dissertation topics in logistics

110 Unique Logistics Research Topics To Deal With

Table of Contents

Logistics is the process of acquiring, storing, and moving manufactured products from production facilities to retail locations. If you take a course in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM), then for your final assignment, you must work on captivating logistics research topics.

Typically, logistics is a broad subject with numerous subfields and hence you may struggle to identify the right research topic for your logistics dissertation. But with our assistance, you can easily spot the best logistics research topics. Especially, for your convenience, in this blog, we have published a list of unique dissertation topics on logistics and supply chain management. Additionally, we have presented certain tactics to spot the appropriate logistics research topic. Continue reading this blog and get amazing logistics research ideas.

Know How to Choose a Logistics Research Topic

Topic selection is the first step in the logistics research paper preparation process. Mostly, your instructors will suggest some impressive logistics dissertation topics for you to get started. In case, you are given the liberty to pick a logistics research topic of your choice, follow these steps.

First, identify the area you are more interested in performing research.
In the determined logistics research area, search and gather relevant research ideas, titles, or questions that are not examined.
Brainstorm all the gathered logistics and SCM research ideas and find out its research scope after reading the existing literature.
Analyze and narrow down the list based on their originality, meaningfulness, feasibility to perform research before the deadline, and availability of resources. Eliminate the topics that have no or least research scope.
Once again review the refined list and pick a topic that meets your professor or university’s research guidelines.
Before you confirm the topic, discuss it with your supervisor and get approval for the topic. Consulting with your instructors may aid you in enhancing the quality of your research work.

List of the Best Logistics Research Topics and Ideas

Are you unsure what research topic to choose for logistics research? If yes, then carefully explore the list published below and pick any topic that satisfies your needs. In the list, you will get 110 fascinating logistics research topics, questions, and titles on relevant themes.

Interesting Logistics Research Topics

When it comes to logistics research paper writing, always choose a relevant topic that is interesting to you so that you may enjoy the research process and effortlessly overcome the challenges you face during it. These are some logical research ideas that might be interesting for you to work on.

Why do businesses integrate technology and service providers to manage the logistics processes?
Analyze the cost factors in logistics.
Investigate the role of crowd-sourced freight services in logistics.
Discuss the practical implications of UK packaging regulations on business logistics.
Discuss the regulations for sustainable packaging in the United States.
Examine the impact of app-based rapid freight services in the United Kingdom.
Analyze warehouse trends and problems in omnichannel logistics.
How does the use of logistics affect local transport channels in the UK?
Describe the viability of the warehouse management function for family businesses in the United Kingdom.
Examine the role of software solutions and outsourced logistics service providers in the United Kingdom.

Excellent Logistics Research Topics for Students

Are you seeking the best logistics research questions for your college assignments? If yes, then the list recommended here might be useful to you. In the list, we have shared some exclusive logistics study topics for students to get started.

Compare the current supply chain and logistics regulations in the US with China.
Discuss Enterprise Integration and its importance.
Study the business perspectives as well as implementation strategies to provide logistics integration costs.
Explain how food requirements for tourist seasons are forecasted by famous multicultural restaurants.
Study humanitarian supply chain integration.
Analyze the impact of transportation on the logistics industry
Investigate the applications of smart glasses and autonomous robots in SCM.
Examine the influence of inventory on the logistics business.
Investigate anticipatory logistics in supply chain management.
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of implementing AI and IoT in SCM and logistics.

Unique Logistics Research Topics

In case, you are curious to make some improvements to the logistics field, then pick a topic from an unexplored area and conduct an in-depth study on it. This will help you fill the knowledge gaps as well. Listed below are a few unique logistics research ideas that will be useful for you in preparing an academic paper worthy of top grades.

Conduct a theoretical examination of the concept of a control tower in logistics from a future perspective.
Write about the potential future applications of ERP in logistics management.
Examine the application of quality management principles to the procurement and logistics functions of mobile shops in the UK.
Discuss the role of relationship development managers in managing the supply chain network.
Consider how Corporate Social Responsibility fosters socially responsible supplier chains.
Examine the effects of mobility solutions on logistics.
Look at food logistics and supply chain management in any country.
Investigate and write about Metropolitan Logistics.
Explain ways to enhance healthcare logistics performance.
Conduct a comprehensive analysis of logistics for low-cost country sourcing.

Informative Logistics Research Ideas

The logistics research paper you compose should widen the subject knowledge of your readers. So, to meet this goal, you must make sure to select a logistics research topic with scholastic value. The following are some logistics topics that you may consider for creating an informative research paper.

Explain the value of implementing logistics and SCM ideas and concepts.
Investigate how the evolution of logistics and SCM affects strategic differentiation and operational effectiveness.
Write about IoT’s applications in logistics.
Examine the procurement management of specialized projects in the commercial construction industry.
Explain the influence of IT advancements on third- and fourth-party logistics systems.
Discuss the application of robotics in logistics
Explore the modern technology utilized in warehouses.
Explore the application of AI and Machine Learning in Logistics
Examine the benefits and drawbacks of warehouse robots.
Study the evolution of the Global Logistics Industry from 1900 to 2022.
Explain the role of information management in addressing logistics and supply chain issues.
Describe the link between SCM and procurement.
What impact do incoming and outbound logistics have on the supplier-consumer relationship?
What role does technology play in improving multinational corporations’ logistics and supply chain management ?
Examine the practical implementation approaches for green sustainable buying strategies.

Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dissertation Topics

Do you need the best logistics and supply chain management topics for preparing a dissertation? Explore the list recommended here. In the list, you will get excellent research topics on logistics and supply chains for creating a brilliant dissertation.

Explore the different logistics operations of manufacturing companies.
Examine the effect of procurement logistics on the sales of FMCG manufacturing companies.
Explore the role of supply chain management in business outsourcing.
Examine the implementation of Green Supply Chain Management Practices.
Assess the role of technology in modern supply chain systems.
Explain how to use E-logistics in Supply Chain Operations.
Explain how independent UK pharmaceutical merchants maximize logistical value.
Analyze the reasons why shippers seek new alternatives to parcel carrier service.
Explain how UK businesses handle customer services through third-party networks.
Examine the effects of e-commerce growth on the global logistics industry.
Explore the challenges and interventions in the logistics and supply chain management sector.
Research the logistics and supply chain workflows using RFID and barcode databases.
Analyze the trends and challenges in logistics and supply chain management.
Take a look at the supply chain disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discuss the most recent supply chain innovations and their benefits

Amazing Research Topics on Logistics and SCM

Logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM) is an extensive area with several research topics to focus on. Here are a few amazing research paper ideas on logistics and SCM you may take into consideration for crafting a detailed academic paper.

Explore machine learning approaches in supply chain management.
Evaluate cost-cutting techniques for supply chain management (SCM) for export and import.
Identify the reasons for using emergency logistics services.
Assess variables impacting the implementation of an effective supply management system.
Evaluate the supply chain risk management skills.
Investigate how logistics and SCM might address new issues and complications.
Evaluate the impact of packaging on fragrance exporters in the UK.
Explore the advantages and disadvantages of Industry 4.0 in logistics and SCM.
Describe ways to assess and reduce the environmental impact of logistics activities.
Discuss reverse logistics options for end-of-life products.

Logistics Management Research Topics

Logistics management focuses on planning, coordinating, and optimizing the movement and storage of goods from source to destination. The following are some exclusive logistics management topics that will allow you to research and write about.

Compare the sustainable logistics management practices between emerging and developed countries.
Explain how small family businesses in the UK handle logistics management.
Compare the implementation of sustainable logistics management practices between developed countries.
Identify effective solutions to mitigate risks in logistics management.
Evaluate logistics management principles in practical settings.
Examine how logistics management helps streamline reorders for clothing businesses in the UK.
Analyze how the logistics and supply chain functions have changed in the 21st century.
Investigate the effect of logistics functions on an organization’s financial performance.
Examine how logistics and supply chain management contribute to the success of multinational corporations.
Evaluate how logistics and SCM may help SMEs grow.
Understand the significance of value chain strategy in logistics and supply chain management.
Analyze how changes in demand and supply affect logistics functions and costs.
Examine how IT innovation affects logistics and SCM efficiency.
Assess innovative logistics and supply chain strategies.
Understand the significance of IT in managing logistics and supply chains.

Latest Logistics Research Paper Ideas

If you want your logistics research paper to stand unique in the crowd, work on the latest logistics topics. It will also keep your readers informed. These are some trending topics you may consider for writing a great logistics research paper.

What are the latest developments in last-mile delivery, including the use of autonomous vehicles, drones, and crowd-sourced delivery?
How can warehouse automation be improved through the use of automated guided vehicles, robotic picking systems, and automated storage and retrieval systems?
What are the benefits and challenges of implementing circular supply chains, and how can they be overcome?
What are the current global logistics trends, and how is globalization impacting logistics, outsourcing, and performance measurement?
How can logistics be made more sustainable, and what strategies can be employed to reduce carbon footprint and implement green logistics?
What are the benefits and challenges of integrating logistics and supply chain management, and how does integration impact logistics performance and supply chain efficiency?
How can optimization techniques be used to improve logistics and supply chain efficiency, and what are the benefits of optimization in logistics and supply chain management?
What are the risks associated with logistics and supply chain management, and how can they be identified and mitigated?
What are the benefits and challenges of implementing transparency in supply chain management, and how can transparency be achieved in supply chains?
How can data and analytics be used to improve supply chain performance, and what are the benefits of using supply chain analytics?

The Bottom Line

Hopefully, the list of ideas suggested above will be helpful for you in creating an outstanding logistics research paper. So, from the list, feel free to select any topic impressive to you and begin composing a logistics research paper, after an extensive study. Keep in mind that the logistics research paper you prepare should be well-structured, plagiarism-free, and informative. Also, it should prove your thesis statement with supporting pieces of evidence. Sometimes you may experience difficulties with conducting research and writing an academic paper on logistics topics. In such a scenario, get in touch with the subject experts in our team. According to your requirements, our professionals will guide you in completing all the stages involved in the preparation of the logistics research paper, starting from topic selection to proofreading.

120 Excellent Romeo and Juliet Essay Topics

130 Unique Censorship Essay Topics and Ideas

125 Best Enlightenment Essay Topics and Ideas

About author.

Jacob Smith

Jacob Smith guides students with writing research paper topics and theses at greatassignmenthelp.com. Read about the author from this page

https://www.greatassignmenthelp.com/

Comments are closed.

Featured Posts

190 Unique Bioethics Topics for Academic Writing

200 impressive business essay topics, top 100 java project ideas for beginners and experts, apa vs. mla: know the major differences between the citation styles, 90 unique sixth amendment essay topics, 10 tips for success in online classes, 115 innovative architecture thesis topics and ideas, unbiased analysis: is homework slavery, learn how to write a short essay, struggling with assignments.

Expert Help for Your Academic Success

Home » Blog » Dissertation » Topics » Supply Chain Management » Logistics Management » Dissertation Topics In logistics And Supply Chain Management (30 Examples)

Dissertation Topics In logistics And Supply Chain Management (30 Examples)

Mark Dec 5, 2018 Jun 6, 2020 Logistics Management , Supply Chain Management No Comments

The logistics management refers to the activities carried out within the organization while the supply chain comprises a network of companies coordinating and collaborating together to achieve the desired goals. The dissertation topics in logistics and supply chain management can relate to the different activities and components involved in logistics management and supply chain management. […]

dissertation-topics-in-logistics-and-supply-chain-management

The logistics management refers to the activities carried out within the organization while the supply chain comprises a network of companies coordinating and collaborating together to achieve the desired goals. The dissertation topics on logistics and supply chain management can be related to the different activities and components involved in logistics management and supply chain management.

A list of project topics on logistics and supply chain management are based on how different phases of the project and its success relies on logistics and supply chain management. The logistics functions ensure that the right products are available for the right customers in the right conditions and right quantity at the right time and at the right cost. The logistics functions are integrated and involve customer services, purchasing, production planning, warehouse, and transport.

The research topics in procurement and logistics management would help in exploring and conducting an in-depth analysis of the importance of procurement. It helps the business in ensuring effectiveness and efficiency. The supply chain management involves a network of organizations that collaborate to achieve similar goals. It involves both upstream and downstream linkages along with different activities and processes that aim to produce value for the customers. Both the logistics and supply chain management have a strong impact on the performance, productivity, and profitability of the companies. It helps in responding to the needs of customers and changes in the market.

A list Of Dissertation Topics in logistic management

Investigating the impact of the change in demand and supply on the logistics functions and costs.

Evaluating the growing importance of IT in the management of logistics and supply chain.

Analyzing the influence of IT innovation on the effectiveness of logistics and supply chain management.

Examining the development of logistics capability through the integration of supply chain.

To study the integration of risk management techniques in the supply chain through logistics processes.

To analyze the impact of logistics performance of the company on global business performance.

Studying the logistics and supply chain workflows using the bar code database and RFID.

To examine the impact of logistics functions on the financial performance of organizations.

Analyzing the role of value chain strategy in managing logistics and supply chain.

A study of challenges and opportunities related to the evolution in the logistics functions and processes.

Evaluating the innovations and strategies for logistics and supply chains.

A study of the role of logistics and supply chain management in the success of multinational corporations.

Examining the role of logistics and supply chain management in the enhancement of SMEs.

To study how the logistics and supply chain functions have evolved in the 21st Century.

Understanding the importance of the adoption of logistics and supply chain management principles and concepts.

Evaluating the relationship between the supply chain management and logistics and its different components.

To find out how the evolution of logistics and supply chain management contributes to operational effectiveness and strategic differentiation.

Studying the challenges and opportunities related to the globalization of logistics and supply chain management.

To find out the key differences in supply chain management and logistics in light of different theories.

Studying the impact of inbound logistics and outbound logistics on the supplier-customer relationship.

Examining the role of technological advancements in the improvement of logistics and supply chain management of multinational corporations.

To study the role of information management in dealing with supply chain and logistics challenges.

Examining the emergence of information technology and its impact on the third and fourth party logistics systems.

A study of the applications of the Internet of Things in the field of logistics.

Investigating the role of logistics and supply chain management in dealing with emerging challenges and complexities.

An examination of the procurement cost management in the lean organizations in emerging economies.

An investigation of the relationship between supply chain management and procurement.

Studying the procurement management of specialized projects in the commercial construction sector.

A study on the examination of practical implementation practices related to green sustainable procurement strategies.

Investigating the trends and challenges in the supply chain and its impact on the digital revolution and globalization.

Topic With Mini-Proposal (Paid Service)

Along with a topic, you will also get;

An explanation why we choose this topic.
2-3 research questions.
Key literature resources identification.
Suitable methodology with identification of raw sample size, and data collection method
View a sample of topic consultation service

Get expert dissertation writing help to achieve good grades

Writer consultation before payment to ensure your work is in safe hands.
Free topic if you don't have one
Draft submissions to check the quality of the work as per supervisor's feedback
Free revisions
Complete privacy
Plagiarism Free work
Guaranteed 2:1 (With help of your supervisor's feedback)
2 Instalments plan
Special discounts

47 Best Research Proposal Topics in Logistics

Logistics Research proposal Topics : Updated information lies at the core of logistics operations. Therefore, research proposal topics in logistics and supply chain management keep on uncovering new innovations and strategies to enrich the domain as much as possible.

Interconnected disciplines are the main area where logistics research and data are being applied with ease on regular basis. These are the best research proposal topics in logistics also check our related posts on change management dissertation topics , procurement dissertation , and supply chain management dissertation topics .

Best Research Proposal Topics in Logistics for college students

Logistics describes the process of coordinating and moving resources—people, materials, inventory, and equipment—from one location to storage at the desired destination . The term logistics originated in the military, referring to the movement of equipment and supplies to troops in the field.

