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Doctoral Researchers
Read more about the research undertaken by the PhD students within the Operations and Supply Chain Management Group:
Tigar Putri Adhiana
Thesis Title: Optimizing Bundling Strategies and Pricing Decisions in Supply Chain
In order to enhance sales and remain competitive against other firms and products, many businesses adopt a bundling strategy. Bundling is a selling strategy involving selling two or more products or services together.
In addition, with dynamic changes in the market, it is important for companies to set the right prices for their products and services. Thus, this research focuses on identifying bundling trends, including product and service bundling.
Furthermore, this research also investigates the bundling types and pricing strategies in the supply chain with several considerations and decisions that can optimize customer satisfaction, the performance of all of the entities in the supply chain, and the performance of the supply chain as a whole.
1st Supervisor: Professor Dongping Song
2nd Supervisor: Dr Eunice Guo
Email: tigar.adhiana@liverpool.ac.uk
Shuo Dang
Thesis Title: Optimisation of Energy-driven Logistics in a Sustainable Food Cold Chain: Perspective on Circular Economy
This research takes an energy efficiency perspective to evaluate the sustainability of food cold chains, and creates an overview of evaluation theory used for cold chain management, optimisation and decision-making by identifying the theoretical connection of food security and sustainable cold chain.
The main contributions are on the sustainable food security system in food cold chains. To address the issue of food waste, it applies several innovative technologies (e.g. energy analysis, circular economy and eco-efficiency).
1st Supervisor: Dr Dong Li
2nd Supervisor: Professor Dongping Song
Email: S.Dang@liverpool.ac.uk
Jackie Davies
Thesis Title: Exploring an equitable approach to ‘social valuing’ social value in a public sector procurement contract: a multi-stakeholder supply chain perspective
This study explores the challenges of operationalising social value in the public sector commissioning and construction of the Shakespeare North Playhouse (SNP) in Knowsley.
The qualitative study explores how the awareness, understanding and measurement of social value and the UK Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 is perceived across different stakeholders and governance levels in the SNP project.
The research uses the Multi-Level Governance framework to evaluate the participation and co-ordination between stakeholders and governance levels; their tensions and conflicts; and the dispersion of procurement decision-making processes related to social value. The data are used to develop a new fair and inclusive approach to ‘social valuing’.
1st Supervisor: Professor Joanne Meehan
Email address: jackied@liverpool.ac.uk
Nathan Davies
Thesis Title: How could procurement activities impact modern slavery conditions in a UK construction supply chain
This research is an investigation into Modern Slavery from a procurement and supply chain management context. As globalisation has increased supply chains have become complex and as a result an organisation might only understand its tier 1 working conditions.
The scope of the research is to gain a better understanding between the links of modern slavery, supply chain management practices and other theories that might help prevent modern slavery conditions from arising.
1st Supervisor: Professor Joanne Meehan
2nd Supervisor: Dr Bruce Pinnington
Email: Nathan.Davies@liverpool.ac.uk
Omar Elshazly
Thesis Title: Revisiting Supply Chain Resilience Under Complexity Logic and Emergent Business Landscapes
My research is concerned with the concept of supply chain resilience, both theoretical and practical (implications) when considering "change and uncertainty" (as opposed to stability and equilibrium) as the normal state of working/living in the increasingly complex and globally interwoven business networks. The shortened periods between major global disruptive events, evidenced in the recent COVID-19 Pandemic, pose new and extensive risks to societies and the global supply chains as their economic channels of interaction.
1st Supervisor: Dr Hossein Sharifi
2nd Supervisor: Dr Akshit Singh
Email address: o.m.g.elshazly@liverpool.ac.uk
Olly Kennedy
Thesis Title: Tackling Modern Slavery in Global Supply Chains
This research will develop our understanding of how businesses can tackle modern slavery in their operations and supply chains, working in collaboration with the UK Home Office and Crown Commercial Service.
Research to date has remained at the surface level, primarily focusing on compliance to the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015. This research aims to uncover the hidden insights of why organisations should care about modern slavery, and what can be done.
1st Supervisor: Professor Joanne Meehan
2nd Supervisor: Dr Bruce Pinnington
Email: okennedy@liverpool.ac.uk
Abhilash Kondraganti
Thesis Title: Role of Big Data Analytics in Improving the Performance of Humanitarian Operations
The use of Big Data Analytics is growing in profit-driven companies across all business functions. Could humanitarian organisations also make effective use of data analytics?
The research advances are essential considering the increase in the number of natural and man-made disasters and the rise in delays in the provision of assistance.
My work will examine how big data analytics can be used effectively in humanitarian relief operations and enhance coordination between stakeholders.
1st Supervisor: Dr Hossein Sharifi
2nd Supervisor: Dr Gopalakrishnan Narayanamurthy
Email: a.kondraganti@liverpool.ac.uk
Josh Marriott
Thesis title: E-commerce Returns; Could Last-Mile Innovations Help Decarbonise the Reverse Network of Fashion E-commerce Retailers
An overwhelming 25% of the global e-commerce carbon footprint is owing to the reverse logistic process. In order to sustain the influx of product returns, retailers and logistic providers must endeavour to implement robust, innovative supply chain networks.
Reverse logistics, in particular, has the ability to increase the recovery value of returned products, prevent product decay and also ensure of safe disposal.
