Lutz Kaufmann

Lutz Kaufmann is a full Professor and Chair of Business Negotiations & Procurement I at WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management. He has been recognized globally for his scholarly contributions, most notably as the 2021 OSCM Distinguished Scholar by the Academy of Management, becoming the first recipient of this prestigious award from a continental European institution.

Professor Kaufmann received his business administration education at the University of Giessen (Germany), where he earned both his doctoral and habilitation degrees. He also holds an MBA from Kansas State University (1990), where he was a Fulbright scholar.

His research focuses on supply chain management, strategic procurement, and business negotiations. Professor Kaufmann's work bridges academic theory and practical application, with significant impact on corporate strategy and operations. He has developed conceptual frameworks that have become standard references in procurement and supply chain management education worldwide.

Professor Kaufmann has served as European Editor of the Journal of Supply Chain Management from 2008 to 2024, significantly influencing the field's scholarly discourse. His research has been published in top-tier journals including the Journal of Operations Management, Journal of Business Ethics, and Journal of Supply Chain Management, and has been featured in prominent media outlets such as Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, and Financial Times.

• 2021 OSCM Distinguished Scholar by the Academy of Management (AOM)
• EFMD Excellence in Practice Award winner (2010) for executive program with Oxford
• Top 20 best-selling author recognition by The Case Centre (2014)

Professor Kaufmann has mentored an exceptional cohort of doctoral students, with eight winning the prestigious Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Award. Notably, in 2009, two of his students won in separate categories, making WHU the first institution to achieve this distinction. Between 2016-2021, four of his PhD students received the IPSERA Doctoral Dissertation Award, and in 2016 and 2019, three of his students collectively won all the most prestigious global doctoral dissertation awards in the field.

Through his leadership of the Business Negotiations and Procurement research group, Professor Kaufmann has established WHU as a global center of excellence in supply chain management research. His work with major corporations, including executive education programs with Oxford for MAN that won European awards, demonstrates his ability to translate academic insights into practical business value.