These topics are the best Logistics research proposal topics and ideas have been enlisted below for your reference. Feel free to go through our list to see if you find any topic per your preference and interest:

Exploring the Role of Technology in Retail Supply Chains: Leveraging IoT for Enhanced Efficiency and Customer Experience
Understanding Supply Chains and Their Importance in a VUCA World: A Comprehensive Analysis
Logistics Risk Management in Modern Supply Chains: Strategies for Mitigation and Resilience
Democracy in Supply Chain Decision Making: A Case Study Analysis of Stakeholder Participation
The Impact of Technology on Logistics: Transforming Supply Chains in the Digital Era
Why Should You Study Logistics? Unveiling the Crucial Role of Logistics in Global Business Operations
Enhancing Supply Chain Responsiveness: Strategies for Agile and Adaptive Operations
IoT Integration in Supply Chains: Exploring Opportunities and Challenges in Real-time Data Management
Navigating the VUCA World of Supply Chain Management: Strategies for Thriving Amidst Uncertainty
Improving Supply Chain Efficiency through Democratic Decision Making: Empowering Stakeholders for Sustainable Operations
Implementing automation in logistics and supply chain management: a descriptive approach.
Logistics and supply chain management in the port performance measurement area.
The role played by resource efficiency and sustainability in logistics and supply chain management.
Logistics and supply chain management post-COVID-19 pandemic in X country.
Cost reduction and service improvement in logistics and supply chain management: focus on practical strategies.
Research in the logistics and supply chain management sector: challenges and interventions.
Development of competencies in the logistics and supply chain management sector: a descriptive study.
Logistics versus supply chain management: focus on major differences.
Green logistics and supply chain management: focus on technology-induced carbon emissions.
Correlational analysis of project management, logistics systems, and production planning.
Supply chain management and finance theory: how to increase finance in the supply chains.
Interaction of organizational capabilities, logistics, and knowledge management for enhancing supply chain performance.
Food logistics and supply chain management in X country.
Food chain logistics: uncovering the sustainability assessment.
Metropolitan logistics: focus on a coordinated development plan.
Improvement of healthcare logistics performance: developing a hypothetical strategy.
Importance of design technique and structured analysis in modeling a process for port logistics.
How logistics can be integrated into the outsourcing process? A descriptive approach.
Effects of logistics’ costs of shippers on the performance of logistics service providers.
Applying blockchain processes to the supply chains, transport, and logistics fields.
Logistics and e-commerce policies: focus on potential barriers.
Humanitarian logistics consulting: focus on the measures of improvement.
Logistics in low-cost country sourcing: a systematic analysis.
Logistics in manufacturing and trading companies of X country: a review of the literature.
The role played by opportunism and relational governance in logistics outsourcing relations.
Interconnected city logistics: focus on challenges and interventions.
Effects of B2C online logistics service quality on urban logistics.
Logistics networks: focus on adaptation and adaptability.
The logistics industry in the Asian countries: focus on potential challenges and solutions.
Maritime logistics: implications on a global level.
Studying the impacts of human resource management practices on logistics competencies in X country.
How logistics can support embeddedness in the geographical expression of retailers: focus on the key characteristics.
Sustainable urban freight logistics: a review of the literature.
Relationship between logistics resources and performance of logistics service providers in X country.
Correlational analysis of maritime logistics value, knowledge acquisition, and cooperative networks.

Above is the list of Best Research Proposal Topics in Logistics. if you are still looking for some unique topics on logistics, fill out the form below and get a dissertation mini-proposal service from experts and get your desired dissertation topics on logistics.

Paid Topic Mini Proposal (500 Words)

You will get the topics first and then the mini proposal which includes:

An explanation why we choose this topic.
2-3 research questions.
Key literature resources identification.
Suitable methodology including raw sample size and data collection method
View a Sample of Service

Note: After submitting your order please must check your email [inbox/spam] folders for order confirmation and login details. If the email goes in spam please mark not as spam to avoid any communication gap between us.

Get An Expert Dissertation Writing Help To Achieve Good Grades

By placing an order with us, you can get;

Writer consultation before payment to ensure your work is in safe hands.
Free topic if you don't have one
Draft submissions to check the quality of the work as per supervisor's feedback
Free revisions
Complete privacy
Plagiarism Free work
Guaranteed 2:1 (With help of your supervisor's feedback)
2 Instalments plan
Special discounts

Theses - Supply Chain 2020 Project

Back to the main SC2020 page

Since its launch in 2004, a large number of masters theses, as well as a few doctoral theses, have been conducted as part of the SC2020 Project, in centers from the SCALE Network. An exhaustive list of these theses, as well as links to access them, are presented here.

Doctoral Theses at MIT

Title: Effect of scenario planning on field experts' judgment of long-range investment decisions . Author: Phadnis, Shardul. Advisors: Yossi Sheffi, Chris Caplice and Mahender Singh. Year: 2012. Program: Doctoral Thesis, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/96020

Title: A methodology to capture, evaluate and reformulate a firm's supply chain strategy as a conceptual system . Author: Roberto Perez-Franco. Advisors: Yossi Sheffi and Mahender Singh. Year: 2010. Program: Doctoral Thesis, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/62761

Title: Dynamic Retail Assortment Models with Demand Learning for Seasonal Consumer Goods . Author: Felipe Caro. Advisor: Jérémie Gallien. Year: 2005. Program: Doctoral Thesis, Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33415

Master Theses at MIT

Title: A Qualitative Mapping and Evaluation of an Aerospace Supply Chain Strategy . Author: Jonathan Hung and Nicholas Pierce. Advisor: Roberto Perez-Franco. Year: 2011. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URL: CTL Publication Link

Title: Redefining organizational boundaries : building an aware and agile organization by enabling new social interactions . Author: Benjamin Maupetit. Advisor: Mahender Singh. Year: 2009. Program: S.M. in Technology and Policy Program, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/52754

Title: Evolutionary supply chain risk management: transforming culture for sustainable competitive advantage . Author: Romain Lévy. Advisor: Mahender Singh. Year: 2008. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics and S.M. in Technology and Policy Program, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/42928

Title: Exploring the future of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry : a supply chain perspective . Author: Loïc Lagarde. Advisor: Yossi Sheffi and Mahender Singh. Year: 2007. Program: S.M. in Technology and Policy Program, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/40294

Title: The Supply Chain Response to Environmental Pressures . Author: Julie Rebecca Paquette. Advisor: Randolph E. Kirchain. Year: 2006. Program: S.M. in Technology and Policy Program, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34530

Title: Demand Management: A Cross-Industry Analysis of Supply-Demand Planning . Author: Peng Kuan Tan. Advisor: Lawrence Lapide. Year: 2006. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/36139

Title: Order Promising/Fulfillment and Customer/Channel Collaboration in Supply Chain Management . Author: Yimin An and Samuel Srethapakdi. Advisor: Mahender Singh. Year: 2006. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/36148

Title: Analysis of Sourcing & Procurment Practices: A Cross Industry Framework . Author: Ioannis G. Koliousis. Advisor: Edgar Blanco. Year: 2006. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/36143

Title: Analysis of Supplier Involvement in New Product Development and Launch . Author: Herman Alex Kurapov. Advisor: Chris Caplice. Year: 2006. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/35614

Title: A Cross Industry Analysis and Framework of Aftermarket Products and Services . Author: Petros Englezos. Advisor: Lawrence Lapide. Year: 2006. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/35539

Title: An Examination of Boeing’s Supply Chain Management Practices within the Context of the Global Aerospace Industry . Author: Daglar Cizmeic. Advisor: Kirkor Bozdogan. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33315

Title: An Exploration of of Supply Chain Management Practices in the Aerospace Industry and in Rolls-Royce . Author: Mohit Tiwari. Advisor: Kirkor Bozdogan. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33373

Title: Supply Chain Strategies in the Apparel Industry: The Case of Victoria’s Secret . Author: Sumit Kumar. Advisors: Sharon Novak and Lawrence Lapide. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33324

Title: The Dynamics of Supply Chains in the Automotive Industry . Author: Niklas Braese. Advisor: Lawrence Lapide. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33312

Title: The Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: A Diagnosis of the State-of-the-Art . Author: Mahender Singh. Advisor: Charles H. Fine. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33354

Title: Supply chain practices in the petroleum downstream . Author: Santos Manzano, Fidel. Advisor: Lawrence Lapide. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33345

Title: An analysis of current supply chain best practices in the retail industry with case studies of Wal-Mart and Amazon.com . Author: Chiles, Colby Ronald; Dau, Marguarette Thi. Advisor: Gabriel R. Bitran. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33314

Title: Framework for the study of governance in the supply networks : Wal-mart : "Enlightened Despot" model . Author: De Graeve, Denis. Advisor: Gabriel R. Bitran. Year: 2004. Program: S.M. Technology and Policy Program, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/28504

Title: An Evaluation of Scenario Planning for Supply Chain Design . Author: Yishai Boasson. Advisor: Yossi Sheffi. Year: 2004. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/28504

Master Theses at ZLC

Title: Analysis of Supply Chains in the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry . Author: Marc-Elliott Finkelstein. Advisor: Paul M. Thompson. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, Zaragoza Logistics Center. Link: Download .

Title: Supply Chain Excellence in the Pharmaceutical Industry: Novartis– A Case Study . Author: Gourav Narayan Mukherjee. Advisor: Prashant Yadav. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, Zaragoza Logistics Center. Link: Download .

Title: Excellent Supply Chains In The Oil Industry: Royal Dutch/Shell . Author: Stefan Röthlisberger. Advisor: Prashant Yadav. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics, MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, Zaragoza Logistics Center. Link: Download .

Title: Supply Chain Excellence in the Retail Industry: METRO AG – A Case Study . Author: Manuela Schranz-Whitaker. Advisor: Paul M. Thompson. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics, MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, Zaragoza Logistics Center. Link: Download .

Title: SC2020: Toyota Production System & Supply Chain. Author: Macharia Brown. Advisor: Prashant Yadav. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics, MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, Zaragoza Logistics Center. Link: Download .

Title: Excellence In European Apparel Supply Chains: Zara. Author: Phyllis Chu. Advisor: Paul Thompson. Year: 2005. Program: M. Eng. in Supply Chain Management and Logistics, MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, Zaragoza Logistics Center. Link: Download .

(+34) 976 077 600

Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics- Top 30 Ideas

One of the most frequently asked question from SCMDOJO followers is, I am doing Supply Chain Management Masters from Europe , UK or USA and I need some Master Thesis ideas in Supply Chain?

Key academic research areas in SCM are offering robust and implementable supply chain management thesis that are transforming worldwide trends. The increasing strength of global Supply Chain Management (SCM) is one functional area that shows several students are seeking a good start, especially in solving significant problems in the form of Masters and PhD thesis .

Nevertheless, with the changing trends in the industry, some students are likely to struggle with the early stages of academic writing. A significant reason for this problem is usually down to a lack of ideas or facing new topics with low research activity.

Old Industries and New Industries

The recent pattern shifts in academia, from the traditional research approach to other conventional methods, is taking a more student-centred view. Most of the supply chain management thesis is crafted by students, including dissertation, topic creation, research, and more with help of their supervisors.

With new industries, like Amazon and Apple, transforming old concepts with technological disruption, there are new trends to look out for to help narrow your supply chain management thesis.

The 7 Powerful Supply Chain Trends (I also dubbed “Supply Chain 7.0”) have the potential to become a powerful influence over time. These trends, including Augmented reality (AR), Big Data, Gamification of the supply chain, moving supply chain to “Cloud,” and Internet of Things (IoT) – Industry 4.0. Also, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning in supply chain alongside 3D Printing are now needed to support the product life cycle.

Forbes also highlights the key 2020 Supply Chain Technology Trends that are receiving lots of buzz in Supply Chain Management. In this regard, students seeking top-notch research areas for supply chain management thesis can consider new trends to help create adequate research content.

30 Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics for 2020

On these premises, any supply chain management thesis should be comprehensive. There several topics and areas to consider, and below are 30 Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics for 2020 that students can do research on towards an excellent postgraduate study in SCM.

Digital Transformation

Digital Transformation Key Attributes; Challenges; enablers & Success Factors
Smart Government Initiatives: How Governments are Driving Digital Change
Digital Leadership linking to Virtual Teams or Self Organised Teams (Agile PM)
COVID 19 impacted the implementation of Digital Transformation?
Cross-functional collaboration in the decision-making process.
The value of data and interdependencies in decision-making.
Machine learning techniques in supply chain management

Sustainable Project Management (SPM)

Can apply the SPM model or any of its dimensions to any type of project
Can Blockchain help with Sustainable Project Management?
Factors affecting the application of an efficient supply management system.

IoT- Industry 4.0 and Big Data

Application of IoT in Logistics – Challenges; enablers & Success Factors
The practicability of intertwined supply networks with IoT.
Implementation of IoT in 3PL/4PL Industry – Challenges; enablers & Success Factors
Big data and impact in DDMRP
Evaluation of technology use in modern supply chain management.
The extension of supply chain resilience through Industry 4.0
The Impact of Industry 4.0 on supply chain management.
Implementation of E-logistics in Supply Chain Operations.

Operations and Supply Chain Management

Risk Evaluation and Management involved in a supply chain
Partnerships Perspective in Supply Chain Management
Assessing Supply Chain Risk Management Capabilities
Implementation of Green Supply Chain Management Practices
Supply Chain Management Practices and Supply Chain Performance Effectiveness
The Impact of Supply Chain Management Practices on the Overall Performance of the org
The Influence of Environmental Management Practices and Supply Chain Integration on Technological Innovation Performance
The Relationship between Total Quality Management Practices and their Effects on Firm Performance
Level of Commitment to Top Management regarding the TQM Implementation
Impact of Mobility Solutions (transportation / latest technologies) on logistics.
Study on the roles of supply chain management in corporate outsourcing.
Evaluating strategies for cost reduction in SCM relating to exports and imports.

Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks

The supply chain systems of today are more likely to see massive changes technologically in the coming years. Some selected supply chain management thesis topics may face limited data or access to real-time data in making proper research and forecast, including seasonality and trends. So, due diligence is necessary to ensure you not only pick an exciting supply chain management thesis, but you also have sufficient access to data, studies, and materials useful in such an area. The impact of these trends alongside technological advancement in the selected areas would certainly help your thesis stand out and unique.

If are looking for more articles in the education category, you can visit this page

Recommended Books

How to get a phd: a handbook for students and their supervisors.

How to Get a PhD: How to Set Yourself Up for Success in the First 12 Months (Getting My PhD)

About Dr. Muddassir Ahmed

Dr. Muddassir Ahmed is a global speaker, blogger and supply chain industry, expert. Dr Muddassir Ahmed has received a PhD in Management Science from Lancaster University Management school. Muddassir is a Six Sigma black belt and has founded scmdojo.com with the intention to enable supply chain professionals and supply chain teams to solve the problems they face in their jobs & business.

Follow SCM Dojo Social Networks

About Zaragoza Logistics Center

Zaragoza Logistics Center is a research and educational institute affiliated to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Zaragoza . Core research areas in logistics and supply chain management at Zaragoza Logistics Center (ZLC) strive to be actionable and applied so that people and organizations can make decisions and take action.

Zaragoza Academic Partnership (ZAP)

The Zaragoza Academic Partnership (ZAP) Program allows companies to sponsor ZLC students’ thesis projects for both masters ZLOG , ZLOGb and MDSC . It is an initiative to enhance applied research and bring industry-academia relationships closer together in the field of supply chain management. Each year students are required to complete thesis projects and many of them work with our partner companies on challenging and innovative research projects through the ZAP Program.

Privacy Overview
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Tracking Cookies
Social Media Cookies
Cookie Policy

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie is used to remember your other cookie preferences of this website. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences and you will need to enable or disable cookies again the next time you visit our website.

This website uses it's own cookies to track the success of our marketing campaigns. Also, we use Google Analytics to give us anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages. Keeping these cookies enabled helps us to improve our website.

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

We use additional cookies from Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to help us know the impact of our activities in social media.

More information about our Legal Notice, Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy.

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

We're Hiring!
Help Center

Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain-related areas: 2005–2009

2013, Logistics Research

Related Papers

Jan Arlbjørn , Frederik Zachariassen

Moises Camilo Chica Hernandez

tehakelew tefera

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal

Lakshmi Goel

Purpose This paper aims to review logistics and supply chain management topics where theories have been applied to better understand the supply chain management (SCM) discipline identity. The purpose is threefold: to identify research topics in logistics and supply chain management where one or more theories have been examined; provide commentary on the theories that have been applied to the various logistics and SCM research topics; and to provide reference material and direction for future research. Design/methodology/approach This structured literature review (SLR) examines research papers in logistics and SCM from 1991 to 2015 published in eight leading academic journals. Papers in the data set are grouped by topic and further analyzed in terms of research method, purpose, year and journal. Findings This research categorizes papers by the topics that were studied to understand important insights about how these topics have been examined by researchers. Within each topic area, th...

