How digitization has helped to overcome challenges in the supply chain?

42. Explain the importance of customization of supply chain strategies and components to meet the expectations.

43. Evaluate the key factors in the initial stages of the supply chain

44. A study on the evaluation of the impact of globalization on sourcing strategies in primary logistics

45. The role and diversity of the Internet of Things in supply chain management

We hope that this list of supply chain management dissertation topics was beneficial for you and that you have selected one for your paper that you find interesting. Apart from this, you can buy dissertation online , to get an outstanding write-up before the deadline. Now, let's jump into the next section of the blog. Here, our excellent writers have provided helpful information on the key trends in supply chain management to select a good topic.

5 Key Trends in Supply Chain Management to Select a Good Topic

Supply chain management is continuously changing by adapting to emerging trends. However, it becomes difficult sometimes to keep track of these trends. In such cases, it is best to seek supply chain management assignment help from experts. They not only keep track of the trends but can help in choosing an apt topic as well. So, if you also want to be updated about the trends; first learn the five key trends used in supply management. Given below are the pointers that can you learn all about it.

The use of artificial intelligence is rapidly growing in all sectors. Likewise, it has taken a big jump here too. So, to find good supply chain management dissertation topics, take an overview of AI in it. Also, in the above section, we have provided you with some of them that you can use in your paper.

Every industry is now concentrating on corporate social responsibility, in which they try to use the products or run schemes to support the environment. Moreover, for example, Aston Martin is implementing green initiatives. So, you can also select sustainability as a theme and select a supply chain management dissertation idea.

It is a loop cycle in which a material is used as much as possible to reduce wastage. It is done through several reuse and recycling methods. If you want to use this as a theme for your supply chain management dissertation topics, read the above part where you will get a few topics about the circular supply chain.

It is the trend that is the most popular nowadays, in which you need to divide the chain into small parts so that they can supply it to the third party. It helps the industry to improve its planning and visibility. You can use it as a supply chain management dissertation examples or the topics for your paper.

Risk management is slowly becoming a massive part of the supply chain industry. In this process, they take steps to identify, access, and mitigate the risk at their end of the supply chain. So, you can use it as supply chain management dissertation topics, which can help you to enhance your learning and to score good academic grades.

We hope that the above information is helpful for you to get the best assistance for supply chain management research topics for students. Moreover, if you are still facing issues selecting a topic or writing the draft, you can seek dissertation help UK by hiring our experts. Now, let's read the next section for better clarity and to resolve your problems.

Struggling to Select a Supply Chain Management Dissertation Topic?

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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.

Advancement of Supply Chain, Strategic Planning and Industry Innovation Based on the Fourteenth ICMSEM Proceedings

The Future of Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Changing Skill Sets and Smart Career Choices

Back in business: operations research in support of big data analytics for operations and supply chain management

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

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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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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Achieving supply-chain resiliency in consumer goods amid disruption

While current headlines about product shortages and empty shelves have highlighted the importance of the supply chain, that process began in early 2020. Companies that had labored to create a lean global supply chain needed to scramble to adjust to the effects of the pandemic. Beyond that, sustainability has also become a top priority on the CEO agenda, making the supply chain an integral part of managing an organization’s carbon footprint. Consider, finally, the imperative to incorporate digital technologies, and one could argue that managing the supply chain in the current landscape is one of the most complex roles in an organization.

Henkel’s Dirk Holbach has an ideal vantage point to weigh in on all of these issues and more. As the chief supply-chain officer for the Laundry & Home Care business unit at Henkel, a global consumer-goods company based in Germany, he manages an operation that spans 125 countries. In his two decades with Henkel, Holbach has helped to guide the business unit’s supply-chain function through both expansion and disruption. McKinsey senior partner Frank Sänger sat down with Holbach to talk about how the organization responded to the challenges presented by the pandemic, how to build resilience into the supply chain in a shifting environment, and how Holbach has taken the lead on sustainability and diversity.

McKinsey: In your two-decade career at Henkel, how have you seen the company’s operations evolve? What factors have shaped Henkel’s supply chain the most over this period?

Dirk Holbach: During the past 20 years, the supply chain has gone from being regarded as a must-have cost center to a more purpose-led, agile, sustainable function. It has become more intelligent, digital, and resilient. We have invested in setting up the right organization, rebuilt our footprint, implemented digital, and developed sustainability capabilities. We are increasingly becoming a mission-critical growth driver and engine for our business.

