Lawton Robert Burns is the James Joo-Jin Kim Professor and Professor of Healthcare Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania . He serves as Co-Director of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management and Chairperson of the Health Care Systems Department since 2008. His career spans academic roles at the University of Chicago, University of Arizona, and University of Wisconsin. Education: PhD in Sociology, University of Chicago (1981) MBA in Health Administration, University of Chicago (1984) MA, University of Chicago (1976) BA, Haverford College (1973) Dr. Burns specializes in healthcare organization design , strategic change , and supply chain dynamics . His work examines hospital-physician relationships , integrated delivery systems , and market forces in healthcare. His recent publications analyze Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) , Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) , and strategic implementation failures. Notable awards include the Arthur Anderson Distinguished Visitor (2001), Edwin Crosby Memorial Fellowship (1992-93), and Udall Fellowship (1990-91). His research has been featured in Knowledge at Wharton , LDI News , and American Political Science Review . Dr. Burns co-authors works with experts like David Dranove and Stephen Shortell , focusing on clinical integration , retail supply chains , and global healthcare models (India, China).
Marshall L. Fisher is the UPS Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on retailing and supply chain management, with notable work in dynamic pricing, omnichannel operations, and workforce optimization. Academic Affiliation: Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Research Themes: Retail innovation, supply chain responsiveness, labor economics Recent Trends: Real-time pricing algorithms, inventory-demand interactions, digital transformation Scientific Recognition: INFORMS Kimball Medal (2007) POMS Fellow (2005) INFORMS Fellow (2002) NAE Election (1994) Academic Contributions: Pioneering work on Lagrangian relaxation in integer programming (1981), Edelman Prize-winning liquid gas optimization, and groundbreaking research on retail staffing and training effectiveness. His teaching includes courses on global supply chain management and AI in business.
Professor Markus Helfert is a leading academic in Digital Service Innovation and Digital Transformation at Maynooth University's School of Business . He serves as Director of the Innovation Value Institute , Hub for Data and Digital Research, and holds Science Foundation Ireland Principal Investigator roles at Lero – The Irish Software Research Centre and Adapt Research Centre. His research spans Service Innovation , Artificial Intelligence , Intelligent Transportation Systems , FinTech , and Enterprise Architecture , with active involvement in European Standardisation initiatives.
Om Narasimhan is Professor of Marketing at the London School of Economics and Political Science. His research focuses on entrepreneurship in emerging markets, innovation, pricing, and distribution channels. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and previously held the Board of Overseers Chaired Professorship at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. Education: Ph.D. in Business Administration (Marketing), University of Southern California M.S. in Physics, University of Virginia B.S. in Physics, University of Delhi His work explores how microentrepreneurs navigate informal economies and how marketing strategies adapt to emerging market constraints. Research integrates behavioral economics, supply chain dynamics, and consumer psychology to address real-world business challenges. Publications emphasize empirical analyses of market mechanisms, with recurring themes in retail strategy, compensation models, and global business development. Article keywords frequently include entrepreneurship, consumer behavior, and emerging economies. Awards: SIG Best Paper awards (American Marketing Association) John D. Little award finalist Marketing Science Institute Young Scholar Outstanding Researcher Award (Carlson School) Best MBA Professor Award (Carlson School) He teaches in the Masters in Management and Global Executive programs, with executive education engagements at companies including 3M, Samsung, and Target. Leads the Marketing Faculty Research Group at LSE.
Ruhai Wu is a tenured Associate Professor of Marketing at McMaster University's DeGroote School of Business. He holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Finance from Tsinghua University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin. His research focuses on retail and industrial marketing strategies, including pricing, advertising, channel relationships, and platform management in digital ecosystems. He has been awarded grants from SSHRC and NSERC for projects analyzing sharing economies, mobile marketing, and social commerce. Dr. Wu's teaching portfolio includes courses on Digital Marketing, Marketing Management, and Marketing Research Methodology at both undergraduate and graduate levels. He actively supervises doctoral students and has published in top-tier journals such as the Journal of Retailing , Journal of Business Research , and Electronic Markets . His research explores platform governance, network effects, and online consumer behavior using game-theoretical models. Recent work examines live-stream shopping trends, cross-platform competition, and seller review manipulation. Dr. Wu has contributed to scholarly discussions on emerging digital marketing strategies and their societal impacts through media features and industry collaborations.