ManMohan S Sodhi

We examine how UK universities view different topics within supply-chain management as seen in their research output and their postgraduate curricula and whether this view matches the relative emphasis on these aspects by UK-based employers when hiring. Using content analysis, we analysed: (1) UK-based supply-chain/logistics job advertisements, (2) abstracts of research articles by UK academics in supply- chain/logistics journals, and (3) the description of the postgraduate-level supply-chain/logistics degrees in UK universities. Our findings show that the overall research output of UK universities is broadly in line with employers’ needs with regards to the relative emphasis on different supply-chain topics. However, their relative emphasis on these topics in their teaching programmes is quite different. We suggest that universities need to look into their provision of academic programmes in relation to employers’ needs and need to look into how to leverage their research output better for this purpose.

Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management

Brian Fisher-Holloway

International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications

David Menachof

Patrik Jonsson

Mercedes Gaitán-Angulo

International Journal of Business and Economics Research

Shlomo Globerson

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

RELATED PAPERS

hindi hajji

Maria Gonzalez Arenas

Shpetim Cerri

Stanley E Fawcett

Transportation Research Part A: General

Randolph Hall

Logistics Research

Peter Klaus

Ayush Sharma

Ngoc Hoa Nguyen Thi

Heenss Cruz

Journal of Business Logistics

Theodore Stank

International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

Britta Gammelgaard

Vojnotehnicki glasnik

Andrej Iliev

İbrahim Halil Korkmaz

Service Research and Innovation

International series in management science/operations research

Thomas Hanne

Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal

Hans-Otto Guenther

kotsilas dimitris

Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice

Rudolf Leuschner

8th International Scientific Conference Technics and Informatics in Education

Monika Arsova , Riste Temjanovski

Robert Handfield

The International Journal of Logistics Management

Andrej Lisec

Dissertation topics on the supply chain

We suggest some ideas of topics for your dissertation on the supply chain: the impact of new technologies on the supply chain, the link between supply chain management and logistics.

Photo Credit: Unsplash Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition

Subject 1 - Supply chain and the impact of new technologies Subject 2 - Supply chain management and logistics Subject 3 - Ecology and supply chain: for more ecological management of the supply chain Subject 4 - Supply chain and company performance Subject 5 - Organization of the logistics chain in mass distribution

Subject 1 - Supply chain and the impact of new technologies

The two themes addressed are those of the logistics chain and that of new technologies.

How are new technologies beneficial to the logistics chain in a company?

Define the concepts involved and define new technologies present in the organization relating to the logistics chain. During an internship, it would be interesting to give specific examples of the organization of logistics chains before the arrival of new technologies and after.

Subject 2 - Supply chain management and logistics

Talk about logistics and supply chain management , a relatively recent term in the business world.

How to make the link between supply chain management and logistics in order to improve the performance of the company?

Highlight the fact that logistics, like the supply chain, are certainly different terms in a business organization, but very closely related since the two aim to make the product available to the customer.

Do a section on logistics, with all its challenges, which will highlight all the physical flows, thanks to IT and the numerous software applications used by the company. A supply chain is everything that concerns procurement and follows the journey from the supplier to the customer.

Give specific case examples by establishing the links between the two in an organization.

Subject 3 - Ecology and supply chain: for more ecological management of the supply chain

Ecology remains a hot topic for all companies, which are constantly in the process of finding solutions to reduce their carbon footprint or various energy bills.

How to manage a supply chain in a more ecological way and what are the challenges for companies?

The candidate will either be able to describe the issues related to environmental protection for the company in which the internship is carried out, or more generally for all companies. To promote interest in companies and in the long-term satisfaction of customers and partners.

What measures should be put in place, and why?

What are the different areas of activity in which a more ecological presence can find its place: transport, production or delivery and recycling, etc.

Subject 4 - Supply chain and company performance

Logistics chains and performance are, of course, two intrinsically linked concepts, since logistics are essential for customer satisfaction and therefore for the future of a company.

How is a company's performance affected by the company's logistics performance?

The candidate will be able to describe the example of his own company and give the different performance criteria that exist. Also talk about customer relations and satisfaction, also about competition which is increasingly important, regardless of the sector of activity.

Subject 5 - Organization of the logistics chain in mass distribution

The subject of the logistics chain is associated with large-scale distribution given its importance in the economy this needs to be well organized. Indeed, large-scale distribution has its peculiarities that should be dealt with in the introduction or in one of the first sections of the essay.

What is the link between the organization of the logistics chain and performance within large retailers?

The candidate will be able to describe the organization of logistics chains in the sector, always giving specific examples of companies. It is also wise to deal with the subject of consumers and demand, which constantly changes over time and the globalization of markets.

Sources: Ayming, Istegroup, Acteos, Tbsearch, Logistics for all

Need a tutor? We can help you !

Recommended documents, related articles.

Crafting an Effective Literature Review | Guide

Write the perfect cover letter to apply for your dream...

Thesis topics : sustainable development

Latest articles

Thesis topics : the Olympic games

Areas of Research

Students & Placements
(517) 355-2241
[email protected]

Students in the logistics doctoral program at Broad work closely with faculty from the onset of their program to ensure the best preparation for academic life – including working on supply chain management research projects that eventually lead to publications in top-tier academic journals. The program links the traditional areas of logistics research and development with faculty expertise in the areas of demand management and forecasting, logistics operations and modeling, logistics strategy and relationship management. Both empirical and analytical methods are examined in the program to provide students with the skill sets necessary to succeed in their chosen stream of research.

Publications

Below are selected publications by faculty who work in the logistics doctoral program.

Stanley E. Griffis

2016 Curt B. Moore, G. Tyge Payne, Chad W. Autry, Stanley E. Griffis . (2016) “Project Complexity and Bonding Social Capital in Network Organizations.” Group & Organization Management . May, 1-35. 2015 Bell, John E. Autry, Chad W., Griffis, Stanley E., (2015) “Supply Chain Interdiction as a Competitive Weapon.” Transportation Journal . 54(1), 89-103. 2014 Griffis, Stanley E., Autry, Chad W., Thornton, LaDonna M., ben Brik, Anis (2014) “Assessing Antecedents of Socially Responsible Supplier Selection in Three Global Supply Chain Contexts.” Decision Sciences . 45(6), 1187-1215. Melnyk, Steven, Zobel, Christopher W., Macdonald, John, Griffis, Stanley E. (2014) “Making Sense of Transient Responses in Simulation Studies.” International Journal of Production Research . 52(3), 617-632, 2013 Whipple, Judith M., Griffis, Stanley E., and Daugherty, Patricia J. (2013) “Conceptualizations of Trust: Can We Trust Them?” Journal of Business Logistics . 34(2), 117-130 . Fleming, Christopher L., Griffis, Stanley E ., Bell, John E. (2013) “The Effects of Triangle Inequality on the Vehicle Routing Problem.” European Journal of Operations Research . 224(1):1-7. 2012 Griffis, Stanley E ., Rao, Shashank, Goldsby, Thomas J., Voorhees, Clay M., Iyengar, Deepak, (2012) “Linking Order Fulfillment Performance to Referrals in Online Retailing: An Empirical Analysis.” Journal of Business Logistics . 33(4), 278-292. Griffis, Stanley E ., Whipple, Judith, M., (2012) “A Comprehensive Risk Assessment and Evaluation Model: Proposing a Risk Priority Continuum.” Transportation Journal . 51 (4), 428-451. Porterfield, Tobin E., Macdonald, John R., Griffis, Stanley E ., (2012) “An Exploration of the Relational Effects of Supply Chain Disruptions.” Transportation Journal . 51 (4), 399-427. Griffis, Stanley E ., Bell, John E., Closs, David J., (2012) “Metaheuristics in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.” Journal of Business Logistics. 33(2), 90-105. Griffis, Stanley E ., Rao, Shashank, Goldsby, Thomas J., Niranjan, Tarikere T., (2012) “The Customer Consequences of Returns in Online Retailing: An Empirical Analysis.” Journal of Operations Management . 30 (4), 282-294. 2011 Rao, Shashank, Griffis, Stanley E., Goldsby, Thomas J. (2011) “Failure to Deliver? Linking Online Order Fulfillment Glitches with Future Purchase Behavior.” Journal of Operations Management . 29 (7-8), pp 693-703. Rao, Shashank, Goldsby, Thomas J., Griffis, Stanley E., Iyengar, Deepak (2011) “Electronic Logistics Service Quality (e-LSQ): Its Impact on the Customer’s Purchase Satisfaction and Retention.” Journal of Business Logistics . 32 (2), pp. 167-179. Payne, G. Tyge, Moore, Curt B., Griffis, Stanley E ., Autry, Chad W. (2011) “Multilevel Challenges and Opportunities in Social Capital Research.” Journal of Management . 37 (2), 491-520. Wilcox, William, Horvath, Philip A., Griffis, Stanley E. , Autry, Chad W. (2011) “A Markov Model of Liquidity Effects in Reverse Logistics Processes: The Effects of Random Volume and Passage.” International Journal of Production Economics . 129 (1), 86-101. Bell, John E., Griffis, Stanley E . Cunningham, William J., Eberlan, Jon (2011) “Location Optimization of Strategic Alert Sites for Homeland Defense.” Omega, The International Journal of Management Science. 39 (2), 151-158. 2010 Bell, John E and Stanley E. Griffis (2010), “Swarm Intelligence: Application of the Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm to Logistics-Oriented Vehicle Routing Problems.” Journal of Business Logistics. 31 (2), 157-175. 2008 Autry, Chad W., Stanley E. Griffis (2008), “Supply Chain Capital: The Impact of Structural and Relational Linkages on Firm Execution and Innovation.” Journal of Business Logistics. 29 (1), 157-173. 2007 Griffis, Stanley E ., Thomas J. Goldsby, Martha C. Cooper, and David J. Closs (2007), “Aligning Logistics Performance Measures to the Information Needs of the Firm.” Journal of Business Logistics. 28 (2), 35-56. 2006 Goldsby, Thomas J., Stanley E. Griffis and Anthony S. Roath (2006), “Modeling Lean, Agile, and Leagile Supply Chain Strategies.” Journal of Business Logistics. 27 (1), 57-80. Winner – The Bernard J. LaLonde Award for Best Paper in JBL 2006. 2005 Autry, Chad W., and Stanley E. Griffis (2005), “A Social Anthropology of Logistics Research: Exploring Productivity and Collaboration in an Emerging Science.” Transportation Journal. 44 (4), 27-43. Autry, Chad W., Stanley E. Griffis , Thomas J. Goldsby, L. Michelle Bobbitt (2005), “Warehouse Management Systems: An Initial Assessment, Empirical Analysis and Research Agenda.” Journal of Business Logistics. 26 (2), 165-183. 2004 Griffis, Stanley , Martha C. Cooper, Thomas J. Goldsby and David J. Closs (2004), “Performance Measurement: Measure Selection Based Upon Firm Goals and Information Reporting Needs.” Journal of Business Logistics. 25 (2), 95-118. 2003 Griffis, Stanley E ., Thomas J. Goldsby, and Martha C. Cooper (2003), “Web-Based and Mail Surveys: A Comparison of Response, Data and Cost.” Journal of Business Logistics. 24 (2), 237-258.

Stanley Lim

2022 Lim, S.F.W.T., Richards, T.J., Rabinovich, E. and Choi, M. 2022. Scan based trading and bargaining equilibrium: A structural estimation of supply chain profit. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, forthcoming. 2021 Lim, S.F.W.T., Gao, F. and Tan, T.F. 2021. Slow and steady, or fast and furious? An empirical study about omnichannel demand sensitivity to fulfillment lead time. Management Science (Major revision). Lim, S.F.W.T., Rabinovich, E., Lee, S. and Park, S. 2021. Estimating stockout costs and optimal stockout rates to improve the management of ugly produce inventory. Management Science (Major revision). Lim, S.F.W.T., Rabinovich, E., Park, S. and Hwang, M. 2021. Shopping activity at warehouse club stores and its competitive and network density implications. Production and Operations Management, 30(1): 28-46. 2019 Lim, S.F.W.T. and Winkenbach, M. 2019. Configuring the last-mile in business-to-consumer e-retailing. California Management Review, 61(2): 132-154.

Jason W. Miller

2017 Miller, J. W . 2017. “Discrete Time Hazard Modeling of Large Motor Carriers’ Longitudinal CSA Performance.” Transportation Journal . Forthcoming. Miller, J. W . 2017. “A Multivariate Time Series Analysis of Motor Carrier Safety Behaviors.” Journal of Business Logistics. Miller, J. W. & Saldanha, J. P. 2017. “Do New Entrants Become Safer over Time?” Transportation Journal. Miller, J. W ., Saldanha, J. P., Rungtusanatham, M., & Knemeyer, A. M. 2017. “How Does Driver Turnover Affect Motor Carrier Safety Performance and What Can Managers Do About It?” Journal of Business Logistics. Miller, J. W ., Golicic, S., & Fugate, B. 2017. “Developing and Testing a Dynamic Theory of Motor Carrier Safety?” Journal of Business Logistics. In Press. Davis-Sramek, B., Fugate, B. S, Miller, J. W , Germain, R., Izyumov, A., & Krotov, K. 2017. “Understanding the Present by Examining the Past: Imprinting Effects on Supply Chain Outsourcing in a Transition Economy.” Journal of Supply Chain Management. 53(1): 65–86. 2016 Miller, J. W ., Fugate, B., & Golicic, S. 2016. “How Organizations Respond to Information Disclosure: Testing Alternative Longitudinal Performance Trajectories.” Academy of Management Journal . In Press. Miller, J. W ., & Saldanha, J. P. 2016. “A New Look at the Relationship between Financial Performance and Safety: A Longitudinal Growth Perspective.” Journal of Business Logistics 37(3): 284–306. Schwieterman, M. A., Miller, J. W . 2016. “Factor Market Rivalry: Towards an Integrated Understanding of Firm Action.” Transportation Journal . 55(2): 97–123. 2015 Mellat-Parast, M., Golmohammadi, D., McFadden, K., Miller, J. W . 2015. “Linking Business Strategy to Service Failures and Financial Performance: Empirical Evidence from the U.S. Domestic Airline Industry.” Journal of Operations Management . 38(1): 14–24. Stromeyer, W. R., Miller, J. W ., Murthy, R., & DeMartino, R. 2015. “The Prowess and Pitfalls of Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling: Important Considerations for Management Research.” Journal of Management . 41(2): 491–520. 2014 Rungtusanatham, M., Miller, J. W ., & Boyer, K. K. 2014. “Theorizing, Testing and Concluding for Mediation in SCM Research: What to Do, What Not to Do.” Journal of Operations Management. 32(3): 99–113. Saldanha, J. P., Miller, J. W ., Hunt, C. S. & Mello, J. E. 2014. “Linking Formal Controls to Motor Carrier Performance: Curvilinear and Interaction Effects.” Transportation Research Part E . 64(1): 28–47. Fawcett, S. E., Waller, M. A., Miller, J. W ., Schwieterman, M. A., Hazen, B. T., & Overstreet, R. E. 2014. “Editorial: A Trail Guide to Publishing Success: Tips on Writing Influential Conceptual, Qualitative and Survey Research.” Journal of Business Logistics . 35(1): 1–16. 2013 Miller, J. W ., Saldanha, J. P., Hunt, S., & Mello, J. E. 2013. “Combining Formal Controls to Improve Firm Performance.” Journal of Business Logistics . 34(4): 301–318.. Miller, J. W ., Stromeyer, W. R., & Schwieterman, M. A. 2013. “Extensions of the Johnson-Neyman Technique to Linear Models with Curvilinear Effects: Derivations and Analytical Tools.” Multivariate Behavioral Research . 48(2): 267-300. Goldsby, T. J., Knemeyer, A. M., Miller, J. W ., & Wallenburg, C. M. 2013. “Measurement and Moderation: Finding the Boundary Conditions in Logistics and Supply Chain Research.” Journal of Business Logistics . 34(2): 109–116.

