Research

Highlights from CSCR's events and initiatives that support the research pillar of the center, featuring student research projects, research out of the center, and how CSCR is engaging with industry.

Student Research Projects

Student research projects are a win-win opportunity for students and support companies. Through this engagement, students learn and prepare themselves for professional settings after graduation, while support companies receive high-quality research with valuable insights. Penn State Smeal College of Business supply chain students have traditionally been highly engaged, with an average of 92 students participating annually from five different categories: Sigma Chi Mu Tau (SCMT) Organization, APEX/Nittany Lion Consulting Group (NLCG), SCM 496, Schreyer Thesis, and Honors Elective. Over the past three academic years, Center for Supply Chain Research® (CSCR®) student research projects have engaged 38 companies in mutually beneficial research partnerships.

Student Research Engagement Snapshot: 2023–2024 Academic Year

Last academic year, 89 students participated in sponsored research projects that allowed them to tackle real-world challenges and solve industry problems they will encounter once out of the classroom. Participating in individual or group projects, these student researchers engaged in 31 projects in partnership with 15 companies. A sampling of recent research topics is listed below:

  • Strategic Application of Digital Twins in Supply Chain
  • Business Process Improvement Prioritization
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis for Warehouse Damage
  • Internet of Things (IOT) for Smart Warehouse
  • Supplier Diversity – “Keep Warm” Strategy for Potential Diverse Suppliers

Experiential Learning ExhibitionSmeal Experiential Learning Exhibition

On April 24, 2024, teams of student researchers participated in the Nittany Lion Consulting Group Showcase and Smeal Experiential Learning Exhibition. Students who were involved in CSCR’s student research projects, including those from the project categories of APEX/NLCG and SCM 496, engaged with faculty and business-student peers as they shared their project findings that were delivered to supporting companies.

Research Examples

  • Beyond Brand Promise Fulfillment: Corporate Brand and Supply Chain Next Frontier in Retail
    Steve Tracey, and Kusumal Ruamsook, Supply Chain Management Review
  • Bioeconomy Stakeholder Focus Group Study
    Evelyn Thomchick, and Kusumal Ruamsook, technical report, in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Biomass Consortium (MASBio) project
  • The Hidden Cost of MRO Failures
    Saurabh Bansal, V. Daniel R. Guide, Sergey Namov, Kusumal Ruamsook, and Steve Tracey, CSCR white paper, in collaboration with Ivaldi and SDI
  • Healthcare Supply Distribution and Inventory Systems
    Steve Tracey, and Kusumal Ruamsook, CSCR white paper
  • How 3D Virtual Prototyping Can Compress New Product Development
    Steve Tracey, and Kusumal Ruamsook, Supply Chain Xchange

Engaging with Industry

Staying engaged with the business community is among the focuses of CSCR to promote both knowledge dissemination and contemporary relevance to supply chain professionals. Last year, CSCR made eight speaking appearances and attendants at renowned industry conferences, including A. Duie Pyle (trucking) management conference, Discover Summit, and ABI “We Transform” programs.

CSCR Research Portal

This past year, 41 new faculty and student research works were posted, expanding the body of knowledge resources to over 400 publications on the CSCR Research Portal. Our Research Portal welcomed more than 700 visitors last year with the top-three most visited pages including: The Spectrum of Supply Chain Agility, The Hidden Cost of MRO Failures, and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Applications in Army Logistics. View the CSCR Research Portal here.