Dirk Holbach’s biography

Graduated with an MS in mechanical and industrial engineering from University of Kaiserslautern and earned a PhD in business information systems from University of Duisburg-Essen Continuing education Harvard Business School Leadership Forum – Executive Education HEC School of Management/HEC Paris Leading Strategies for Outstanding Performance INSEAD Strategics for Senior Management IESE Business School Advanced Management Practices

CSCO Laundry & Home Care Corporate senior vice president, managing director HGSC B.V. (2014–present)

A key part of this effort was to empower our teams. Over the past several years, we have invested heavily in talent and the tools to support them in their roles. Without the right investment in people development, you can have the greatest system, the greatest footprint, or even the greatest digital technology—but at the end of the day, it will not yield the expected benefits over time.

McKinsey: COVID-19 has led to major reforms in supply chains all over the world but has also brought disruption along the way. What strategies have you implemented in the past two years that helped the company to stay ahead of the competition in such difficult times?

Dirk Holbach: We have taken a systematic approach to managing resilience in the supply chain. During the crisis, it was a steep ramp-up of measures. In many countries, we were fortunate to have not only well-prepared and well-organized teams but also robust processes and systems in place.

Being able to adjust our capabilities and processes is ingrained in the organization, and this was a muscle that helped us a lot during the pandemic. For instance, in April of last year, when the first demand shocks hit our system, we introduced a new element in our S&OP [sales and operations planning] process in just a few days—basically a daily management of capacity and demand by country supported by some digital capabilities using our existing analytics platform.

Certain elements proved more effective in the short term to manage the crisis. Since then, we have assessed our organization and strategy and identified gaps where we had not been prepared well enough. We then embedded these findings into our latest resilience framework, which we are institutionalizing now.

We have now dedicated resources in the central team to look at all the different components of that framework and are making sure the organization is pulling the right levers at the right locations in order to strengthen our supply-chain capability.

McKinsey: How has the pandemic changed the way your organization views supply-chain risk and resilience?

Dirk Holbach: Our framework isn’t super complicated. From the system and process angle, we look at three different enablers: people and visibility, redundancy, and flexibility. And here we really have defined systematically the areas in which we are purposefully investing.

For people, it’s about the mindset and ability of everyone to quickly sense and react, learn and adjust, and encourage and empower the teams to do so despite being a multinational company. Many things are, of course, defined, regulated, and standardized in processes. In certain situations, you need to think beyond. This mental approach is extremely important. We enable that thinking by aiming to have all relevant data available on the spot, ideally—and if relevant—in real time to support effective decision making.

When it comes to redundancy, for instance, one principle is that we manufacture a certain product technology in two locations so that we have a backup. If one location goes down, at least I can manage the supply for a couple of weeks. We cannot replicate capacity ad infinitum, but that is one very simple principle.

The other strategic lever is flexibility. Talking about product platforms, exchangeability and formula flexibility are important. We are continuously working on that lever because materials are pretty short at the moment. We focused on building the ability to react and adjust formulations in a way that we can fulfill our consumer and customer requirements but still continue to manufacture.

At the end of the day, it’s always about trade-offs. Of course, you can build redundancy in your system, but that is not for free. It costs money. This is a kind of insurance premium: you are either willing to pay or not.

McKinsey: We have spoken about the challenges created by the pandemic. Do you also see opportunities that have been created?

Dirk Holbach: I always like to say that in every catastrophe you will find at least one opportunity—and usually more. We learned quite a lot during the past two years. And we leveraged capabilities in a much faster and different way than we ever had expected.

People tend to see the issues and the problems. But I think it’s very important that you turn quickly to a forward-looking mode and ask yourself, “What are we doing now, and how can we do even better afterward?”

For instance, we used digital technologies to run remote installations of new filling lines site tests, even without the OEMs or vendors on site. We used HoloLens and other tools. We took these steps because, due to safety measures and travel restrictions, we had no other choice. That’s why new capabilities and mindsets are so important: what is possible now, compared with two years ago, is very different.

You must be able to keep up with the competition. When you have moving targets and a relevant standard of performance, that makes it difficult to measure and follow. But it continuously gives you new opportunities to perform in a dynamic marketplace.

For the next few years, we have to take a different approach to these just-in-time global supply chains. We have to be smarter. You may run into a cost and benefit discussion on the business side, but I perceive a readiness to invest in resilience.

McKinsey: Do you have any specific advice to other organizations to minimize their exposure to supply-chain disruptions, which have become increasingly frequent and severe?

