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Ram Narasimhan

University Distinguished Professor Emeritum, John H. McConnell Endowed Professor Emeritum
Department: Supply Chain Management
  • Biography
    Ram Narasimhan is a University Distinguished Professor and the John H. McConnell Endowed Professor of Business. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, M.S. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research and Ph.D in Management Science from the University of Minnesota. He spent a year at M.I.T. as a System Dynamics Research Intern as part of a Department of Labor Research Grant. Dr. Narasimhan's research focuses on strategic issues in operations and sourcing management. His current research addresses global operations strategy, strategic sourcing, buyer-supplier relationship and strategic collaboration, supply chain leveraged innovation, supply networks and strategic integration across the supply chain. His research encompasses both mathematical modeling of supply chain issues utilizing discrete and dynamic, continuous time optimization models as well as empirical research utilizing econometric and multivariate statistical methods.

    He has published over 130 articles in peer reviewed journals including Management Science, Decision Sciences, Journal of Operations Management, Production Operations Management Journal, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Journal of Business Logistics and European Journal of Operational Research. He is currently a Senior Editor of Production Operations Management Journal, Associate Editor of Journal of Operations Management, Associate Editor of Decision Sciences and Associate Editor of Industrial Data Management Systems. He was formerly Editor-in-Chief of Decision Sciences and Area Editor of Production Operations Management Journal.

    Ram Narasimhan is the recipient of the Distinguished OM Scholar Award from the Academy of Management for life time contributions to OM research; He also received the Distinguished Global Researcher Award from the Pan Pacific Business Association. He recently received the Dennis Grawoig Award from the Decision Sciences Institute for outstanding service to the profession. He was given the University Distinguished Faculty Award by MSU for his outstanding contributions to the intellectual environment of the University. He is a Fellow of the Decision Sciences Institute and a Fellow of the Pan Pacific Business Association.

    He has held various leadership positions in professional associations including being the President of Decision Sciences Institute, Program Chair for Decision Sciences Institute and Production Operations Management Society, Chair of the APICS Institute for Computer Integrated Manufacturing and Chair of Operations Management Division of the Academy of Management. Ram Narasimhan served as the Director of Research for MSU CIBER, Chairperson of the Department of Management and was the Director of Operations Management training for MUCIA in Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic. He directed the study abroad program for the Executive MBA program encompassing visits to U.K., Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, France, Poland, Japan, China, Singapore, Korea and Hong Kong. He has been active as a consultant to Fortune 100 firms including General Motors, Chrysler, Nortel, Agilent, UpJohn, Marshall Fields, Lear Corporation, Merillat, Hughes Electronics, Bruswick and others. He has consulted with governmental agencies (Department of State, Department of Management and Budget, Department of Public Health) and has appeared as expert witness before the state legislature and federal agencies in Washington, D.C. He has been an executive trainer to over 200 firms in strategic management, sourcing strategy, project management and process optimization. Ram Narasimhan has been a keynote speaker for supply management professional organizations including Institute of Supply Management (ISM), Center for Advanced Purchasing Studies (CAPS), International Federation of Purchasing and Supply Management (IFPSM), DILF-Danish Federation of Supply Management and Supply Management Professional Association of Brazil. He has made numerous plenary presentations to academics as part of international conferences in Cambridge, U,K., in China, Korea, Costa Rica, Mexico, France, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, India, Australia and New Zealand. He has been a visiting scholar at many domestic and international universities.

