Rachna Shah

Rachna Shah is a Professor in the Supply Chain and Operations Department at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. Her research focuses on firm performance optimization through lean production and root causes of operational failures in industries such as automotive, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals.

• PhD in Management Science (2002), The Ohio State University
• MBA/MHA in Business Administration (Finance) (1992), The Ohio State University
• BA in Economics (1988), Delhi University

Shah's work on lean production has defined foundational principles for operational excellence, with two of her papers ranking in the Top 10 most downloaded. Her failure analysis research examines product recalls, inspection effectiveness, and drug shortages through econometric frameworks, influencing FDA regulations and Fortune 500 production systems.

Recent publications show trends in applying lean methodologies to environmental management (2019), behavioral recall decision-making in medical devices (2018), and quality prediction models in manufacturing (2017). Her work spans automotive, healthcare, and pharmaceutical industries, addressing critical issues like crisis response and regulatory compliance.

• Best Senior Editor Award, Production and Operations Management Journal (2019)
• Carlson School Outstanding Service Award (2018)
• Jack Meredith Best Paper Award (2019)
• Shingo Prize (2004)

Professor Shah actively teaches supply chain management and lean thinking to MBA students while mentoring PhD candidates. She has also taught internationally at institutions including INSEAD, ETH Zurich, and Instituto de Empresa. Her Fulbright Specialist Grant (2017-2020) underscores her global leadership in operational research.