Baris Ata is the Sigmund E. Edelstone Distinguished Service Professor of Operations Management at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His work bridges theoretical operations management with practical applications, focusing on dynamic decision-making under uncertainty. Research Interests Ata’s research spans stochastic networks, manufacturing/service operations, healthcare delivery, and social sector innovation. Recent projects address high-dimensional stochastic control, xenotransplantation candidate selection, criminal justice logistics, and last-mile delivery challenges in Africa. Scientific Awards Best Paper in Service Science Award, INFORMS (2009) William Pierskalla Best Paper Award, INFORMS (2015) Wickham Skinner Best Paper Award, POMS (2019) Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Young Scholar Prize, INFORMS (2015) Emory Williams MBA Teaching Award (2021) Recent Publications Ata’s recent work includes topics in dynamic pricing, stochastic control, and healthcare logistics. His papers examine congestion-based pricing strategies, equilibrium analysis in queues, and policy design for organ transplantation. Broad disciplines include operations management, stochastic modeling, and healthcare analytics.
Maxim Sinitsyn is an Associate Professor of Instruction in the Department of Economics at Northwestern University, where he has held his PhD since 2005. His research focuses on product pricing strategies, particularly examining price promotions, coordination of promotions for related products, and the impact of technology licensing mechanisms on market outcomes. He has explored topics such as prescheduled sales, anti-stacking royalty clauses, and the effects of horizontal mergers in promotional contexts. Education: PhD in Economics from Northwestern University (2005). Research Interests: Dr. Sinitsyn's work concentrates on strategic pricing, including how firms optimize promotions for complementary products, the role of advance planning in promotional strategies, and the implications of different licensing payment structures for market dynamics. His studies also extend to broader economic phenomena such as price dispersion in duopolies and governance trade-offs in institutional design. Advising/Grants: No specific advising or grant information is listed in the provided texts. His contributions are primarily through research publications and teaching. Labs/Teams: No affiliated labs or research teams are mentioned.
Goran Avlijaš is a researcher affiliated with Singidunum University in Belgrade, specializing in project management, operations research, and retail logistics. He holds a Doctorate in Engineering Management (2011–2016) from Singidunum University, a Master’s in Project Management (2008–2009) from the Faculty of Organizational Sciences, and a Bachelor’s in Management (2003–2007) from the same institution. His research focuses on optimizing project schedules through methods like Earned Value Management and Monte Carlo Simulation, analyzing supply chain efficiency, and exploring gig economy impacts on well-being in Balkan countries. Key research areas include: Project Management Innovation: Developing risk analysis tools (e.g., Event Chain Methodology) and applying earned value metrics to construction projects. Retail Operations: Investigating automated replenishment systems and inventory management challenges in retail environments. Social-Economic Dynamics: Studying gig economy effects on workforce well-being and regulatory impacts on entrepreneurship. His work spans 30+ peer-reviewed articles and conference papers, including contributions to Management , Sustainability , and Frontiers in Psychology . He co-authored textbooks like Project Management and Entrepreneurship for Singidunum University’s curriculum. Active in academic events such as Sinteza and FINIZ conferences, he bridges theoretical research with practical industry applications.
WEE Kwan Eng is a Senior Lecturer of Operations Management at the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University (SMU), since 2012. He holds a Ph.D. in Operations Management from Purdue University (2000), an M.S. in Management from NUS (1995), and a B.S. in Mathematics (with Honors) from NUS (1993). His research focuses on pricing strategies, supply chain risk management, game-theoretic models, and queuing systems. He has received multiple teaching honors, including the Dean’s Teaching Honor List (2005–2011). His work spans theoretical and applied operations research, with notable contributions to inventory coordination in retail networks, newsvendor model extensions, and queuing-based manufacturing systems. He has published in top journals like Operations Research Letters and IIE Transactions. Awards: Frederick N. Andrews Fellowship (1995-1997), Dissertation Fellowship (1998-1999) Research Themes: Strategic inventory policies, supply chain coordination, and optimization under uncertainty
Prof. Dr. Biliana Yontcheva is Professor of Economics at the University of Hamburg's Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences, specializing in Health Economics and Empirical Methods. Her research explores market outcomes through spatial econometrics, price transmission dynamics, and competition analysis across diverse sectors including healthcare, gasoline markets, and professional services. Focus on empirical modeling of market structures Expertise in spatial competition and entry models Key contributions to understanding asymmetric cost pass-through Analyzes consumer information effects on pricing Recent publications examine market delineation methodologies , vertical integration impacts , and income inequality-product variety relationships . Collaborates with researchers across Europe on topics like transition economy dynamics and regulatory frameworks. The team includes academic assistant Birte Stadtlich at the Economics Department.