Judith M. Whipple

2016 Roh, Joseph, Virpi Turkulainen, Judith M. Whipple , and Morgan Swink (forthcoming), “Understanding the Organizational Change Process for Supply Chain Management Organizations.” International Journal of Logistics Management. 2015 Whipple, Judith M ., Robert Wiedmer, and Kenneth K. Boyer (2015), “A Dyadic Investigation of Collaborative Competence, Social Capital and Performance in Buyer-Supplier Relationships.” Journal of Supply Chain Management. 51(2): 3-21 . 2013 Whipple, Judith M ., Stanley Griffis, and Patricia J. Daugherty (2013), “Conceptualizations of Trust: Can We Trust Them?” Journal of Business Logistics. 34:2, 117-130. Roh, Joseph, Judith M. Whipple , Kenneth K. Boyer (2013), “The Effect of Single Rater Bias in Multi-Stakeholder Research: A Methodological Evaluation of Buyer-Supplier Relationships.” Production and Operations Management Journal. 22:3, 711-725 . 2012 Griffis, Stanley and Judith M. Whipple (2012), “A Comprehensive Risk Assessment and Evaluation Model: Proposing a Risk Priority Continuum.” Transportation Journal. 51:4, 428-451 . 2011 Nyaga, Gilbert and Judith M. Whipple (2011), “Relationship Quality and Performance Outcomes: Achieving a Competitive Advantage.” Journal of Business Logistics. 32:4, 345-360. Speier, Cheri, Judith M. Whipple , David J. Closs and M. Douglas Voss (2011), “Global Supply Chain Design Considerations: Mitigating Product Safety and Security Risks.” Journal of Operations Management. 29:7-8, 721-736. Winner, JOM Jack Meredith Best Paper of the Year Award and Stan Hardy Award. Allaway, Arthur W., Patricia Huddleston, Judith M. Whipple , and Alexander E. Ellinger (2011), “Customer-Based Brand Equity, Equity Drivers and Customer Loyalty in the Supermarket Industry.” The Journal of Product and Brand Management. 20:3, 190-204. 2010 Whipple, Judith M. and Joseph Roh (2010), “Quality Fade and Agency Theory in Buyer-Supplier Relationships.” The International Journal of Logistics Management. 21:3, 338-352. Richey, R. Glenn, Anthony S. Roath, Judith M. Whipple , and Stanley E. Fawcett (2010), “Exploring a Governance Theory of Supply Chain Management: Barriers and Facilitators to Integration.” Journal of Business Logistics. 31:1, 237-256 . Bernard J. La Londe Best Paper Award in the Journal – 2010. Nyaga, Gilbert N., Judith M. Whipple , and Daniel F. Lynch (2010), “Examining Supply Chain Relationships: Do Buyer and Supplier Perspectives on Collaborative Relationships Differ?” Journal of Operations Management. 28:2, 101-114. Finalist, JOM Jack Meredith Best Paper of the Year Award based on 5-year impact. Whipple, Judith M., Daniel F. Lynch, and Gilbert N. Nyaga (2010), “A Buyer’s Perspective on Collaborative Versus Transactional Relationships.” Industrial Marketing Management. 39:3, 507-518 . 2009 Voss, M. Douglas, Judith M. Whipple , and David J. Closs (2009), “The Role of Strategic Security: Internal and External Security Measures with Security Performance Implications.” Transportation Journal. 48:2, 5-23 . Whipple, Judith M., M. Douglas Voss, and David J. Closs (2009), “Supply Chain Security Practices in the Food Industry: Do Firms Operating Domestically and Globally Differ?” International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management. 39:7, 574-594. Huddleston, Patricia, Judith M. Whipple , Rachel Nye Mattick, and So Jung Lee (2009), “Customer Satisfaction in Food Retailing: Comparing Specialty and Conventional Grocery Stores.” International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management. 37:1, 63-80. 2007 Jones, Kraig, Kellie Curry Raper, Judith M. Whipple , Diane Mollenkopf, and H. Christopher Peterson (2007), “Commodity-Procurement Strategies of Food Companies: A Case Study.” Journal of Food Distribution Research. XXXVIII:3, 37-53 . Whipple, Judith M. and Dawn Russell (2007) “Building Supply Chain Collaboration: A Typology of Collaborative Relationship Strategies.” The International Journal of Logistics Management. 18:2, 174-196. 2004 Sabath, Robert and Judith M. Whipple (2004), “Using the Customer/Product Action Matrix.” Journal of Business Logistics. 25:2, 1-19. Bernard J. La Londe Best Paper Award in the Journal – 2005. Huddleston, Patricia, Judith Whipple , and Amy VanAuken (2004), “Food Store Loyalty: Application of a Consumer Loyalty Framework.” Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing. 12:3, 213-230. 2002 Whipple, Judith M ., Robert Frankel, and Patricia J. Daugherty (2002), “Information Support for Alliances: Performance Implications.” Journal of Business Logistics. 23:2, 67-82. Frankel, Robert, Thomas J. Goldsby, and Judith M. Whipple (2002), “Grocery Industry Collaboration in the Wake of ECR.” International Journal of Logistics Management. 13:1, 57-72. Accenture Award for Best Paper in the Journal – 2002. Anselmi, Kenneth, Robert Frankel, and Judith Schmitz Whipple (2002), “Performance in Product Versus Service Supplier Relationships.” Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing. 9:1, 27-43. 2000 Whipple, Judith M. and Robert Frankel (2000), “Strategic Alliance Success Factors: Do Both Parties Agree?” The Journal of Supply Chain Management. 36:3 (Summer), 21-28 . Whipple, Judith Schmitz and Julie J. Gentry (2000), “A Network Comparison of Alliance Motives and Achievements.” Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing. 15:4/5, 301-322.

Supply Chain @ Broad

Get connected with broad:.

Business College Complex
632 Bogue St
East Lansing, MI 48824

Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain management: a review of Nordic contributions from 2009 to 2014

Original Paper
Open access
Published: 14 March 2016
Volume 9 , article number 5 , ( 2016 )

Cite this article

You have full access to this open access article

Christopher Rajkumar 1 ,
Lone Kavin 1 ,
Xue Luo 1 &
Jan Stentoft 1

17k Accesses

4 Citations

3 Altmetric

Explore all metrics

The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze Nordic doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain management (SCM) published from the years 2009–2014. The paper is based on a detailed review of 150 doctoral dissertations. Compared with previous studies, this paper identifies a trend toward: more dissertations based on a collection of articles than monographs; more dissertations focusing on inter-organizational SCM issues; a shift from a focal company perspective to functional aspects and supply chain-related research; and finally, a continued decreased focus on the philosophy of science. A score for measuring the significance of article-based dissertations is also proposed.

Advancement of Supply Chain, Strategic Planning and Industry Innovation Based on the Fourteenth ICMSEM Proceedings

The Future of Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Changing Skill Sets and Smart Career Choices

Back in business: operations research in support of big data analytics for operations and supply chain management

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

1 Introduction

One way to keep track of the progress of logistics and supply chain management (SCM) discipline is to analyze the doctoral dissertations within the research area. By reviewing such dissertations, it will be possible to gain some interesting information regarding the development and direction of research within the discipline. Specifically, such a review will help us to understand the different approaches in relation to research framework, methodologies, theories applied and the empirical interpretations. Furthermore, the review could not only provide valuable insights into potential research gaps within the discipline, but also pave way for recognizing interesting topics for future research [ 13 , 41 ]. Besides, given that PhD students are likely to form the next generation of established researchers, research conducted by them is important to the SCM discipline as it helps keeping the discipline on track with emerging topics as well as stimulate theory generation.

The number of PhD students in the Nordic countries has increased significantly during the last decades [ 24 , 41 ]. Based on the rise in the number of dissertations as well as their varying content, it is interesting to investigate the requirements that are part of completing a PhD dissertation. There has been an escalation in dissertations that are based on collections of articles instead of a monograph [ 41 ]. A reason for this might be an increasing pressure to publish at the universities [ 21 ], which might be driving PhD students to learn and master the craft of publishing from the very start of their career. No matter what, the culture of many research departments is characterized by a high focus on performance in terms of publications in ranked journals [ 2 , 20 , 22 , 27 ]. Therefore, by choosing an article-based dissertation, PhD students might have a better opportunity to work together with other PhD students and senior researchers; in doing so, they also learn how to “play the game.”

The first two comprehensive digest of doctoral dissertations completed within the Nordic countries was conducted by Gubi et al. [ 13 ] and Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ]. These efforts provide PhD students, other academic staff as well as practitioners with an overview of what has been researched within the logistics and SCM area. These studies have also facilitated the comparison of Nordic dissertations themes to those in the USA (e.g., compiled by Stock [ 31 ] and Nakhata et al. [ 25 ]). Prior research has demonstrated that much confusion exists concerning SCM definitions and its overlap with logistics [ 32 ]. This paper extends the work of Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ] that applies what Halldórsson et al. [ 14 ] call a relabeling approach between the terms of logistics and SCM. The purpose of this paper is to document the progress of doctoral work in logistics and SCM within the Nordic countries between 2009 and 2014. In all, 120 relevant dissertations were identified; however, we were unable to retrieve eight dissertations either in physical form or electronically; therefore, only 112 dissertations were reviewed. With a point of departure within the dimensions and classified categories of these two above-mentioned reviews, this paper provides two analyses:

An analysis of identified Nordic dissertations from the year 2009–2014; and

A longitudinal analysis that compares the above analysis with the result from Gubi et al. [ 13 ] and Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ].

Accordingly, the analyses within this paper will not only reveal several important insights, but also identify new, potential research areas within the logistics and SCM discipline. Based on these insights, it will be possible to coordinate future research efforts and avoid any unnecessary replication or duplication of previous work.

The rest of the paper is organized as follows: Sect. 2 provides a brief literature review of earlier contributions dealing with doctoral dissertation reviews. Section 3 discusses the methodology used in this study; it also outlines the limitations concerning the chosen methodology. Subsequently, Sect. 4 discusses the results obtained from analyzing the Nordic dissertations. Finally, Sect. 5 concludes with the overall purpose of the paper and some directions for future research activities.

2 Extant literature on doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain management

Several authors have analyzed and classified doctoral dissertations in logistics and SCM, both within the Nordic countries as well as the USA. In this section, nine prior studies—seven American studies and two Nordic studies—are briefly mentioned so as to identify the trends in topical coverage through the years and to see whether there are any similarities between the topics chosen by PhD students across the Atlantic.

The first study of compendiums of PhD research in logistics conducted by Stock back in 1987 [ 28 ] examined 684 dissertations from the period 1970–1986 [ 29 ]. Subsequent reviews were conducted in (1) 1993 covering 422 American dissertations that were completed in the period of 1987–1991 [ 34 ] and (2) 2001 with an analysis of 317 PhD dissertations completed in the period of 1992–1998 [ 31 ]. In 2006, Stock completed his fourth review of PhD dissertations together with Broadus [ 33 ]. This study showed a distinct increasing trend in the number of dissertations within SCM- and/or logistic-related areas in the period from 1999 to 2004 when compared to the period covered by the 2001 study. But surprisingly, the count between 1999 and 2004 fell short of the overall levels of 1987–1991. A more interesting finding of the 2006 study was that the dissertations were more multifaceted due to the fact that they closely mirrored the cross-functional and boundary spanning nature of logistics; at the same time, their multifaceted nature made the classification task more difficult.

Another American study was conducted by Das and Handfield [ 8 ] wherein the authors investigated 117 PhD dissertations from the period 1987–1995 in order to evaluate the intellectual health of the purchasing discipline. The study was an extension of a previous research on purchasing dissertations conducted by Williams [ 39 ] to identify the key focus areas of research in the prior decade. In this study, Williams concluded that the key focus areas covered were supplier selection and development, information systems, organizational and measurement issues, negotiation and purchasing ethics.

The most recent review covering US dissertations was conducted by Nakhata et al. [ 25 ]. In this study, the authors reviewed 609 doctoral dissertations completed between 2005 and 2009. The number of identified dissertations in this study is significantly larger than the four reviews conducted by Stock and colleagues and clearly reflects a significant increase in colleges/universities graduating doctoral students within logistics- and supply chain-related areas. Nakhata et al. [ 25 ] also point out that a forthcoming retirement of academic “baby boomers” during the period 2005–2020 may explain the increase in the PhD production. The most prominent research methodologies employed by doctoral students in the study of Nakhata et al. [ 25 ] are modeling, simulation and empirical quantitative methods.

Two earlier studies of Nordic doctoral dissertations within logistics and SCM have been disseminated in academic journals. The first was developed by Gubi et al. [ 13 ], who reviewed 71 Nordic dissertations published between 1990 and 2001. Most of the dissertations were published as monographs with manufactures and carriers as the primary entity of analysis. The most recent Nordic contribution is by Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ] wherein the authors analyze the development in Nordic doctoral research in logistics and SCM from the years 2002–2008. As opposed to Gubi et al. [ 13 ], Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ] found more dissertations based on a collection of articles, which was reflective of a response to increase publication pressure. In contrast to the Gubi et al.’s [ 13 ] study, the primarily entity of analysis of most dissertations was the manufacturing companies. While prior reviews showed a focal company perspective, the review of Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ] documented a shift toward an inter-organizational perspective covering dyadic and supply chain units of analysis. Additionally, according to Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ], there has also been a decreased focus on the philosophy of science, since most dissertations were being published as collections of articles.

The method applied for identifying, collecting and reviewing the doctoral dissertations in this paper follows a three-step process. These steps are explained in the following subsections.

3.1 Identifying and collecting Nordic doctoral dissertations

The first step consisted of sending e-mails to contact persons at different research institutions within the Nordic countries (i.e., Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) as outlined in [ 41 ]. Based on this e-mail contact, the list was further modified (e.g., adding University of Vaasa in Finland and Linnaeus University and Örebro University School of Business in Sweden). The final list included 39 research institutions which are presented in “Appendix 1.” A contact person at each of the 39 research institution was identified and was contacted by e-mail. The e-mail provided a clear statement of the research project and requested the list of completed doctoral dissertations within logistics and SCM within the analysis period. This process provided an initial list of 120 dissertations. Majority of these dissertations were accessible in electronic form (we either received them by e-mail or downloaded them from the corresponding institution’s Web site). The rest of the dissertations were available in hard copy form.

3.2 Validating the initial list of doctoral dissertations

The second step was concerned with the validation of the identified dissertations by senior researchers from each of the Nordic countries. This step was completed by e-mailing the initial list to these senior researchers and by attending the 27th annual NOFOMA conference in June 2015 at Molde University College. This process resulted in the inclusion of an additional 41 dissertations, thereby increasing the total count to 161.

3.3 Reviewing the received dissertations

In the third step, a detailed review of the 161 dissertations took place. During this process, three dissertations were excluded since they were judged as not being within the scope of the present analysis. Out of this net list of 158, it was possible to conduct reviews of 150 dissertations. As mentioned earlier, we were unable to retrieve eight dissertations as well as there was no response from the authors when we e-mailed them requesting for the copy of their dissertation. A complete list of the dissertations is included in “Appendix 2.” The detailed review took place against a review framework as described in [ 13 , 41 ]. Our analysis covered additional review elements as the dissertations were mostly based on a collection of articles. These elements were: (1) number of articles, (2) type of article (journal publication, book chapter, conference paper, working paper or unpublished paper), (3) year of publication, (4) ranking of the journal, (5) number of authors on each article and (6) the doctoral candidate’s author number for the specific article.

3.4 Limitations

This dissertation review has some limitations that are worthwhile to mention. First, even though the gross list of dissertations was reviewed and validated by senior researchers within the Nordic countries, there is a possibility that some dissertations were not identified. Second, reviewer subjectivity could not be completely eliminated in the review of the 150 dissertations. However, in order to minimize subjectivity, an aligned interpretation of the review elements and their outcome was obtained by a common review of three different types of dissertations (one monograph and two article-based dissertations). Third, the list of dissertations that was composed and reviewed stems from the NOFOMA research community. Obviously, other Nordic researchers may produce doctoral dissertations that deal with topics under the scope of this review, but is outside the NOFOMA radar (e.g., researchers belonging to European Decision Sciences Institute (EDSI), European Logistics Association (ELA), European Operations Management (EurOMA), International Purchasing and Supply Education and Research Association (IPSERA) or Logistics Research Network (LRN) or Rencontres Internationales de Recherche en Logistique (RIRL) (International Research Conference on Logistics and Supply Chain Management). This study can make observations only based on the dissertations reviewed under the NOFOMA umbrella. Fourth, since the contact persons were not provided with a definition of logistics and SCM, they might have excluded some dissertation that could have fallen within the scope of this analysis. Moreover, the senior researchers whom we e-mailed for dissertations might not be from the department of logistics and SCM. Therefore, including definitions for logistics and SCM will have no impact.

This section is concerned with specific analyses of the 150 reviewed doctoral dissertations. For comparative purposes, the data from the present review are portrayed and analyzed with the categories that are similar to those used by Gubi et al. [ 13 ] and Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ]. The results are displayed in tables and are followed with appropriate comments and interpretations.