Dirk Holbach: I would mention several things. First, invest in visibility. Visibility means understanding at any point in time what’s going on in your extended supply chain. That is definitely a must, because without it you won’t know what to do.

The second element is people. Again, continuing to set up the business to be more centrally standardized and organized, adding to strong regional and local teams empowered to make fast decisions within a given framework. We might never get back to a prepandemic level of supply-chain stability, so it’s critical to take everyone along and to help teams to be mentally ready—things we are constantly working on. In my point of view, it is crucial to find ways of operating in such an environment, to learn from mistakes, and to do better the next time.

Last would be to review your product sourcing. This item is a bit linked to the two other buckets. I discussed the redundancy piece and also the flexibility. But let’s say that you then look at the components. Do you have dual, multiple sources and setups at that end?

In general, people, industries, and players tend to forget relatively quickly, especially in the FMCG [fast-moving consumer-goods] context. That, for me, is a big “watch out” so that we don’t fall too quickly back into normal. Even after COVID-19, we will have other things that affect and disrupt our supply chains.

McKinsey: Let’s transition to the topic of digital. Henkel has been at the forefront of digital innovation in the industry, establishing industry-leading lighthouses and covering those at the World Economic Forum. How do you prioritize Industry 4.0 technologies for Henkel?

Dirk Holbach: We started that journey eight years ago. We wanted to do something good for the environment and measure the energy consumption of our factories in a global and standardized way.

Over time, we learned that a couple of elements help us to drive that effort. I elevated the role responsible for digital transformation onto my leadership team and committed the necessary resources. We started to systematically review technology areas that we believe could benefit our organization and settled on four areas: automation, robotics, analytics, and visualization, as well as the connectivity between these areas and the application and use cases.

We defined a dynamic road map, a funnel with a portfolio of application cases, and different maturity stages. It’s important for companies to clearly define focus areas and build a road map. Try not to do everything at the same time. We manage fewer than 25 different application cases in different maturity stages at a time, excluding the ones that are running and implemented.

Usually, we try to learn and try out applications relatively fast and then scale up quickly. If we see that a certain application use case delivers value for us, we use it wherever it makes sense on the global scale. That approach—to avoid focusing on big, complex business and benefit cases—helps to secure the funding for these initiatives because initially you will usually look at a pretty specific and well-defined area of benefits and activities. It’s easier to determine what you need to invest and what you get out of it. Then, you secure funding and build your success stories internally over time to be able to scale up the solutions.

A strong connection between the global and local team is also very important. We use a top-down, bottom-up approach to identify ideas that fit into our framework and strategic focus areas. Last, you cannot undertake this effort without a decent underlying IT infrastructure. You need to have not only a strong central IT department but also focused IT-related capabilities within the supply-chain operations. The ability to define requirements and demands through an operations lens and translate that to IT solutions is critical. Having this deep business understanding paired with Industry 4.0–related knowledge within my team accelerates progress significantly.

McKinsey: You mentioned the digital journey started with the focus on sustainability. Henkel has been included in the list of the world’s 100 most sustainable companies presented at the World Economic Forum. What can industry do to become more sustainable, especially in supply-chain logistics?

Dirk Holbach: Sustainability is part of Henkel’s DNA; it goes back even to the company’s founder. We have been tracking our sustainable performance for more than 30 years and reporting on it. On Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, we have decreased our CO 2 footprint in our Laundry & Home Care business by 65 percent over the past 15 years. The rest we will manage over the years to come. It’s well under control and manageable.

COP26 in Glasgow illustrated the size of the challenge: despite all the great things we have done in the past, we must be much faster. In German, we say, “It’s five before noon.” We clearly have to accelerate.

When you take a deep dive in the supply-chain area, looking into the area of logistics, this is the first bigger challenge. Like many others in the industry, we partner with other companies to operate our own logistics fleet. So we have to engage with our partners in the right way, and we need to be clear on our expectations. It starts with how we contract those services and what we specify as relevant performance. It’s not only operational performance but also costs and CO 2 emissions.

On the other hand, if we take the laundry and home-care industry, just 2 percent of the upstream CO 2 footprint comes from our own production facilities. The remaining 98 percent is outside the total life cycle. The majority comes from packaging and raw-material creation, as well as from the use and reuse of the materials. It’s super important that we partner with our suppliers of these raw materials in the right way to drive progress. A few weeks back, we invited all of our key raw-material suppliers to a virtual session and shared our vision for how we want to drive the transformation of our material sourcing over the next years. The conversation covered what we have done, what we expect, and what we can do by working together.

