Stephen Eldridge

Stephen Eldridge is a Senior Lecturer in Operations Management at Lancaster University Management School. He holds a Professorial title in Operations Management and is affiliated with the LUMS Research Centre for Productivity and Efficiency. His academic career includes roles at The University of Manchester (2002-2012) as Director of the Manchester Engineering Doctorate Centre and Lecturer in Operations Management and Logistics. He holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College London, an MSc in Management Sciences from UMIST, and an Engineering Doctorate from UMIST/Pilkington. His research focuses on business transformation via technology, manufacturing strategy alignment in SMEs, Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP), open innovation's impact on competitiveness, and Industry 4.0 implications for leadership.

**Education & Qualifications:**

• BSc (Eng) Hons in Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London (1981-1984)
• MSc by Research in Quality Management, UMIST (1984-1988)
• Engineering Doctorate, UMIST/Pilkington (2004)
• Chartered Engineer (2002), Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2017)

**Research Interests:** Eldridge explores digitalization and Industry 4.0’s impact on organizational leadership, open innovation strategies, and the alignment of manufacturing strategies with SME capabilities. His work emphasizes supply chain performance through effective S&OP systems and the role of boundary objects in circular supply chains.

**Awards & Recognition:**

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2017)
• Chartered Engineer (Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 2002)
• Distinction in Certificate of Academic Practice (UMIST, 2004)

**Advising & Grants:** Eldridge has led projects like the 2020-2022 study on technology adoption in SMEs. His research integrates agent-based modeling for dairy supply chains and evaluates coordination mechanisms in S&OP systems. He collaborates with industry partners to address practical challenges in operations management.

**Labs & Teams:** Active in the Centre for Productivity and Innovation and affiliated with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Eldridge contributes to interdisciplinary teams advancing supply chain and operations research.