4.1 Number and type of dissertations finalized in the period 2009–2014

Table 1 contains the PhD dissertations divided by country, year of publication and type of dissertation (monograph vs. a collection of articles). Compared with the earlier studies, these new figures show some interesting developments. First, the number of finalized dissertations in the period 2009–2014 is 158, which represents an average of 26 dissertations per year. Compared with averages numbers of 10 (from the period 2002–2008) and 6.25 (from the period 1990–2001), this shows that there has been a strong increase in PhD production in this research area. A similar pattern is identified by Nakhata et al. [ 25 ] in their study of doctoral dissertations published by Dissertation Abstracts International in the period of 2005 and 2009. They explain that one reason for such an increase might be an increased level of retiring academicians toward 2020 which creates a stronger market for Assistant Professors. Another explanation could be that there is a drive from the governments to boost the number of annual PhD production in order to support national social, economic and environmental well-being as well as to address major global challenges [ 12 ]. The majority of the Nordic logistics and SCM PhDs come from the Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish research environments. In Denmark, the production is stable with 17 dissertations in the period of 2009–2014. Iceland has reported their first PhD in this period of analysis. Twenty-five Nordic research institutions have produced within logistics and SCM in the period 2009–2014 (see “Appendix 2”).

Another interesting finding in the current review is the increase in the share of dissertations that are based on a collection of articles. As given in Table 1 , 92 out of the 150 dissertations (61 %) are based on a collection of articles. Thus, there is a much higher focus on the craft to write academic articles when compared to the share of article-based dissertations in previous periods (29 % in the period 2002–2008 and 21 % in the period 1990–2001). This trend supports the predictions previously made by Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ]. One plausible explanation for this development might be an increased amount of public and private resource allocation to research environments based on publications in internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals as well as measures such as impact indicators and H-index (see, e.g., [ 27 ]).

4.2 Primary entity of analysis

In Table 2 , all 150 dissertations are classified according to their entity of analysis; the classifications are also compared to previous results reported in [ 13 , 14 ]. The study of the primary entity of analysis in the dissertations shows strong differences. First, the category others has increased to about one-third of the dissertations in the last reported period. This group consists of a variety of dissertations without a specific supply chain actors’ perspective—such as fresh fish supply chains [ 26 ] and healthcare logistics [ 17 ]. Second, in absolute numbers, the manufacturer as the primary entity of analysis has increased when compared to the previous studies; but, if we measure the number as a percentage of the reviewed dissertations, there is a fall from 57 % in the dissertations from 2002 to 2008 to 33 % in the recent study.

Thus, it shows the more classical actors such as wholesalers, retailers and inventory hotels have obtained lesser research focus. Additionally, a remarkably low number of dissertations have focused on retail SCM within the Nordic countries. This is intriguing given the fact that the retail sector is well known for supply chain innovations such as quick response systems, efficient consumer response, distribution centers, reverse logistics, as well as collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment [ 10 ].

4.3 Level of analysis arranged according to year of publication

Table 3 shows the analysis of the dissertations level of analysis arranged by the year of publication.

An interesting development evidenced in the above table is an increased focus on functional themes within dissertations (in the present analysis, this is about 26 % of the dissertations compared with 11 and 10 % in previous analyses). This development is primarily driven by Finnish dissertations and can indicate an emphasis on building stronger knowledge bases in certain sub-disciplines along the supply chain. Examples of such dissertations are [ 18 , 19 ]. Another interesting development is the reduced focus on firm-level analysis and a subsequent increased focus on the supply chain or the network as the level of analysis, with the network level experiencing the highest increase. This increase is strongly evident within Swedish dissertations.

4.4 Research design, time frame and philosophy of science

Table 4 shows the classification of the dissertations according to research design, time frame and philosophy of science. The recent analysis reveals a decrease in share of dissertations that are purely theoretical in nature. Also, the share of dissertations founded on purely qualitative methods has also decreased compared with dissertations published in the period 2002–2008. The drop in share of these two categories has attributed to increases in shares of dissertations based on quantitative methods and on triangulations of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The increase in quantitative research methods can be explained by the increased pressure to publish, thereby favoring quantitative methods over time-consuming qualitative studies (see, e.g., [ 21 ]). While quantitative data collection can be automated, it is not possible for qualitative data collection. Qualitative data collection is, in general, more time-consuming and expensive when compared to quantitative research studies. Thus, it might be more cost-effective to slice one questionnaire survey into a number of articles than doing the same number of articles based on qualitative methodologies. This trend will undoubtedly improve numerical performance metrics. At the same time, this trend need not necessarily deliver new knowledge that could move the discipline significantly forward. Particularly, quantitative surveys are exposed to the phenomenon of “salami-slicing” where the data from a particular project are disseminated in a number of articles that in fact are “sliced” so thinly that there might be overlap of the papers (e.g., text recycling in literature review sections, key findings and discussions ([ 9 , 16 ]). We refer to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) [ 7 ] for a discussion on different forms of text recycling.

Table 4 also shows an increased share of dissertations that apply a longitudinal perspective. Additionally, the share of snapshot time frames has decreased and the share of the category time frame not specified has increased. Examples of dissertations without any specific time frame are by (1) Mortensen [ 23 ], who investigate the concept of attraction and explain its role in initiation and development of buyer–seller relations, and (2) Tynjälä [ 35 ], who conceptually examines the methods and tools for supply chain decision making during new product development. A final remarkable finding from Table 4 is the continued decline of dissertations containing philosophy of science issues. The present analysis identifies 73 % of the dissertations not including such philosophical considerations in comparison with 71 and 45 % in the two previous periods of analysis. Twenty-nine percent of dissertations that are monographs do contain philosophy of science considerations, whereas 25 % have this content among the article-based dissertations. Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ] provided four possible reasons for this decline: (1) There are no mandatory requirements for PhD students to attend philosophy of science courses, (2) article-based dissertations do not rely on philosophy of science argumentations to the same degree as the monographs that typically require more in-depth interaction of this issues and method considerations, (3) there is a lower prioritization of philosophy of science due to higher pressure from external funded projects that do not demand this theme, and (4) logistics and SCM are closely connected with industry that could lead to a perception that philosophy of science is less relevant. To this list, we add four more potential reasons. First, there are no requirements mentioned in Nordic countries’ ministerial orders granting degrees of PhD about unfolding philosophical of science perspectives. Second, few, if any, journals within logistics and SCM demand such discussions. Third, philosophy of science has disappeared from PhD candidates’ syllabi. Finally, only a few PhD advisors have the knowledge to join in such discussions with their PhD students; therefore, they do not send signals for offering such courses. Overall, this development is inexpedient if the discipline really has to move toward theory development [ 6 , 30 ].

4.5 Dissertations distributed according to topic groups and country of origin

Table 5 displays the dissertations according to topic groups based on a title analysis of the 158 identified dissertations. For comparison reasons, the topic groups identified in previous studies were used [ 13 , 41 ] and further supplemented with two new groups risk management and humanitarian logistics. The table shows a continued decline in the share of dissertations related to system design/structure/effectiveness, organizational development/competencies and material handling. In contrast, topics related to system integration/integration enablers and transport/transport systems have obtained increased awareness. The increase in these topics is primarily based on Swedish and Norwegian dissertations.

Additionally, while the study by [ 41 ] found that topics related to humanitarian logistics and risk management were absent, the present review of dissertations has remedied this with dissertations on this topic from Finland and Sweden.

4.6 Article-based dissertations

The study reported in this paper reveals an increased amount of article-based dissertations. This development confirms the expectations raised by Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ]. However, an article-based dissertation can be composed in different ways—e.g., with respect to requirements regarding the type of articles, number of articles, co-author permission and the author order position among the co-authors in an article. The ministerial orders granting the degree of PhDs in the different countries do not provide any guidance and requirements concerning the format of a PhD. This opens up for various interpretations of the required workload to earn the PhD degree. Therefore, the increase in more article-based dissertations requires that we study how the practice of these types of dissertations is unfolded in the Nordic countries. This section takes a closer look at the 92 article-based dissertations and develops a measure to differentiate the various types of dissertations. The subsequent subsection proposes a measure for article-based dissertation; this measure is subsequently used in analyzing the identified Nordic article-based dissertations.

4.6.1 Measure for dissertation score

In order to develop a measure for an average article-based dissertation, we first need to recognize the fact that a specific article that is part of the dissertation can take different forms. Hence, the first element in this proposal for a dissertation measure is to differentiate between the different types of contributions that are part of the article-based dissertation and then to allocate different scores for the different types. The present analysis distinguishes between five different types of articles with specific scores as follows:

Peer-reviewed journal articles, score: 1

Peer-reviewed articles in form of book chapters (e.g., in an anthology), score: 0.8

Peer-reviewed conference articles, score: 0.8

Working papers, score: 0.5

Non-published papers, score: 0.5

The differences in scores are used to reflect different perceptions of workload as well as quality requirements. Thus, a peer-reviewed journal article obtains the highest score of 1 point followed by book chapters and conferences papers with scores of 0.8, and working papers and non-published manuscripts of 0.5 points.

The next step in developing a dissertation score is to propose a measure that takes into account the number of authors as well as the order of the authors. Thus, a sole authored paper by a PhD candidate counts more than a co-authored paper. And, in the present measure, a first-order author position counts more than a lower author position. Table 6 proposes scores for authorship indicators evaluating each of the articles that take into consideration various numbers of authors and author order positions.

Based on the above proposals of different types of articles and measures for different authorship indicators, we can now develop an overall dissertation score based on Formula 1:

Formula 1: overall dissertation score

where S = overall dissertation score, T = type of article and authorship factor = number of authors (NoA) * author order position (AOP).

The overall dissertation score is composed of multiplying the scores of the individual articles by the authorship factor. The basic idea is that the highest score per article of 1 point is reduced based on the lower the level of the perceived status of various channels (e.g., journal rankings; journal articles versus book chapters; conference articles versus journal articles/book chapters) and the number of co-authors as well as the author order the PhD student has for the given article. A conference paper that is included in an article-based dissertation, which have been through a double-blind review process (e.g., at a NOFOMA, LRN or a EurOMA conference), is valued 0.8 compared with an article that is published in a peer-reviewed journal. Thus, a conference article is considered as less mature when compared to an article that has been through perhaps several revisions in a journal before acceptance. However, we should avoid with the generalization of the different channels. The Danish Bibliometric Research Indicator, for example, value accepted conference articles as much as some journal papers, if they are accepted to be presented at some conferences (e.g., EURAM and AOM) [ 36 ]. Also, contributions to books are valued differently according to which publisher the work is published with [ 37 ].

The dissertation score is a measure for the PhD dissertation at hand—and thus, the status of it when it was judged and passed. Several article-based dissertations contain non-published papers, working papers and conference articles that find its way to peer-reviewed journals after the degree of PhD has been awarded and further workload is invested in those articles. Other articles of this nature never end in publications for various reasons. Thus, the status of the papers after the PhD evaluation is not included in the dissertation score presented in this article.

An article-based dissertation is evaluated not only on the enclosed articles, but also on the text (the frame) that bind the articles together. Also, herein there seems to be different practices—e.g., the scope and depths on positioning the thesis against extant research; the level and scope of methodological and philosophy of science discussions (see, e.g., [ 3 ]); independent literature reviews as well as discussions on the “red line” between the included articles.

The overall purpose with the dissertation score is to propose a measure to be used for discussing the scope and content-type of a PhD dissertation. What is enough? And how much of a dissertation can be co-authored with others? Is one dissertation better than another because it includes articles that are published? It is our experience that there are differences in what is needed in an article-based dissertation both within a department at a research institution and between research institutions. The present dissertation score can help in discussing what is needed and also in developing department guidelines.

The proposed overall dissertation score formula is not without limitations. First, the division of types of articles and their scores is subjective. The peer-reviewed journal category, for example, can be further divided into different scores by following specific journal ranking lists. Second, the scores for various numbers of authors and their author order position in the proposed authorship factor calculation are also subjective and can be altered. The order of authors of a paper does not necessarily display the true workload of different authors. The order of authors can be organized using different principles such as a simple alphabetical listing, organized after seniority (experience); listing the person first who got the idea to the article as the first author; or listing PhD students first because they need the credit more than their senior co-authors. Third, the dissertation score does not include a time perspective (i.e., the length of the PhD program)—a higher score can be obtained over a 5-year period when compared to a 3-year period. Fourth, the dissertation score does not take into consideration the extent of thesis frame (the text accompanying the articles such as scoping, positioning, methods, philosophy of science, contribution and implications). Fifth, the score of author order position decreases based on the position; this may not reflect the actual work load. In summary, as with any measures in general, this overall dissertation score also has its own shortcomings and these are important to be considered to ensure the practical use of the score. However, in spite of the sometime magical status of numbers—we should remember that “numbers are just number” and that they can be used to jump start discussions on how to compose an article-based dissertation.

4.6.2 Dissertation scores

This section provides an analysis of the 92 article-based dissertations using the dissertation score developed in the above subsection. This number is divided among 12 Danish, 27 Finnish, 37 Swedish and 16 Norwegian dissertations. As given in Table 7 , the dissertations vary in the number of included articles spanning from three to eight articles. The majority of the dissertations are composed of four to six articles. The average number of articles counts to 4.84. Table 7 also shows that the average dissertation score increases from 1.53 with three articles to 5.38 with eight articles. This is not surprising given the design of the formula.

Furthermore, Table 7 shows that including journal articles is a well-established practice among the reviewed dissertations. The share of journal articles counts 54 % among dissertations with four articles (71/132); 62 % among dissertations with five articles (80/130); and 69 % among dissertations with six articles (99/144). After journal papers, conference papers and non-published papers are the second most typical types that are included in article-based dissertations. Finally, Table 7 shows that including reviewed books chapters is not that prevalent among the dissertations reviewed.

This review also shows that there are more PhD candidates at Chalmers University of Technology with highest number of contributions at 18 dissertations followed by Molde University College with 16 dissertations and Lund University with 11 dissertations (see Fig. 1 ). In all, the 92 article-based dissertations contain 446 articles divided into the five types discussed in Sect. 4.6.1 . Out of this, 266 are peer-reviewed journal articles of which 68 are from Chalmers University of Technology; 39 are from Molde University College; and 39 are from Lappeenranta University of Technology. In total, 83 articles are included as conference papers; 64 are included as non-published papers; 27 are included as working papers; and only six articles take the form of book chapters.

Average dissertation scores divided by research institution. AU Aalto University, ASB/AU Aarhus School of Business/Aarhus University, CUT Chalmers University of Technology, HSE Hanken School of Economics, JIBS Jönköping International Business School, KI Karolinska Institutet, LiU Linköping University, LU Lund University, LUT Lappeenranta University of Technology, MUC Molde University College, SU Stockholm University, TSE Turku School of Economics, TUD Technical University Denmark, UO University of Oulu, UV University of Vaasa, USD University of Southern Denmark

Figure 1 demonstrates a relatively high variety among the dissertations across the different research institutions with respect to the average institutional dissertations (ranging from 1.47, 2.47, 2.76, 2.96, 3.03, 3.12, 3.22, 3.25, 3.45, 3.83, 3.87, 3.93, 4.11, 4.22, 4.28, 5.02). Four of the six dissertations composed of three articles (see Table 7 ) are Danish dissertations from Aarhus School of Business/Aarhus University. In contrast, eight out of the 24 dissertations holding six articles are composed of 4–6 peer-reviewed journal articles. The dissertation score is here suggested as an instrument that can be used in discussions on what is required to earn the degree of PhD at the specific research institutions and, through benchmarks, facilitate alignment processes if needed. With the limitations in mind, a PhD student can discuss with her or his advisor(s) as of what type of articles are required; whether co-authored articles with advisors or other senior researchers or PhD students can be included; and how a PhD student documents her or his contribution in each article if they are co-authored. The dissertation score can also stimulate further discussions on what should be included in the binder of the dissertation—e.g., prioritizes theme to be discussed in the binder instead of adding another article.

4.7 Potential topics for inclusion in the dissertations

The review process of the 150 dissertations reveals that five research areas seem to be under-prioritized among Nordic scholars within logistics and SCM. The topics are as follows (not prioritized):

Cloud technology Although there is a focus on maximizing the effectiveness of shared resources [ 5 ], the increased availability of high-capacity network, low-cost computers and storage devices as well as the widespread adoption of hardware virtualization, service-oriented architecture, and autonomic and utility computing have led to a growth in the use of cloud technology. In spite of its increased importance, it is distinct that this subject has not received more attention in the dissertations reviewed.

Globalization of SC As mentioned previously, this topic was still largely ignored in the dissertation reviewed. With the natural outcome of expanding growing market and sustaining competitive advantage, companies have to make key decisions about managing costs and complexity through globalized supply chain (see, e.g., [ 11 ]).

Supply chain innovation (SCI) The discipline of innovations has branched out into the supply chain context and should be regarded as an important topic. While firms are applying their assets, operating resources and capabilities to develop new ways of improve performance, they cannot ignore the importance of their supply chain partners in enabling product and process innovations (see, e.g., [ 1 ]). Accordingly, more attention needs to be paid to this topic.