On the downstream side, we have seen a decrease in the amount of materials used for washing. Twenty years ago, we were at 150 grams of laundry detergent per wash load. Now, our most compact version uses 15 to 17 grams—a factor of ten. In our dishwashing detergent, we are using smart chemistry to clean products in a way that doesn’t require heating the water to 50 degrees or 60 degrees Celsius. However, we still need to further educate consumers when it comes to washing, water usage, and temperature. We need to continuously develop and create smarter products, addressing exactly these critical fields.

McKinsey: And how is digitizing the supply chain helping you to achieve your sustainability goals?

Dirk Holbach: In 2013, we started our digital journey precisely to measure energy consumption at our factories on a real-time basis. Creating that transparency along the way helped us to significantly use technology for a purpose—to drive sustainability performance and reduce our footprint. We are going beyond that. We are using machine-learning algorithms to optimize some of our energy-intensive processes, such as laundry-powder production.

Across the upstream and downstream value chain, digital capabilities will further increase the visibility and traceability of products—for instance, raw materials. Our consumers and customers are more and more interested in sustainability—and for good reasons. When I buy a product, I ask myself where it is coming from and where it has been produced. We are building capabilities that will help us answer those questions in a much better way.

McKinsey: Before we close, let’s discuss diversity, which I know is a focus area for both Henkel and you personally. Henkel was recently listed by Forbes as one of the best companies to work for in terms of diversity. Is the level of diversity in the supply-chain function where you want it to be, and what are you doing to improve it?

Dirk Holbach: I’m a great believer in diversity across many dimensions—not just gender but also personal and cultural background. Especially in times of uncertainty, a diverse team will bring you a higher likelihood of different and maybe disruptive ideas and ways to handle a crisis.

At Henkel, diversity and inclusion is a very prominent topic. We have made great progress in our supply chain over the past ten years. Although Henkel is based in Germany, we employ people from more than 125 nations. More than 85 percent of our people work outside of Germany.

I have personally been driving this topic since 2011. For instance, when it comes to gender, we more than doubled our percentage of women in management positions in the supply chain during this period. But we are not where I personally want us to be.

We have been building up the bench, and we have made great progress in the supply chain already, but we need to further drive this transformation.

McKinsey: Any other advice that you have for other supply-chain leaders?

Dirk Holbach: Don’t believe what brought you here today will help you achieve targets in the future. Past experiences and legacy practices are great; don’t throw them away. Build them into your future strategies. But do not expect that they will work as a plug-and-play model in the future, because circumstances will be changing continuously. So be ready and learn. Be open. Try to integrate new findings into your experiences. Be prepared to develop at a different speed than you did in the past.

With the supply chain, you’re talking about big organizations and operations. But supply chain is a people business. Despite all the technology, processes, and standards, it’s super critical that we have the right people at the right spot. We take care of them because they are our most precious resource.

Over the past two years, supply-chain terminology has gained a completely different prominence in mainstream media and companies—really moving from this perception as a cost center to a solution provider and growth engine for many businesses. And hopefully that will attract more talent to supply chain and operations. It’s a cool place to work if you like challenges.

Frank Sänger is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Cologne office and leads the Consumer Packaged Goods Practice for the Austria, Germany, and Switzerland region.