James S. Noble is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Missouri, where he also serves as the MU Site Director for the NSF I/UCRC Center for Excellence in Logistics and Distribution (CELDi). His work bridges academia and industry through applied research in logistics, supply chain, and integrated production systems. PhD, Purdue University MS, Purdue University BS, University of Oklahoma Dr. Noble's research focuses on logistics and distribution , supply chain system design , and integrated production systems , with applications ranging from humanitarian logistics to intelligent warehouse systems. His work emphasizes modeling, analysis, and optimization of material flow and transportation systems. The 15 most recent articles reflect a consistent trajectory in logistics systems analysis , supply chain modeling , and material flow improvement . These publications demonstrate a strong integration of operations research, systems engineering, and real-world problem-solving, with applications in energy, transportation, humanitarian aid, and industrial logistics. Keywords span Operations Research , Supply Chain Management , and Industrial Engineering , while sub-fields include Bayesian forecasting, reverse logistics, winter road maintenance, and intelligent systems. Dr. Noble has been recognized with several prestigious awards: Society of Manufacturing Engineers Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineering Award (1997) William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence (2022) Win Horner Award for Innovative Writing Intensive Teaching (2014) Elected Fellow of the Institute for Industrial and Systems Engineering (IISE) (2019) His research has been generously funded by the National Science Foundation , Bayer , Boeing , Hallmark Cards , Honeywell FMT , Medline , Ameren , UMB Financial , the U.S. Economic Development Administration , the Midwest Transportation Consortium , and the Missouri Department of Transportation . While specific advisees are not listed, his leadership in CELDi and role as department chair suggest extensive mentorship of graduate and undergraduate students in real-world logistics projects. He is also a registered Professional Engineer in Missouri. As MU Site Director for CELDi, Dr. Noble leads a multidisciplinary team of faculty from Industrial Engineering, Civil Engineering, Geography, and Biological Engineering, collaborating with over 30 industry, military, and government partners to solve real-world logistics challenges and develop implementable, cutting-edge solutions.
Rahul Varman is a Professor in the Department of Management Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. He holds a Fellow in Management from IIM Ahmedabad (1994), an M.Tech from IIT Kharagpur (1987), and a B.Tech from Pantnagar (1985). His research focuses on the political economy of corporations, globalization and working classes, and governance of global value chains. His work critically examines corporate power, market structures, and the impact of globalization on labor and society. Professor Varman's approach integrates political economy perspectives with organizational analysis to reveal the underlying power dynamics in contemporary capitalism. Professor Varman's recent publications (2023-2024) analyze the digitalization of education, the political economy of India's telecom industry, corporate governance issues, and the impact of global value chains on labor conditions. His work demonstrates consistent critical engagement with mainstream economic theories, particularly challenging neoliberal assumptions about market efficiency and corporate responsibility. His scholarly contributions appear in journals such as Monthly Review, Economic & Political Weekly, and Aspects of India's Economy, reflecting both academic rigor and engagement with policy-relevant issues. Professor Varman frequently collaborates with researchers like Manali Chakrabarti on studies examining industrial clusters and labor conditions in India. He teaches courses including MBA 611: Organisation Structure & Behaviour, MBA 617: Socio-political & Ethical Environment of Business, MBA 716: Introduction to Corporations, and MBA 717: Governance of Global Value Chains, emphasizing critical perspectives on business and society. Professor Varman is actively involved in social initiatives including Hamara Manch and the IIT Kanpur Citizen's Forum, demonstrating his commitment to connecting academic work with social concerns and public discourse on economic policy and corporate governance.