Security This topic was also mentioned in the previous study by Zachariassen and Arlbjørn [ 41 ]. Yet, this topic has only received limited attention among the 112 dissertations published between 2009 and 2014. Security is increasingly becoming a major concern to both private and public sector organizations. Security searches for cooperative arrangements between businesses as well as identifies risks before the goods move. It is also concerned with controlling theft and reducing illegal import and export of stolen goods. There are many areas of research within the topic of security from formal aspects to empirical research (see, e.g., [ 4 , 40 ]). Hence, it is essential that researchers start focusing on the different aspects of this topic in the future. This is one of the key topics of research within supply chain now as well as in the distant future.

Big data This is currently drowning the world. The huge amount of data is an invaluable asset in the context of supply chains. The quality of the evidence extracted significantly benefits from the availability of broad datasets. On the one hand, extensive vision is more promising when extra data are available. And, on the other hand, it is a big challenge. The current approach is not appropriate to handle large data, and therefore, there is a need for new solutions to handle large datasets. This research field is new and rapidly evolving [ 38 ], and there is also a lead-time issue before we see the first dissertations within this area. As a result, any initial effort taken will be a strong contribution from both experimental and theoretical perspective (see, e.g., [ 15 ]).

5 Conclusion

This paper has set out to analyze the development of Nordic doctoral dissertations in logistics and SCM from the years 2009–2014. The paper identified 158 dissertations relevant for review; out of this, 150 dissertations were reviewed in depth based on different criteria. Compared with previous studies, this research found several important developments in Nordic doctoral research. First, there has been an increase in the average annual number of finalized dissertations when compared to previous Nordic studies. The results predominantly show the remarkable increase in dissertations between 2009 and 2014 (158 dissertations) wherein Sweden ranks highest followed by Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, respectively. Second, there has been a decrease in dissertations that focus on classical entities of analysis such as carriers, wholesalers, retailers and inventories. Therefore, it is clear that the PhD dissertation’s focal point is still more on manufacturing firms (50/150) rather than on other entities. Third, there has been an increase in functional subject areas of logistics and SCM and the supply chain/network level. Fourth, the number of dissertations containing philosophy of science discussions is continuing to decline. As mentioned earlier, there is a significant increase in article-based dissertations and these dissertations do not adopt philosophy of science; as a result, there is an extreme decrease (110/150). Finally, there is clear shift toward disseminating doctoral research as an article-based dissertation (2009–2014: 92/150; 2002–2008: 26/70; 1990–2001: 15/71, respectively). However, this piece of research has demonstrated that the content of the Nordic article-based dissertations varies along dimensions such as types of articles included, the number of articles included and the number of co-authors at the papers. A dissertation score has been suggested as a measure for initiating discussions about such dissertations at a single research institution and as a benchmark between different institutions. As discussed earlier, such a score is not without limitations and must not stand alone. Therefore, the next logical step might be to discuss how far should we go with the number and the type of contributions. What is enough in order to earn a PhD degree? The content of this paper can be used to match the expectations of PhD students and their supervisors so as to find the right path to learn the craft of conducting and disseminating logistics and SCM research.

Arlbjørn JS, de Haas H, Munksgaard KB (2011) Exploring supply chain innovation. Logist Res 3(1):3–18

Article Google Scholar

Arlbjørn JS, Freytag PV, Damgaard T (2008) The beauty of measurement. Eur Bus Rev 20(2):112–127

Arlbjørn JS, Halldórsson Á (2002) Logistics knowledge creation: reflections on content, context and processes. Int J Phys Distr Log 32(1):22–40

Blackhurst J, Ekwall D, Martens BJ (2015) Special issue on supply chain security. Int J Phys Distr Log 45(7). doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-04-2015-0104

Google Scholar

Cegielski CG, Allison Jones-Farmer L, Wu Y, Hazen BT (2012) Adoption of cloud computing technologies in supply chains: an organizational information processing theory approach. Int J Logist Manag 23(2):184–211

Choi TY, Wacker JG (2011) Theory building in the OM/SCM field: pointing to the future by looking at the past. Supply Chain Manag Int J 47(2):8–11

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (2014) How to deal with text recycling. http://publicationethics.org/files/BioMed%20Central_text_recycling_editorial_guidelines_1.pdf . Accessed 09 Jan 2016

Das A, Handfield RB (1997) A meta-analysis of doctoral dissertations in purchasing. J Oper Manag 15(2):101–121

Dyrud MA (2015) Ethics and text recycling. In: 122nd ASEE annual conference & exposition, 14–17 June 2015, Seattle, paper ID#11150

Fernie J, Sparks L, McKinnon AC (2010) Retail logistics in the UK: past, present and future. Int J Retail Distr Manag 38(11/12):894–914

Gereffi G, Lee J (2012) Why the world suddenly cares about global supply chains. Supply Chain Manag Int J 48(3):24–32

Group of Eight (2013) The changing. In: Ph.D.: discussion paper. O’Conner ACT Australia. https://go8.edu.au/sites/default/files/docs/the-changing-phd_final.pdf . Accessed 01 March 2015

Gubi E, Stentoft Arlbjørn J, Johansen J (2003) Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain management: a review of Scandinavian contributions from 1990 to 2001. Int J Phys Distr Log 33(10):854–885

Halldórsson Á, Larson PD, Poist RF (2008) Supply chain management: a comparison of Scandinavian and American perspectives. Int J Phys Distr Log 38(2):126–142

Huang YY, Handfield RB (2015) Measuring the benefits of ERP on supply management maturity model: a “big data” method. Int J Oper Prod Man 35(1):2–25

Hughes M (2014) Editorial: reflecting on ethical questions and peer reviewing. Aust Soc Work 67(4):463–466

Jørgensen P (2013) Technology in health care logistics. Dissertation, Technical University of Denmark

Karjalainen K (2009) Challenges of purchasing centralization—empirical evidence from public procurement. Dissertation, Aalto University School of Business

Karrus KE (2011) Policy variants for coordinating supply chain inventory replenishments. Dissertation, Aalto University School of Business

Macdonald S, Kam J (2007) Ring a Ring o’Roses: quality journals and gamesmanship in management studies. J Manag Stud 44(4):640–655

McKinnon AC (2013) Starry-eyed: journal rankings and the future of logistics research. Int J Phys Distr Log 43(1):6–17

Menachof DA, Gibson BJ, Hanna JB, Whiteing AE (2009) An analysis of the value of supply chain management periodicals. Int J Phys Distr Log 39(2):145–165

Mortensen, MH (2011) Towards understanding attractiveness in industrial relationships. Dissertation, University of Southern Denmark

Myklebust, JP (2013). Sharp rise in foreign. In: Ph.D. enrolments in Scandinavia. University World News 18

Nakhata C, Stock JR, Texiera TB (2013) Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain-related areas: 2005–2009. Logist Res 6(4):119–131

Nga, MTT (2010) Enhancing quality management of fresh fish supply chains through improved logistics and ensured traceability. Dissertation, University of Iceland

Rao S, Iyengar D, Goldsby JT (2013) On the measurement and benchmarking of research impact among active logistics scholars. Int J Phys Distr Log 43(10):814–832

Stock JR (1987) A compendium of doctoral research in logistics: 1970–1986. J Bus Logist 8(2):123–136

Stock JR (1988) A compendium of doctoral research in logistics: 1970–1986. J Bus Logist 9(1):125–233

Stock JR (1997) Applying theories from other disciplines to logistics. Int J Phys Distr Log 27(9/10):515–539

Stock JR (2001) Doctoral research in logistics and logistics-related areas 1992–1998. J Bus Logist 22(1):125–256

Stock JR, Boyer SL (2009) Developing a consensus definition of supply chain management: a qualitative study. Int J Phys Distr Log 39(8):690–711

Stock JR, Broadus CJ (2006) Doctoral research in supply chain management and/or logistics-related areas: 1999–2004. J Bus Logist 27(1):139–151

Stock JR, Luhrsen DA (1993) Doctoral research in logistics-related areas 1987–1991. J Bus Logist 14(2):197–210

Tynjälä T (2011) An effective tool for supply chain decision support during new product development process. Dissertation, Aalto University School of Business

Undervisnings & Forsknings Ministeriet (Ministry of Teaching and Research) (UFM) (2015a) http://ufm.dk/forskning-og-innovation/statistik-og-analyser/den-bibliometriske-forskningsindikator/autoritetslister/list-of-series-18112015-xlsx.pdf . Accessed 31 Dec 2015

Undervisnings & Forsknings Ministeriet (Ministry of Teaching and Research) (UFM) (2015b) http://ufm.dk/forskning-og-innovation/statistik-og-analyser/den-bibliometriske-forskningsindikator/autoritetslister/autoritetslisten-for-forlag-2015-november-xlsx.pdf . Accessed 31 Dec 2015

Waller M, Fawcett S (2013) Data science, predictive analytics, and big data: a revolution that will transform supply chain design and management. J Bus Logist 34(2):77–84

Williams AJ (1986) Doctoral research in purchasing and materials management: an assessment. J Purch Mater Manage 22(1):13–16

Williams Z, Lueg JE, Taylor RD, Cook RL (2009) Why all the changes? An institutional theory approach to exploring the drivers of supply chain security (SCS). Int J Phys Distr Log 39(7):595–618

Zachariassen F, Arlbjørn JS (2010) Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain management: a review of Nordic contributions from 2002 to 2008. Int J Phys Distr Log 40(4):332–352

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Entrepreneurship and Relationship Management, University of Southern Denmark, Kolding, Denmark

Christopher Rajkumar, Lone Kavin, Xue Luo & Jan Stentoft

You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jan Stentoft .

Appendix 1: Research institutions contacted

Aalborg University

Aarhus School of Business/Aarhus University

Copenhagen Business School

Danish Technical University/Technical University of Denmark

Roskilde University

University of Southern Denmark

Aalto University

Åbo Akademi University

Hanken School of Economic

Helsinki University

Lappeenranta University of Technology

National Defence University

Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration

Tampere University of Technology

Technical Research Center of Finland

Turku School of Economics

University of Oulu Business School

University of Vaasa

University of Iceland

BI Norwegian School of Management

Institute of Transport Economics

Molde University College

Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

SINTEF Industrial Management

University of Oslo Business School

University of Nordland

Chalmers University of Technology

Gothenburg University

Jönköping International Business School

Karolinska Institute Department of Public Health Sciences

Linköping University

Linnæus University

Lund University

Örebro University

Stockholm School of Economics

Stockholm University

Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute

University College of Borås

Appendix 2: Doctoral dissertations identified

2.1 danish dissertations.

Aarhus School of Business/Aarhus University:

Abginehchi, S. (2012), Essays on Inventory Control in Presence of Multiple Sourcing , Aarhus.

Bach, L. (2014), Routing and Scheduling Problems — Optimization using Exact and Heuristic Methods , Aarhus.

Bendre, A.B. (2010), Numerical Studies of Single - stage, Single - item Inventory Systems with Lost Sales , Aarhus.

Bodnar, P. (2013), Essays on Warehouse Operations , Aarhus.

Christensen, T.R.L. (2013), Network Design Problems with Piecewise Linear Cost Functions , Aarhus.

Du, B. (2011), Essays on Advance Demand Information, Prioritization and Real Options in Inventory Management, Aarhus.

Hanghøj, A. (2014), Papers in Purchasing and Supply Management: A Capability - Based Perspective , Aarhus.

Kjeldsen, K.H. (2012), Routing and Scheduling in Liner Shipping , Aarhus.

Copenhagen Business School:

Andreasen, P.H. (2012), The Dynamics of Procurement Management — A Complexity Approach , Frederiksberg.

Kinra, A. (2009), Supply Chain (Logistics) Environmental Complexity , Frederiksberg.

Nøkkentved, C. (2009), Enabling Supply Networks with Collaborative Information Infrastructures: An Empirical Investigation of Business Model Innovation in Supplier Relationship Management , Frederiksberg.

Yu, L.A. (2012), Fabricating an S&OP Process: Circulating References and Matters of Concern , Frederiksberg.

University of Southern Denmark:

Jensen, J.K. (2013), Development of Environmentally Sustainable Food Supply Chains , Kolding.

Mikkelsen, O.S. (2011), Strategic Sourcing in a Global Organizational Context , Kolding.

Mortensen, M.H. (2011), Towards Understanding Attractiveness in Industrial Relationships , Kolding.

Zachariassen, F. (2011), Supply Chain Management and Critical Theory: Meta - Theoretical, Disciplinary and Practical Contributions to the Supply Chain Management Discipline Based on Insights from the Management Accounting Discipline , Kolding.

Technical University of Denmark:

Jørgensen, P. (2013), Technology in Health Care Logistics , Lyngby.

2.2 Finnish dissertations

Aalto University School of Business:

Aaltonen, K. (2010), Stakeholder Management in International Projects , Finland.

Ahola, T. (2009), Efficiency in Project Networks: The Role of Inter - Organizational Relationships in Project Implementation , Finland.

Ala-Risku, T. (2009), Installed Base Information: Ensuring Customer Value and Profitability after the Sale , Finland.

Groop, J. (2012), Theory of Constraints in Field Service: Factors Limiting Productivity in Home Care Operations , Finland.

Helkiö, P. (2013), D eveloping Explorative and Exploitative Strategic Intentions — Towards a Practice Theory of Operations Strategy , Finland.

Hinkka, V. (2013), Implementation of RFID Tracking across the Entire Supply Chain , Finland.

Karjalainen, K. (2009), Challenges of Purchasing Centralization — Empirical Evidence from Public Procurement , Finland.

Karrus, K. (2011), Policy Variants for Coordinating Supply Chain Inventory Replenishments , Finland.

Kauremaa, J. (2010), Studies on the Utilization of Electronic Trading Systems in Supply Chain Management , Finland.

Nieminen, S. (2011), Supplier Relational Effort in the Buyer – Supplier Relationship , Finland.

Peltokorpi, A. (2010), Improving Efficiency in Surgical Services: A Production Planning and Control Approach , Finland.

Porkka, P. (2010), Capacitated Timing of Mobile and Flexible Service Resources , Finland.

Rajahonka, M. (2013), Towards Service Modularity — Service and Business Model Development , Finland.

Ristola, P. (2012), Impact of Waste - to - Energy on the Demand and Supply Relationships of Recycled Fibre , Finland.

Seppälä, T. (2014), Contemporary Determinants and Geographical Economy of Added Value, Cost of Inputs, and Profits in Global Supply Chains: An Empirical Analysis , Finland.

Tenhiälä, A. (2009), Contingency Theories of Order Management, Capacity Planning, and Exception Processing in Complex Manufacturing Environments , Finland.

Torkki, P. (2012), Best Practice Processes — What are the Reasons for Differences in Productivity between Surgery Units , Finland. NOT reviewed

Turunen, T. (2013), Organizing Service Operations in Manufacturing , Finland.

Tynjälä, T. (2011 ) , An Effective Tool for Supply Chain Decision Support During New Product Development Process , Finland.

Viitamo, E. (2012), Productivity as a Competitive Edge of a Service Firm: Theoretical Analysis and a Case Study of the Finnish Banking Industry , Finland.

Voutilainen, J. (2014), Factory Positioning in an Unpredictable Environment: A Managerial View of Manufacturing Strategy Formation , Finland.

Åbo Akademi University:

Nyholm, M. (2011), Activation of Supply Relationships , Turku.

Hanken School of Economic:

Antai, I. (2011), Operationalizing Supply Chain vs. Supply Chain Completion , Finland.

Haavisto, I. (2014), Performance in Humanitarian Supply Chains , Finland.

Harilainen, H. (2014), Managing Supplier Sustainability Risk , Finland.

Tomasini Ponce, R. (2012), Informal Learning Framework for Secondment: Logistics Lessons from Disaster Relief Operations , Finland.

Vainionpää, M. (2010), Tiering Effects in Third - party Logistics: A First - Tier Buyer Perspective , Finland.

University of Oulu Business School:

Juntunen, J. (2010): Logistics Outsourcing for Economies in Business Network , Finland

Lappeenranta University of Technology — Industrial Engineering and Management:

Karppinen, H. (2014), Reframing the Relationship between Service Design and Operations: A Service Engineering Approach , Lappeenranta.

Kerkkänen, A. (2010), Improving Demand Forecasting Practices in the Industrial Context , Lappeenranta.

Laisi, M. (2013), Deregulation’s Impact on the Railway Freight Transport Sector’s Future in the Baltic Sea Region , Lappeenranta.