    Ram Narasimhan is one of the most widely cited scholars in operations and supply chain management with over 15,259 citations to date. He has Chaired 20 doctoral dissertations and been a member of 12 doctoral dissertation committees.
  • Publications
    Article
    T. Kull, S. Ellis & R. Narasimhan, "Reducing Behavioral Constraints to Supplier Integration: A Socio Technical Systems Perspective,"� Journal of Supply Chain Management, Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 64-86, 2013.
    Article
    Wenming Chung, R. Narasimhan and S. Talluri, "The role of schedule mismatch in ending inventory decisions in the presence of price cuts,"� Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 33, No. 4, pp. 262-277, 2012.
    Article
    T. Kull, R. Narasimhan and R. Schroeder, "A Longitudinal Study on Sustaining the Benefits of a Quality Initiative through Cooperative Values: A Sociotechnical Perspective,"� Decision Sciences, Vol. 43, No. 4 pp. 553-588, August 2012
    Article
    T. Kull and R. Narasimhan, "Quality Management and Cultural Values: Investigation of Multi-level Influences on Workgroup Performance,"� Decision Sciences, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 81-113, 2010.
    Article
    Narasimhan, Ram, J. Sandor, and Tobias Schoenherr. "A Real-World Take on Transformation,"� Supply Chain Management Review, Vol. 15, No. 2, March/April, 2011, pp. 22-29.
    Article
    R. Narasimhan, T. Kull and A. Nahm, "Alternative Relationships among Integrative Beliefs, Time-Based Manufacturing and Performance,"� International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 496-524, 2012.
    Article
    A. Nair, R. Narasimhan and T.Y. Choi, "Supply Networks as a Complex Adaptive System: Toward Simulation-Based Theory Building on Evolutionary Decision Making"�, Decision Sciences, Vol. 40, No. 4, pp. 783-815, 2011.
    Article
    R. Narasimhan and T. Schoenherr. "The Effects of Integrated Supply Management and Environmental Management Practices on Relative Competitive Quality Advantage,"� International Journal of Production Research, Vol. 50, No. 4, 2012, pp. 1185-1201.
    Article
    Schoenherr, Tobias, and Ram Narasimhan. "The Impact of Operations Management Efficacy and Alignment on Financial and Market Performance: Extending the Theory of Production Competence,"� International Journal of Production Research, in press 2012.
    Article
    S. Mahapatra, A. Das, R. Narasimhan, "A Contingent Theory of Supplier Management Initiatives: Effects of Competitive Intensity and Product Life Cycle"�, Journal of Operations Management, Vol. 30, No. 5, pp. 406-422, July 2012.
    Article
    T. Kull, R. Narasimhan and R. Schroeder, "A Longitudinal Study on Sustaining the Benefits of a Quality Initiative through Cooperative Values: A Sociotechnical Perspective,"� Decision Sciences, Vol. 43, No. 4 pp. 553-588, August 2012
    Article
    K. Choi, R. Narasimhan and S.W. Kim, "Adopting Postponement Strategy for International Transfer in Global Operations: A System Dynamics Examination,"� Journal of Operations Management, Vol. 30, No. 3, pp. 167-179, March 2012.
    Article
    R. Narasimhan, M. Swink and S. Viswanathan. (2010). On Decisions for Integration Implementation: An Examination of Complementarities between Product-Process Technology Integration and Supply Chain Integration. Decision Sciences. Vol. 41: No. 2. pp. 197-227.
    Article
    R. Narasimhan and S.Talluri. (2010). Perspectives on Risk Management in Supply Chains. Journal of Operations Management. 27: 2. 114-118.
    Article
    T. Kull and R. Narasimhan. (2010). Quality Management and Cultural Values: Investigation of Multi-level Influences on Workgroup Performance. Decision Sciences. Vol. 41: No. 1. 81-113.
    Article
    R. Narasimhan and S. Narayanan. (2009 March). In Search of Outsourcing Excelelnce. Supply Chain Management Review. 36-42.
    Article
    R. Narasimhan, A. Nair, D. Griffith and J. Arlbjorn, E. Bendoly. (2009). Lockin situations in supply chains: social exchange theoretic study of sourcing arrangements in power-based buyer-supplier relationship. Journal of Operations Management. 27: 5. 374-389.
    Article
    R. Narasimhan, S. Talluri, and S. Mahapatra. (2008). Effective Response to RFQs and Supplier Development: A Seller"™s Perspective. International Journal of Production Economics. 115: 2. 461-470.
    Article
    R. Narasimhan, S. Talluri and S. Mahapatra. (2008). Multiproduct, Multivariate Model for Supplier Selection with Product Lifecycle Considerations. Decisioin Sciences. 37: 4. 577-604.
    Article
    D. Mendez and R. Narasimhan. (2006 July). Dynamic Interactions among Price, Quality, Durability and the Sales Rate in a Steady State Environment: A Theoretical Analysis. Mathematical and Computer Modeling. 44: 1-2. 49-64.
    Book
    S. A. Melnyk and R. Narasimhan. (1991). Computer Integrated Manufacturing: Guidelines and Applications from Industrial Leaders. Homewood, Illinois: Business One "“ Irwin.
    Article
    S. A. Melnyk and R. Narasimhan. (1990). Computer Integrated Manufacturing: A Source Book. Falls Church, VA: American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS).
    Article
    J. Carter, R. Narasimhan and S. K. Vickery. (1988). International Sourcing for Manufacturing Operations. Operations Management Association (OMA).
  • Courses
    • SCM 893: Global Operations Strategy
    • SCM 920: Seminar: Research Topics in Operations Management
    • SCM 921: Seminar: Multivariate Reserach Methods in Operatio
    • SCM 479: Special Topics in Supply Chain Management
  • Awards
    • Distinguished Operations Management Scholar Award
      This award is given by the Academy of Management in recognition of having achieved a distinguished record of research in the field of Operations Management.
    • University Distinguished Faculty Award
      This award is given by Michigan State University to recognize faculty who have made sustained and exemplary contribution to the intellectual environment of the university.
    • Distinguished Global Research Scholar Award
      Given by the Pan Pacific Business Association in recognition of contributions to global research and scholarship.
    • Dennis Grawoig Distinguished Service Award
      Given by Decision Sciences Institute to recognize contributions to Decision Sciences Institute.
    • Fellow, Decision Sciences Institute
      Elected Fellow of Decision Sciences Institute in recognition of research excellence and service to the society.
    • Fellow, Pan Pacific Business Association
      Elected Fellow by the Pan Pacific Business Association in recognition of contributions to global understanding and research contributions.

Related News:

Sriram Narayanan and Ram Narasimhan had a paper accepted for publication in IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.
"Production Planning Using Evolving Demand Forecasts in the Automotive Industry" accepted for publication.
The award recognized Dr. Narasimhan's contributions to research, teaching and professional contributions over the years.
Ram Narasimhan, Steven Melnyk, and Sri Talluri are ranked among the top 100 Operations Management scholars.