Dr. Imen NOUIRA is a Full Professor in the Supply Chain Management & Information Systems Academic Area at Rennes School of Business (since 2023). She holds a Ph.D. from Grenoble INP (2013) and has extensive academic experience, progressing from Assistant Professor (2012-2019) to Associate Professor (2019-2023). Her research focuses on supply chain optimization under environmental considerations, carbon emissions modeling, and pandemic logistics. She has published in top journals like European Journal of Operational Research and International Journal of Production Economics. Key research interests include: Environmental Sustainability : Green supply chain design, carbon taxation strategies, and eco-friendly product development Healthcare Supply Chains : Pandemic medical product distribution and crisis management Operations Research : Inventory optimization, lead time coordination, and stochastic modeling Her work has been recognized with awards such as the 2017 2nd Best Student Paper Award at IESM. She actively contributes to international conferences and collaborates with industry partners on projects like olive oil supply chain design and carbon tax policy analysis. Rennes School of Business affiliations include roles in the: Green, Digital & Demand-Driven Supply Chain Management (G3D) research center Agribusiness, Sustainable Development, and CSR initiatives
Professor Chee Yew Wong is a leading academic in supply chain management at Leeds University Business School (LUBS), where he holds the position of Professor and serves as Director for Research & Innovation in the Analytics, Technology and Operations department. He previously held a Chair in Logistics and Supply Chain Management at Hull University Business School and has served as a visiting professor in Thailand and China. His work bridges academia and industry, with over nine years of professional experience in operations and supply chain roles across multinational corporations and SMEs. His educational background includes a PhD in Supply Chain Management from Aalborg University, Denmark; an MSc in Manufacturing Management from Linköping University, Sweden; a BEng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Technology, Malaysia; and a PG Certificate in Higher Education from Hull University, UK. Professor Wong's research centers on intelligent, responsible, and sustainable solutions for global supply chains. Key interests include digital supply chains, supply chain analytics, green logistics, human rights in supply chains, resilience, and circular economy models. He leverages technologies such as blockchain, machine learning, and IoT to enhance transparency, integration, and performance in complex supply networks. The analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trend toward digital transformation, sustainability, and ethical governance in supply chains. His work increasingly emphasizes data-driven decision-making, environmental and social risk assessment, and the role of technology in enabling responsible global sourcing. Many projects focus on real-world applications in industries such as healthcare, fashion, retail, and manufacturing, often through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships with industry leaders. Best Reviewer Award, Operations and Supply Chain Management Division, Academy of Management Conference, Chicago, USA (2018) Prof. Xiande Zhao's Best Paper Award, International Conference on Operations and Supply Chain Management, Kaifeng, China (2017) Finalist for the Jack Meredith Best Paper Award, Academy of Management Conference, Anaheim, USA (2016) Emerald Best Paper Award, Supply Chain Management: an International Journal (2006) Professor Wong has successfully supervised 10 PhD students and 4 post-doctoral researchers, and has examined over 15 PhD dissertations internationally. He leads multiple research grants, including projects funded by Innovate UK, UKRI, ESRC, and the British Council, focusing on digital transformation, human rights, and green supply chain innovation. His collaborations span academia, government, and industry, demonstrating a strong commitment to impactful, applied research. He is actively involved in the Centre for Operations and Supply Chain Research, the Adaptation Information Management and Technology group, and the Centre for Decision Research at LUBS. These research groups support interdisciplinary work in analytics, digital technologies, and sustainable operations, fostering innovation and knowledge exchange across sectors.
Seokjun Youn is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management Information Systems at the Eller College of Management, University of Arizona . His research focuses on improving healthcare delivery systems through technological innovations and operational strategies, with additional expertise in supply chain logistics and platform business models. Education: PhD in Operations and Supply Chain Management from Texas A&M University; MS and BS in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University and Seoul National University, respectively. Research Areas: Healthcare operational efficiency, patient flow, health IT, human-AI collaboration, and supply chain management. Scientific Awards: DSI Best Theory-Driven Empirical Research Paper Award (2024) CMIH Grant (2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025) POMS Emerging Scholars Program (2021, 2023) Professional Service: Editorial board member for Production and Operations Management and Decision Sciences journals; track chair for conferences like CHITA and DSI. His work combines econometric methods and optimization techniques to address challenges in healthcare systems, with findings published in top journals including Manufacturing & Service Operations Management and Journal of Operations Management .