Lättilä, L. (2012), Improving Transportation and Warehousing Efficiency with Simulation - Based Decision Support Systems , Lappeenranta.

Niemi, P. (2009), Improving the Effectiveness of Supply Chain Development Work — An Expert Role Perspective , Lappeenranta.

Pekkanen, P. (2011), Delay Reduction in Courts of Justice — Possibilities and Challenges of Process Improvement in Professional Public Organizations , Lappeenranta.

Salmela, E. (2014), Kysyntä - Toimitusketjun Synkronointi Epävarman Kysynnän ja Tarjonnan Toimintaympäristössä , Lappeenranta. NOT reviewed.

Saranen, J. (2009), Enhancing the Efficiency of Freight Transport by Using Simulation , Lappeenranta.

Lappeenranta University of Technology — School of Business:

Kähkönen, A. (2010), The Role of Power Relations in Strategic Supply Management — A Value Net Approach , Lappeenranta.

Lintukangas Annaliisa, K. (2009), Supplier Relationship Management Capability in the Firm’s Global Integration , Lappeenranta.

Vilko, J. (2012), Approaches to Supply Chain Risk Management: Identification, Analysis and Control , Lappeenranta.

Turku School of Economic:

Koskinen, P. (2009), Supply Chain Challenges and Strategies of a Global Paper Manufacturing Company , Turku.

Lorentz, H. (2009), Contextual Supply Chain Constraints in Emerging Markets — Exploring the Implications for Foreign Firms , Turku.

Rantasila, K. (2013), Measuring Logistics Costs. Designing a Generic Model for Assessing Macro Logistics Costs in a Global Context with Empirical Evidence from the Manufacturing and Trading Industries , Turku.

Solakivi, T. (2014), The Connection between Supply Chain Practices and Firm Performance — Evidence from Multiple Surveys and Financial Reporting Data , Turku.

Tampere University of Technology:

Jokinen, J. (2010), Multi - Agent Control of Reconfigurable Pallet Transport Systems , Tampere. NOT reviewed

University of Vaasa:

Addo-Tenkorang, R. (2014), Conceptual Framework for Large - Scale Complex Engineering - Design & Delivery Processes. A Case of Enterprise SCM Network Activities and Analysis , Finland.

Kärki, P. (2012), The Impact of Customer Order Lead Time - Based Decisions on the Firm’s Ability to Make Money — Case Study: Build to Order Manufacturing of Electrical Equipment and Appliances , Finland.

Moilanen, V. (2011), Case study: Developing a Framework for Supply Network Management , Finland.

Nugroho Widhi, Y K. (2009), Structuring Postponement Strategies in the Supply Chain by Analytical Modeling , Finland.

2.3 Icelandic dissertations

University of Iceland — School of Health Sciences:

Nga, M. (2010), Enhancing Quality Management of Fresh Fish Supply Chains through Improved Logistics and Ensured Traceability , Reykjavik.

2.4 Norwegian dissertations

Norwegian University of Science and Technology:

Bai, Y. (2013), Reliability of International Freight Trains, An Exploratory Study Drawing on Three Mainstream Theories , Trondheim.

BI Norwegian School of Management:

Hatteland, C.J. (2010), Ports as Actors in Industrial Networks , Norway.

Bjørnstad, S. (2009), Shipshaped Kongsberg Industry and Innovations in Deepwater Technology, 1975 – 2000, Norway.

Hoholm, T. (2009), The Contrary Forces of Innovation - An Ethnography of Innovation Processes in the Food Industr, Norway.

Zhovtobryukh, Y (2014), The Role of Technology, Ownership and Origin in M&A Performance, Norway.

Molde University College:

Halse, L.L. (2014), Walking the Path of Change. Globalization of the Maritime Cluster in North West Norway , Norway.

Salema, G.L. (2014), The Antecedents of Supplier Logistics Performance: an Empirical Study of the Essential Medicines Supply in Tanzania, Norway.

Chaudhry, M.O. (2014), An Assessment of Linkages between Investment in Transport Infrastructure and Economic Development, Norway.

Søvde, N.E. (2014) Optimization of Terrain Transportation Problems in Forestry, Norway.

Iversen, H.P. (2013) Logististikkerfaringer i Psykiatri og Psykisk Helsearbeid: Om Forståelse, Organisering og Ledelsed av Relasjoner i en Profesjonell Organisasjon i Omstilling, Norway.

Bottolfsen, T. (2013) The Impact of Internal, Customer and Supplier Integration on Store Performance , Norway.

Schøyen, H. (2013) Identifying Efficiency Potentials in Maritime Logistics: Investigations from Container and Bulk Trades , Nowary.

Jin, J.Y. (2013) Cooperative Parallel Metaheuristics for Large Scale Vehicle Routing Problems, Norway.

Regmi, U.K. (2013) Essays on Air Transport Marketing and Economics , Norway.

Glavee-Geo, R. (2012) The Antecedents and Consequences of Supplier Satisfaction in Agro Commodity Value Chain: an Empirical Study of Smallholder Cocoa Growers of Ghana , Norway.

Lanquepin, G. (2012) Algorithms for Dynamic Pricing and Lot Sizing, Norway.

Qin, F.F. (2012) Essays on Efficient Operational Strategy of Urban Rail Transit, Norway.

Qian, F.B. (2012) Passenger Risk Minimization in Helicopter Transportation for the Offshore Petroleum Industry , Norwary.

Bø, O. (2012) Aspects of Production Tracking Systems in the Supply Network for Caught Seafood , Norway.

Yue, X. (2010) Competition and Cooperation: a Game theoretic Analysis on the Development of Norwegian Continental shelf, Norway.

Shyshou, A. (2010) Vessel Planning in Offshore Oil and Gas Operations , Norway.

Thapalia, B.K. (2010) Stochastic Single - commodity Network Design , Norway.

Bakhrankova, K. (2010) Production Planning in Continuous Process Industries: Theoretical and Optimization Issues, Norway.

Bhatta, B.P. (2009) Discrete Choice Analysis with Emphasis on Problems of Network - based Level of Service Attributes in Travel Demand Modeling , Norway.

Burki, U. (2009) Cross Cultural Effects on the Relational Governance of Buyer – Supplier Relationships: an Empirical Study of the Textile Exporting Firms of Pakistan , Norway.

Vaagen, H. (2009) Assortment Planning under Uncertainty, Norway.

Saeed, N. (2009) Competition and Cooperation among Container Terminals in Pakistan: with Emphasis on Game Theoretical Analysis, Norway.

2.5 Swedish dissertations

Chalmers University of Technology:

Almotairi, B. (2012), Integrated Logistics Platform the Context of the Port Relational Exchanges and Systematic Integration , Gothenburg.

Andersson, R. (2009), Supply Chain Resilience through Quality Management , Gothenburg.

Bankvall, L. (2011), Activity Linking in Industrial Networks , Gothenburg.

Behrends, S. (2011), Urban Freight Transport Sustainability — The Interaction of Urban Freight and Intermodal Transport , Gothenburg.

Ekwall, D. (2009), Managing Risk for Antagonistic Threats against Transport Network , Gothenburg.

Ellis, J. (2011), Assessing Safety Risks for the Sea Transport Link of a Multimodal Dangerous Goods Transport Chain , Gothenburg.

Finnsgård, C. (2013), Materials Exposure: The Interface between Materials Supply and Assembly , Gothenburg.

Fredriksson, A. (2011), Materials Supply and Production Outsourcing , Gothenburg.

Hanson, R. (2012), In - Plant Materials Supply: Supporting the Choice between Kitting and Continuous Supply , Gothenburg.

Hilletofth, P. (2010), Demand – Supply Chain Management , Gothenburg.

Hjort, K. (2013), On Aligning Returns Management with the Ecommerce Strategy to Increase Effectiveness , Gothenburg.

Ingrid, H. (2014), Organizing Purchasing and Supply Management across Company Boundaries , Gothenburg.

Ivert, L. (2012), Use of Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Systems to Support Manufacturing Planning and Control Processes , Gothenburg.

Kalantari, J. (2012) Foliated Transportation Networks - Evaluating Feasibility and Potential , Gothenburg.

Kharrazi, S. (2012), Steering Based Lateral Performance Control of Long Heavy Vehicle Combinations , Gothenburg.

Lindholm, M.E., (2012) Enabling Sustainable Development of Urban Freight from a Local Authority Perspective , Gothenburg.

Mirzabeiki, V. (2013), Collaborative Tracking and Tracing — A Supply Chain Perspective , Gothenburg.

Roso, V. (2009), The Dry Port Concept , Gothenburg.

Sternberg, H. (2011), Waste in Road Transport Operations — Using Information Sharing to Increase Efficiency , Gothenburg.

Styhre, L. (2010), Capacity Utilization in Short Sea Shipping , Gothenburg.

Sundquist, V. (2014), The Role of Intermediation in Business Networks , Gothenburg.

Thörnblad, K. (2013), Mathematical Optimization in Flexible Job Shop Scheduling: Modelling, Analysis, and Case Studies , Gothenburg.

Jönköping International Business School:

Borgström, B. (2010), Supply chain strategising: Integration in practice, Jönköping.

Cui, L.G., (2012), Innovation and network development of logistics firms, Jönköping.

Skoglund, P. (2012), Sourcing decisions for military logistics in Peace Support Operations: A case study of the Swedish armed forces, Jönköping.

Jafari, H. (2014), Postponement and Logistics Flexibility in Retailing , Jönköping.

Wikner, S. (2011), Value Co - creation as Practice — On a supplier’s capabilities in the value generation process, Jönköping.

Karolinska Institute Department of Public Health Sciences:

Anund, A. (2009), Sleepiness at the Wheel , Sweden.

Linköping University:

Ekström, J. (2012), Optimization Approaches for Design of Congestion Pricing Schemes , Linköping.

Feldmann, A. (2011), A Strategic Perspective on Plants in Manufacturing Networks , Linköping.

Hansson, L. (2010), Public Procurement at the Local Government Level: Actor Roles, Discretion and Constraints in the Implementation of Public Transport Goals , Linköping.

Isaksson, K. (2014), Logistics Service Providers Going Green — A Framework for Developing Green Service Offerings , Linköping.

Lindskog, M. (2012), On Systems Thinking in Logistics Management — A Critical Perspective , Linköping.

Malmgren, M. (2010), Managing Risks in Business Critical Outsourcing: A Perspective from the Outsourcer and the Supplier , Linköping.

Martinsen, U. (2014), Towards Greener Supply Chains: Inclusion of Environmental Activities in Relationships between Logistics Service Providers and Shippers , Linköping.

Mårdh, S. (2013), Cognitive Erosion and its Implications in Alzheimer’s Disease , Linköping.

Musa, S.N. (2012), Supply Chain Risk Management: Identification, Evaluation and Mitigation Techniques , Linköping.

Olstam, J. (2009), Simulation of Surrounding Vehicles in Driving Simulators , Linköping.

Thoresson, K. (2011), To Calculate the Good Society: Cost - Benefit Analysis and the Border between Expertise and Policy in the Transport Sector , Linköping. NOT reviewed.

Linnaeus University:

Farvid, S.M. (2014), Essays on Inventory Theory , Sweden.

Samadi, R. (2010), Supply Chain Optimization and Market Coordinated Inventory , Sweden. NOT Reviewed.

Lund University:

Bagdadi, O. (2012), The Development of Methods for Detection and Assessment of Safety Critical Events in Car Driving , Lund.

Eng Larsson, F. (2014), On the Incentives to Shift to Low - Carbon Freight Transport , Lund.

Howard, C. (2013), Real - Time Allocation Decisions in Multi - Echelon Inventory Control , Lund.

Lundin, J. (2011), On Supply Chain Incentive Alignment: Insight from a Cash Supply Chain and a Trucking Service Supply Chain , Lund.

Olander, M. (2010), Logistik och Juridik. Moderna Affärsförbindelser och Kontrakt som Utmaningar för Förmögenhetsrätten, Lund. NOT Reviewed

Pazirandeh, A. (2014), Purchasing Power and Purchasing Strategies — Insights from the Humanitarian Sector , Lund.

Urciuoli, L. (2011), Security in Physical Distribution Networks: A Survey Study of Swedish Transport Operators , Lund.

Olander Roses, K. (2014), From PowerPoints to Reality - managing Strategic Change in the Paper Packaging Industry , Lund.

Sohrabpour, V. (2014), Packaging Design and Development for Supply Chain Efficiency and Effectiveness, Lund.

Abbasi, M. (2014), Exploring Themes and Challenges in Developing Sustainable Supply Chains - A Complexity Theory Perspective , Lund.

Ringsberg, H. (2013), Food Traceability in Regulated Fresh Food Supply Chains with an Emphasis on the Swedish Fishing Industry , Lund.

Beckeman, M. (2011), The Potential for Innovation in the Swedish Food Sector , Lund.

Dominic, C. (2011), Packaging Logistics Performance , Lund.

Johansson, O. (2009), On the Value of Intelligent Packaging - A Packaging Logistics Perspective , Lund.

Pålsson, H. (2009), Logistics value of using tracking data from uniquely labelled goods , Lund.

Stockholm University, Department of Psychology:

Eriksson, G. (2014), On Physical Relations in Driving: Judgments, Cognition and Perception , Stockholm.

Örebro University School of Business:

Ahlberg, J. (2012), Multi - Unit Common Value Auctions: Theory and Experiments , Örebro.

Arvidsson, S. (2010), Essays on Asymmetric Information in the Automobile Insurance Market , Örebro.

Bohlin, L. (2010), Taxation of Intermediate Goods — A CGE Analysis , Örebro.

Krüger, N. (2009), Infrastructure Investment Planning under Uncertainty , Örebro. NOT reviewed

Liu, X. (2013), Transport and Environmental Incentive Policy Instruments — Effects and Interactions , Örebro. NOT reviewed

Lodefalk, M. (2013), Tackling Barriers to Firm Trade. Liberalisation, Migration, and Servicification , Örebro.

Sund, B. (2010), Economic Evaluation, Value of Life, Stated Preference Methodology and Determinants of Risk , Örebro.

Swärdh, J. (2009), Commuting Time Choice and the Value of Travel Time , Örebro.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Rajkumar, C., Kavin, L., Luo, X. et al. Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain management: a review of Nordic contributions from 2009 to 2014. Logist. Res. 9 , 5 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12159-016-0132-0

Download citation

Received : 02 November 2015

Accepted : 17 February 2016

Published : 14 March 2016

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s12159-016-0132-0

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Doctoral dissertations
Collection of articles
Dissertation score
Logistics and supply chain management
Find a journal
Publish with us
Track your research

Hauptnavigation
Unternavigation

Institute of Maritime Logistics

Open Master Topics

Below you will find the current topic proposals of the Institute for master theses.

If you require further (detailed) information on individual topics, please contact the supervising employee directly by e-mail or telephone. We are always open to constructive ideas for a possible adaptation of topics.
Please also send your application for a specific topic directly to the supervising employee. The application documents should include a current curriculum vitae as well as your most important certificates and degrees.

Optimization of Handling Processes Under Uncertainty

In the master thesis, a solution approach for the optimization of handling processes for container terminals in the hinterland is to be developed. For this purpose, methods from the fields of machine learning or operations research are to be applied. The developed solution shall be tested in the context of a research project. [ more ]

Comparison of Sensor Transfer Learning Models in Electro-optical and Motion Sensors for Ocean Wave Height Determination

In your work you focus on the existing models of sensor transfer learning from electro-optical sensors to motion sensors. You will compare the applicability of the models to the maritime domain and the use on board for the purpose of wave height determination. In the current literature, only singular sensor values have been considered so far, disregarding transfer learning. [more]

Automation of a digital twin of a gantry crane using reinforcement learning

In the master's thesis, an AI agent is to be developed that enables the autonomous operation of a gantry crane in a container terminal. The agent will be trained and tested in a simulation environment to ensure the efficient and safe movement of containers. [ more ]

Integration of Berth Allocation and Storage Space Allocation at Seaport Container Terminals

When a container vessel arrives at a container terminal, it heads for its previously assigned berth, is moored, and unloading and loading begins with the help of ship-to-shore gantry cranes. This process must be organized efficiently: If the containers unloaded from the ship can be placed close to the berth and the containers to be loaded are also waiting close to it, the distances travelled by the horizontal transport vehicles to and from the ship-to-shore gantry crane can be minimised. You start with a structured literature review. How have berth planning and storage strategy been considered together to date? How have planning uncertainties been dealt with? In the next step, you create a small simulation model to abstractly recreate selected approaches and identify tipping points for a few operating systems. [ more ]

Approaches for an Indicator-based Comparison of Seaports

It is of both public and scientific interest to identify current and expected future bottlenecks in seaports. This is because maritime transport is key in the climate crisis due to the high energy efficiency of transport across seas. A clear picture of the current situation is needed in order to drive forward the expansion of ports in line with demand. That's why you start with structured research: What approaches are there for determining port KPIs and identifying bottlenecks? What information do these approaches rely on? In the second step, you calculate the KPIs for exemplary ports of your choice and compare them fairly. [ mehr ]

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

Knowledge Base
Starting the research process

How to Choose a Dissertation Topic | 8 Steps to Follow

Published on November 11, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 20, 2023.

