Rick Hardcopf

Rick Hardcopf is an Assistant Professor of Operations Management at the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, Utah State University. He holds a PhD from the University of Minnesota, an MBA from the University of Wisconsin, and a BS in Chemical Engineering from Iowa State University. Before academia, he worked in industry and consulting firms including 3M, Accenture, and Deloitte, specializing in Lean/Six Sigma implementation. His research focuses on environmental management, sustainability, and operational excellence, examining how firms adopt environmental practices and their impacts on performance and stakeholder behavior.

Education:

• PhD, University of Minnesota
• MBA, University of Wisconsin (1989)
• BS in Chemical Engineering, Iowa State University (1984)

Research Interests: Environmental management, sustainability, corporate social responsibility, lean production, Six Sigma, operational excellence. His work explores how environmental accidents influence consumer behavior, firm environmental commitments, and the intersection of organizational culture with operational strategies.

Teaching: Teaches Operations Management, Project Management, and Process Improvement courses. Recent courses include MGT 6100 (Managing Projects), MGT 3700 (Operations Management), and MGT 3600 (Project Management).

Consulting Practice: Ran a consulting firm focused on Lean/Six Sigma implementation across manufacturing and service industries. Clients included diverse sectors, emphasizing operational efficiency and environmental compliance.