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Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics- Top 40 Ideas
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.
Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics- Top 30 Ideas
30 Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics for 2020. On these premises, any supply chain management thesis should be comprehensive. There several topics and areas to consider, and below are 30 Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics for 2020 that students can do research on towards an excellent postgraduate study in SCM.
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This is one of the best logistic dissertation topics for 2022that is not yet covered in length. Therefore, one can easily develop a great thesis from it. 2. Africaas a new heart for the global supply chain. This topic tries to explainwhy Africa is the new emerging market and manufacturing hub for global supply.
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The MBA dissertation topics in supply chain management are offered as it has a strong impact on the different aspects of businesses. In the modern era, the supply chain management has gained a lot of attention and businesses are emphasizing on horizontal integration of the supply chain components. It helps in getting rid of the traditional ...
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There several topics and areas to consider, and below are 30 Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics for 2020 that students can do research on towards an excellent postgraduate study in SCM.
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A list Of Dissertation Topics in logistic management. Investigating the impact of the change in demand and supply on the logistics functions and costs. Evaluating the growing importance of IT in the management of logistics and supply chain. Analyzing the influence of IT innovation on the effectiveness of logistics and supply chain management.
PDF The Benefits of Sustainable Supply Chain Management Practices to Supply
The aim of this thesis is to find how can sustainable supply chain management practices help to benefit supply chain risk management. In addition, positive connection between ... The dominant topic of discussion in business has been growingly about sustainability. However, the recent events with Covid-19 pandemic and the related supply ...
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MASTER'S THESIS SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTION, RESILIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CASE: POLYCOM Inc. ... Supply chain disruption though has proven to have a low probability of occurrence, ... way to go to exhaust the topic (pandemic related disruptions and resilience) as stated by Remko (2020). Agreeing with Golan, Jernegen and Linkov's (2020), point
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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.
Masters dissertations
Fardeen Afradh Mohideen Abdul Cader, 2022. Operations, Logistics and Supply Chain Management September 2022. Peter Ning, 2022. Feasibility of Last Mile Autonomous Drone Delivery in E-Commerce - An Exploratory Study. Keerthana Ravichandran, 2022. Stimulating and Evaluating Supply Chain Innovation in the Private Sector. Grace Tabb, 2021.
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sustainable supply chain Master's thesis 2021 93 pages, 7 figures, 7 tables and 1 appendice ... , supply chain, drivers, practices, strategies Sustainable supply chain management has become an important topic for companies. The companies are facing pressure to balance their economic performance with sustainable development. The aim of this ...
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Published Feb 12, 2020. Research topics in procurement management are normally based on interconnected topics. Hence, research topics in procurement and supply chain management offer great scope ...
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Here is our list of potential thesis ideas for Supply Chain students to consider. Some of these thesis ideas are very broad and some are narrower. Within this range are innumerable thesis possibilities. 1. The Digital Supply Chain. We live in the digital age. Every aspect of our lives is touched by digital technology.
Understanding the State of Supply Chain Sustainability
The emphasis on sustainability within supply chains across industries has increased in recent years. Today, companies across the globe report on sustainability efforts and progress each year and set goals to reach ambitious environmental and social sustainability targets. This increased focus has prompted questions regarding how sustainability ...
A Qualitative Perspective of Sustainability Across a Supply Chain
Rogers, 2008, p. 361). This statement held true for supply chain related fields as well. Seuring and Muller (2008) defined sustainable supply chain management "as the management of material, information and capital flows, as well as cooperation among companies along the supply chain while taking goals from all three dimensions of
Achieving Sustainability in Global Supply Chains
company supply chain documents, and supply chain partner company websites. Thematic analysis of the collected data was performed. Five themes coalesced from the analyzed data: consumer brand-led sustainability initiatives, cross-cultural communication of mutual business objectives, training and education of supply chain partners, technology
Supply Chain Management Strategies in the Manufacturing Industry
SCM is the process of managing the components of the supply chain to ensure efficient delivery of goods and services to customers. (Kirovska et al., 2016). SCM strategies encompass a broad spectrum of topics including. (a) customer demand, (b) supplier lead time, and (c) inventory management (Kirovska et. al., 2016).
Managing supply chain disruptions: role of firm resilience and
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 ...
Theses, Project Studies & IDPs
For this, we supervise Bachelor and Master theses, Project Studies, and Interdisciplinary Projects (IDPs). Below you can find a list of offered topics. You can also suggest a topic of your own (areas can include but are not limited to: transportation logistics, inventory management, warehouse management, retail, supply chain management ...
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Top Dissertation Topics for Supply Chain Management. 13. Comparative study on the implementation of supply chain risk management strategies in an industry. 14. A brief explanation of the circular supply chain. 15. Explain the role of sustainability in modern supply chain management. 16.
Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain ...
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 ...
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The aim of this master thesis ,Logistics and SCM in retail ' is to introduce modern supply chain management (SCM) and logistics approaches and technologies used by multinational retail companies through the example of the TESCO company, while focusing on the UK and Czech retail market.
Supply Chain Trends and Topics
The Gartner Supply Chain Podcast. The Gartner Supply Chain Podcast explores the latest ideas and innovations for driving sustainable supply chain success. Join your hosts Thomas O'Connor and Caroline Chumakov as they uncover strategic insights and tactical tips in conversation with global supply chain experts. Listen Now.
Achieving supply-chain resiliency amid disruption
Achieving supply-chain resiliency in consumer goods amid disruption. While current headlines about product shortages and empty shelves have highlighted the importance of the supply chain, that process began in early 2020. Companies that had labored to create a lean global supply chain needed to scramble to adjust to the effects of the pandemic.

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