This research will investigate last-mile solutions in order to decarbonise the reverse network of fashion e-commerce retailers
1st Supervisor: Professor Tolga Bektas
2nd Supervisor: Professor Andy Lyons
3rd Supervisor: Dr Eric Leung
Email: Joshua.Marriott@liverpool.ac.uk
Ekin Ozgurbuz
Thesis Title: Application of distributionally robust optimisation in combinatorial logistics problems
My research focuses on the application of distributionally robust optimisation techniques to solve network design and facility location problems under scarce data and uncertain parameter environments in the field of logistics and supply chain management.
I am particularly interested in topics such as operations research, combinatorial optimisation, mixed-integer programming, simulation, and stochastic processes. Prior to my PhD, I completed my bachelor's and master's degrees in Industrial Engineering at Boğaziçi University.
I am passionate about exploring innovative approaches to address complex logistics challenges and contribute to the advancement of supply chain optimisation.
1st Supervisor: Professor Tolga Bektas
2nd Supervisor: Dr Cagatay Iris
Email address: Ekin.ozgurbuz@liverpool.ac.uk
Fran Setiawan
Thesis Title: Models and Algorithms for Freight Transportation Planning in Sparse Network.
Freight transportation infrastructures and networks require high investment. Therefore, careful plan and analysis are needed before significant investment decisions are made.
This research will develop models and algorithms for freight transportation planning in sparse network. The objective is to minimise costs and environmental effects. The models and algorithms will be applied on real case study.
1st Supervisor: Professor Tolga Bektas
2nd Supervisor: Dr Cagatay Iris
Email address: F.Setiawan@liverpool.ac.uk
Clare Westcott
Thesis Title: Barriers to delivering social value in public procurement?
The focus on public sector organisations to deliver value is intensifying. From January 2021 it became a requirement for all UK public procurement to give a minimum 10% weighting to social value in the tendering process.
This research focuses on the enablers to social value delivery by exploring the policy, systems, and practice constraints across the multiplicity of stakeholders within the supply chain. Challenges of public – private partnerships, the role of communities in delivering successful social value outcomes, and the effectiveness of governance will all be explored.
1st Supervisor: Professor Joanne Meehan
2nd Supervisor: Dr Bruce Pinnington
Email address: C.L.Westcott@liverpool.ac.uk
Chenqiang Yue
Thesis Title: Competition and coordination in agricultural supply chains under uncertainty
The agricultural sector plays a significant and vital part in not only contributing to economic growth but also reducing poverty.
There still are many operation management aspects in the field of agricultural supply chains (ASCs) requiring further investigation, for example, the change of power structure among ASC members, and various uncertainties from both demand and supply sides.
Therefore, this thesis aims to explore issues of competition and coordination in ASCs considering uncertainty.
1st Supervisor: Dr Dong Li
2nd Supervisor: Professor Dongping Song
Email: chenqiang.yue@liverpool.ac.uk
Matt Mitchell
Thesis Title: The Impact of New Product Introduction Delays on Stock Returns
Organisations must continually introduce new products to survive. However, all-too-often they are late to market; defined as not delivering on a promised introduction date based on a previous preannouncement. This research investigates the role of research and development on delays and the impact of delays on first-tier suppliers. This is done via a quantitative event study method which follows a systematic literature review.
1st Supervisor: Dr Hugo Lam
2nd Supervisor: Prof Andy Lyons
Email: matt.mitchell@liverpool.ac.uk
Büşra Bayrak
Thesis Title: Pricing Decisions and Recovery Strategies in Closed-Loop Supply Chains
With continuous technological advancements, e-waste is steadily increasing due to the short product life cycles. Ensuring sustainability is of utmost importance for the preservation of valuable resources. In this context, closed-loop supply chains have emerged as a solution. Customer returns play a pivotal role in this process, serving as a valuable source for generating new products while reducing dependency on new resources. This study delves into the implementation of viable recovery strategies, considering customer returns, and employs pricing decisions to strike a balance between profitability and sustainability.
1st Supervisor: Professor Jason Choi
2nd Supervisor: Dr. Eunice Guo
Email: Busra.Bayrak@liverpool.ac.uk
Ahmad F.M. Mah'd
Thesis Title: Innovative Business Models: A Blockchain-Driven Paradigm for Supply Chain Sustainability
The PhD research explores the intersection of supply chain, sustainability, and Blockchain technology. The primary focus is on understanding the critical factors that influence the emergence of innovative business models that enhance sustainability in the supply chain through the implementation of Blockchain. The study aims to uncover the intricate dynamics that shape the effectiveness of Blockchain in enhancing sustainability practices within the supply chain. Furthermore, in the supply chain domain, the research explores the landscape of developed sustainability strategies, frameworks, or interventions that leverage Blockchain.
1st Supervisor: Dr Dong Li
2nd Supervisor: Dr Gopalakrishnan Narayanamurthy
Email: afmahd@liverpool.ac.uk
Louise Postema
Thesis Title: Smallholder Adaptation as Supply Chain Risk Management for African Agri-Food Businesses
My research focuses on private sector investments in smallholder climate change adaptation. Specifically, I will look at how investments in smallholder adaptation can be financially viable supply chain risk management strategies for agri-food companies procuring from these farmers. This includes understanding risk management decision-making and influencing factors, enabling financial instruments and effective implementation mechanisms.
1st Supervisor: Dr Hugo Lam
2nd Supervisor: Dr Andrew Lyons
Email: louise.postema@liverpool.ac.uk