OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT

Welcome to the Operations Department of the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Our Operations' faculty has strong analytic expertise pertaining to empirical research, modeling, applied statistics, computer applications and data analysis. Many of our faculty have extensive international teaching and research experience. These are unifying forces within our Area.

Today the faculty's applied research interests span not only classic manufacturing topics but service operations, supply chain management, quality, and sustainability as well. The methodologies encompass survey research, empirical-based strategy, mathematical modeling, and simulation.

We have strong ties with many companies and research institutions including the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise. The Operations Department conducts research with faculty, both at Kenan-Flagler and elsewhere, from strategy, finance, and marketing.

Gardner, H. K., Gino, F. & Staats, B. R. (Forthcoming).  Dynamically Integrating Knowledge In Teams:Transforming Resources Into Performance.  Academy of Management Journal.

Huckman, Robert S. & Staats, B. R. (2011). Fluid Tasks and Fluid Teams: The Impact of Diversity in Experience and Team Familiarity. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 13(3): 310-328

KC, Diwas & Staats, B. R. (Forthcoming).  Accumulating A Portfolio Of Experience:The Effect Of Focal and Related Experience On Surgeon Performance. M&SOM.

Kesavan, S. & Mani, V. (Forthcoming). The Relationship Between Abnormal Inventory Growth and Future Earnings For U.S. Public Retailers. M&SOM.

Lu, L. X., Besanko, D., Doraszelki, U. & Satterthwaite, M. (2010). On the Role of Demand and Strategic Uncertainty in Capacity Investment and Disinvestment Dynamics. International Journal of Industrial Organization 28(4) 383-389.

Lu, L. X., Besanko, D., Doraszelki, U. & Satterthwaite, M. (2010). Lumpy Capacity Investment and Disinvestment Dynamics.  Operations Research 58(4) 1178-1193.

Lu, L. X. & Lariviere, M. A. (Forthcoming). Capacity Allocation Over A Long Horizon: The Return On Turn-And-Earn.  M&SOM.

Mersereau, A. & Zhang, D. (Forthcoming). Markdown Pricing With Unknown Fraction Of Strategic Customers.  M&SOM.

Parlakturk, A. Value Of Product Variety When Selling To Strategic Consumers.  M&SOM.

Perdikaki, O., Kesavan, S. & Swaminathan, J.M.  (Forthcoming).  Effect Of Retail Store Traffic on Conversion Rate and Sales.  M&SOM.

Qi, Feng & Lu, L. X. (Forthcoming). The Strategic Perils of Low Cost Outsourcing.  Management Science.

Staats, B. R. & Gino, F. (Forthcoming). Specialization and Variety in Repetitive Tasks: Evidence from a Japanese Bank. Management Science.
 
Staats, B. R. & Upton, D. M. (2011). Lean knowledge work.  Harvard Business Review 89(10): 100-110.

Staats, B. R.  (Forthcoming).  Unpacking Team Familiarity: The Effect of Geographic Location and Hierarchical Role. Production and Operations Management.

Staats, B. R., Brunner, D. J. & Upton, D. M. (2011). Lean Principles, Learning, and Knowledge Work: Evidence from a Software Services Provider. Journal of Operations Management, 29(5): 376-390.  

Staats, B. R., Milkman, K. L. & Fox, C.  (Forthcoming).  The Team Scaling Fallacy: Underestimating The Declining Efficiency of Larger Teams. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.

Wagner, H. (A working paper).  The Bottom Line Corporate Performance and Gender Diversity in the C‐Suite (2004‐2008).pdf

Dr. David S. Rubin, Professor of Operations, Technology and Innovation Management, has been appointed to a 2.5 year term on the new Board of Trustees for the NC State Health Plan for Teachers and Employees. The new Board, which has fiduciary authority for the Plan, was established when NCSHP was moved into the office of the State Treasurer on January 1 of this year.

2012

Dr. Wendell Gilland - The Skinner Best Paper Award in POM 2012 was presented to UNC Kenan-Flagler PhD graduate Yimin Wang, UNC Kenan-Flagler faculty Wendell Gilland and Brian Tomlin for their paper titled Regulatory Trade Risk and Supply Chain Strategy, POM, 20,4, July-August 2011, 522-540.

Dr. Bin Hu - Distinguished Dissertation Award

Dr. Lauren  Lu -  Weatherspoon Award for Excellence in BSBA Teaching

Dr. Saravanan Kesavan - JFIG Competition, Second Prize

Dr. Brad Staats - Article "Lean principles, learning, and knowledge work: Evidence from a software services provider" awarded The Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award. The Shingo Prize is an award for work studying operational excellence.

2011

Dr. Adam Mersereau - The Weatherspoonh Award for Excellence in MBA Teaching

2010

      PAST SEMINAR SPEAKERS (CLICK FOR LIST)