Choosing your dissertation topic is the first step in making sure your research goes as smoothly as possible. When choosing a topic, it’s important to consider:

Your institution and department’s requirements
Your areas of knowledge and interest
The scientific, social, or practical relevance
The availability of data and resources
The timeframe of your dissertation
The relevance of your topic

You can follow these steps to begin narrowing down your ideas.

Step 1: check the requirements, step 2: choose a broad field of research, step 3: look for books and articles, step 4: find a niche, step 5: consider the type of research, step 6: determine the relevance, step 7: make sure it’s plausible, step 8: get your topic approved, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about dissertation topics.

The very first step is to check your program’s requirements. This determines the scope of what it is possible for you to research.

Is there a minimum and maximum word count?
When is the deadline?
Should the research have an academic or a professional orientation?
Are there any methodological conditions? Do you have to conduct fieldwork, or use specific types of sources?

Some programs have stricter requirements than others. You might be given nothing more than a word count and a deadline, or you might have a restricted list of topics and approaches to choose from. If in doubt about what is expected of you, always ask your supervisor or department coordinator.

Start by thinking about your areas of interest within the subject you’re studying. Examples of broad ideas include:

Twentieth-century literature
Economic history
Health policy

To get a more specific sense of the current state of research on your potential topic, skim through a few recent issues of the top journals in your field. Be sure to check out their most-cited articles in particular. For inspiration, you can also search Google Scholar , subject-specific databases , and your university library’s resources.

As you read, note down any specific ideas that interest you and make a shortlist of possible topics. If you’ve written other papers, such as a 3rd-year paper or a conference paper, consider how those topics can be broadened into a dissertation.

After doing some initial reading, it’s time to start narrowing down options for your potential topic. This can be a gradual process, and should get more and more specific as you go. For example, from the ideas above, you might narrow it down like this:

Twentieth-century literature Twentieth-century Irish literature Post-war Irish poetry
Economic history European economic history German labor union history
Health policy Reproductive health policy Reproductive rights in South America

All of these topics are still broad enough that you’ll find a huge amount of books and articles about them. Try to find a specific niche where you can make your mark, such as: something not many people have researched yet, a question that’s still being debated, or a very current practical issue.

At this stage, make sure you have a few backup ideas — there’s still time to change your focus. If your topic doesn’t make it through the next few steps, you can try a different one. Later, you will narrow your focus down even more in your problem statement and research questions .

There are many different types of research , so at this stage, it’s a good idea to start thinking about what kind of approach you’ll take to your topic. Will you mainly focus on:

Collecting original data (e.g., experimental or field research)?
Analyzing existing data (e.g., national statistics, public records, or archives)?
Interpreting cultural objects (e.g., novels, films, or paintings)?
Comparing scholarly approaches (e.g., theories, methods, or interpretations)?

Many dissertations will combine more than one of these. Sometimes the type of research is obvious: if your topic is post-war Irish poetry, you will probably mainly be interpreting poems. But in other cases, there are several possible approaches. If your topic is reproductive rights in South America, you could analyze public policy documents and media coverage, or you could gather original data through interviews and surveys .

You don’t have to finalize your research design and methods yet, but the type of research will influence which aspects of the topic it’s possible to address, so it’s wise to consider this as you narrow down your ideas.

It’s important that your topic is interesting to you, but you’ll also have to make sure it’s academically, socially or practically relevant to your field.

Academic relevance means that the research can fill a gap in knowledge or contribute to a scholarly debate in your field.
Social relevance means that the research can advance our understanding of society and inform social change.
Practical relevance means that the research can be applied to solve concrete problems or improve real-life processes.

The easiest way to make sure your research is relevant is to choose a topic that is clearly connected to current issues or debates, either in society at large or in your academic discipline. The relevance must be clearly stated when you define your research problem .

Before you make a final decision on your topic, consider again the length of your dissertation, the timeframe in which you have to complete it, and the practicalities of conducting the research.

Will you have enough time to read all the most important academic literature on this topic? If there’s too much information to tackle, consider narrowing your focus even more.

Will you be able to find enough sources or gather enough data to fulfil the requirements of the dissertation? If you think you might struggle to find information, consider broadening or shifting your focus.

Do you have to go to a specific location to gather data on the topic? Make sure that you have enough funding and practical access.

Last but not least, will the topic hold your interest for the length of the research process? To stay motivated, it’s important to choose something you’re enthusiastic about!

Most programmes will require you to submit a brief description of your topic, called a research prospectus or proposal .

Remember, if you discover that your topic is not as strong as you thought it was, it’s usually acceptable to change your mind and switch focus early in the dissertation process. Just make sure you have enough time to start on a new topic, and always check with your supervisor or department.

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

Sampling methods
Simple random sampling
Stratified sampling
Cluster sampling
Likert scales
Reproducibility

Statistics

Null hypothesis
Statistical power
Probability distribution
Effect size
Poisson distribution

Research bias

Optimism bias
Cognitive bias
Implicit bias
Hawthorne effect
Anchoring bias
Explicit bias

Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .

However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:

Researchability
Feasibility and specificity
Relevance and originality

All research questions should be:

Focused on a single problem or issue
Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
Specific enough to answer thoroughly
Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly

You can assess information and arguments critically by asking certain questions about the source. You can use the CRAAP test , focusing on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

Ask questions such as:

Who is the author? Are they an expert?
Why did the author publish it? What is their motivation?
How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence?

A dissertation prospectus or proposal describes what or who you plan to research for your dissertation. It delves into why, when, where, and how you will do your research, as well as helps you choose a type of research to pursue. You should also determine whether you plan to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.

It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives , ready to be approved by your supervisor or committee.

Note that some departments require a defense component, where you present your prospectus to your committee orally.

The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, November 20). How to Choose a Dissertation Topic | 8 Steps to Follow. Scribbr. Retrieved August 26, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/dissertation-topic/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to define a research problem | ideas & examples, what is a research design | types, guide & examples, writing strong research questions | criteria & examples, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

An aerial view of University of Idaho's Moscow campus.

Virtual Tour

Experience University of Idaho with a virtual tour. Explore now

Discover a Career
Find a Major
Experience U of I Life

More Resources

Admitted Students
International Students

Take Action

Find Financial Aid
View Deadlines
Find Your Rep

Two students ride down Greek Row in the fall, amid changing leaves.

Helping to ensure U of I is a safe and engaging place for students to learn and be successful. Read about Title IX.

Get Involved

Clubs & Volunteer Opportunities
Recreation and Wellbeing
Student Government
Student Sustainability Cooperative
Academic Assistance
Safety & Security
Career Services
Health & Wellness Services
Register for Classes
Dates & Deadlines
Financial Aid
Sustainable Solutions
U of I Library

A mother and son stand on the practice field of the P1FCU-Kibbie Activity Center.

Upcoming Events

Review the events calendar.

Stay Connected

Vandal Family Newsletter
Here We Have Idaho Magazine
Living on Campus
Campus Safety
About Moscow

The largest Vandal Family reunion of the year. Check dates.

Benefits and Services

Vandal Voyagers Program
Vandal License Plate
Submit Class Notes
Make a Gift
View Events
Alumni Chapters
University Magazine
Alumni Newsletter

SlateConnect

U of I's web-based retention and advising tool provides an efficient way to guide and support students on their road to graduation. Login to SlateConnect.

Common Tools

Administrative Procedures Manual (APM)
Class Schedule
OIT Tech Support
Academic Dates & Deadlines
U of I Retirees Association
Faculty Senate
Staff Council

College of Graduate Studies

Physical Address: Morrill Hall Room 104

Mailing Address: College of Graduate Studies University of Idaho 875 Perimeter Drive MS 3017 Moscow, ID 83844-3017

Phone: 208-885-2647

Email: [email protected]

Tips for Starting Your Thesis or Dissertation

By Jodie Nicotra, Department of English and Amy Ross, U of I Writing Center

Establish a clear structure. With your advisor, clarify a good question (one that matches with your interests but is also relevant and marketable); establish clear guidelines re: the process and what will be expected of you; establish a timeline with due dates (for proposal, chapter drafts, complete final draft, defense date, etc.); decide what role the other members of your committee will play in the process.
It’s a good idea to turn in a proposal early in the process to clarify what you plan to do in the project and make sure that everyone is on board with it ahead of time (see other side for typical proposal structure and tips for writing). After you discuss the proposal with your advisor, you can then send it to the other members of your committee. It’s a good idea to set up a meeting time where all of you can discuss it.
See example proposal structure on other side.
It’s a good idea to do a literature review as part of the proposal (and, of course, for science dissertations/theses this will be part of the document itself). While you have obviously learned from seminars, coursework, and lab work, this is probably your first major foray into the field. Doing a literature review will give you a better sense of the relevant questions or conversations within the field. Literature reviews also, generally speaking, help you to establish a better question for your project.
Framing an appropriate question (one that’s significant, answerable, and relevant to the field) and deciding on sites to examine is the most important part of the pre-work.
Divide up large tasks into more manageable ones. Commit yourself to working on your project (especially the writing part) for at least fifteen minutes every day to prevent procrastination and to keep the project moving.
Talk with your advisor about reading chapter drafts: earlier intervention often saves you and her/him a lot of work down the line (I recommend having due dates for chapter drafts).
If your advisor has more than one student working on a dissertation or thesis, a dissertation/thesis group might be a good idea. Meet once every three weeks to collectively review somebody’s draft.
Make sure that your advisor sees a final draft well before your defense date so that you have time for revision.

For more on this, see:

Joan Bolker, Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day (New York: Henry Holt & Co., 1998).
Eviatar Zerubavel, The Clockwork Muse: A Practical Guide to Writing Theses, Dissertations, and Books (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1999).
Peter Elbow, Writing with Power 2nd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998).
Anne Lamotte, Bird by Bird (New York: Random House, 1994).

IMAGES

130 Excellent Logistics Research Topics and Ideas
Logistics & transportation & warehousing
Logistics Supply Chain Management
Logistics: Perspectives, Approaches and Challenges
A Dissertation About Issues In logistics management
125 Unique Logistics Research Topics For Students To Consider

COMMENTS

50 Supply chain and logistic dissertation topics for 2024
1. Impact of Ukraine and Russia war on global logistics and supply chain. This topic tries to find the consequence of the ongoing war in Europe on the supply chain and logistics of the world. This is one of the best logistic dissertation topics for 2022 that is not yet covered in length. Therefore, one can easily develop a great thesis from it. 2.
110 Unique Logistics Research Topics To Deal With
Typically, logistics is a broad subject with numerous subfields and hence you may struggle to identify the right research topic for your logistics dissertation. But with our assistance, you can easily spot the best logistics research topics. Especially, for your convenience, in this blog, we have published a list of unique dissertation topics ...
Dissertation Topics In logistics And Supply Chain Management (30 Examples)
A list Of Dissertation Topics in logistic management. Investigating the impact of the change in demand and supply on the logistics functions and costs. Evaluating the growing importance of IT in the management of logistics and supply chain. Analyzing the influence of IT innovation on the effectiveness of logistics and supply chain management.
47 Best Research Proposal Topics in Logistics
Applying blockchain processes to the supply chains, transport, and logistics fields. Logistics and e-commerce policies: focus on potential barriers. Humanitarian logistics consulting: focus on the measures of improvement. Logistics in low-cost country sourcing: a systematic analysis.
Theses
Master Theses at MIT. Title: A Qualitative Mapping and Evaluation of an Aerospace Supply Chain Strategy. Author: Jonathan Hung and Nicholas Pierce. Advisor: Roberto Perez-Franco. Year: 2011. Program: M. Eng. in Logistics, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URL: CTL Publication Link.
Supply Chain Management Thesis Topics- Top 30 Ideas
The 7 Powerful Supply Chain Trends (I also dubbed "Supply Chain 7.0") have the potential to become a powerful influence over time. These trends, including Augmented reality (AR), Big Data, Gamification of the supply chain, moving supply chain to "Cloud," and Internet of Things (IoT) - Industry 4.0.
PDF The Challenges of Logistics 4.0 for the Supply Chain Management ...
This Master Thesis presents a framework of this new industrial (r)evolution applied to Logistics Processes, where Cyber-Physical System and technologies, which free humans to carry out activities which are repetitive and automatic, play an essential role. It is explained which are the technical components of Logistics 4.0, giving current examples
(PDF) Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain-related
Content analysis was utilized when examining the dissertation abstracts based on the key terms. 3.1 Defining logistics and supply chain management While logistics management is a part of SCM, because earlier compendiums specifically examined that topic, key search terms and subjects had to necessarily include logistics components if comparisons ...
PDF Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain-related areas
identiﬁed Nordic doctoral dissertations in logistics and SCM published from 2002 to 2008. They reviewed 70 dissertations completed at 30 universities in Denmark, ... • What are the most common dissertation topics exam-ined by students in the latest compendium of doctoral dissertations? • With the increasing interest in supply chain manage
Dissertation related to the supply chain
We suggest some ideas of topics for your dissertation on the supply chain: the impact of new technologies on the supply chain, the link between supply chain management and logistics. Photo Credit: Unsplash Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition. Subject 1 - Supply chain and the impact of new technologies. Subject 2 - Supply chain management and ...
Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain-related areas
The purpose of this article is to examine the output of logistics and supply chain-related dissertation research during the period, 2005-2009, and compare that output with earlier published dissertations from 1970 to 2004. Doctoral students and faculty members can identify emerging areas of research based on the year-by-year trends in topical coverage. Qualitative research analysis of 609 ...
PDF The importance of Green Logistics for the environmental and economic
Logistics is a principal function which supports the production and marketing systems of corporations. It intends to satisfy all the corporate goals by minimizing the costs. More specifically, logistics management strives to distribute the proper products, in the proper quantity, on the proper time, at the proper place, with the minimum cost. It
PDF Role of transportation in logistic management (A case study)
research was undertaken to define and comprehend the basic views of logistics and its various applications and the relationships between logistics and transportation. Mesut Kumru, Pınar Yıldız Kumru (Analytic hierarchy process application in selecting the mode of transport for a logistics company), journal of advanced trsansportation
Logistics & Supply Chain Research Topics
The International Journal of Logistics Management. 21:3, 338-352. Richey, R. Glenn, Anthony S. Roath, Judith M. Whipple, and Stanley E. Fawcett (2010), "Exploring a Governance Theory of Supply Chain Management: Barriers and Facilitators to Integration." Journal of Business Logistics. 31:1, 237-256.
(PDF) Defining transport logistics: A literature review and
in W oS) "Transport logistics in a su pply chain is usually an int ermediary that facilitates the. physical ows of goods from a point o f origin, i.e., shipper, to a point of destinatio n, i.e ...
Masters dissertations
Fardeen Afradh Mohideen Abdul Cader, 2022. Operations, Logistics and Supply Chain Management September 2022. Peter Ning, 2022. Feasibility of Last Mile Autonomous Drone Delivery in E-Commerce - An Exploratory Study. Keerthana Ravichandran, 2022. Stimulating and Evaluating Supply Chain Innovation in the Private Sector. Grace Tabb, 2021.
(PDF) Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain-related
Abstract and Figures. The purpose of this article is to examine the output of logistics and supply chain-related dissertation research during the period, 2005-2009, and compare that output with ...
Doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain ...
The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze Nordic doctoral dissertations in logistics and supply chain management (SCM) published from the years 2009-2014. The paper is based on a detailed review of 150 doctoral dissertations. Compared with previous studies, this paper identifies a trend toward: more dissertations based on a collection of articles than monographs; more ...
Open Master Topics
Open Master Topics. Below you will find the current topic proposals of the Institute for master theses. If you require further (detailed) information on individual topics, please contact the supervising employee directly by e-mail or telephone. We are always open to constructive ideas for a possible adaptation of topics.
Dissertation Topics in Transport and Logistics
Dissertation Topics in Transport and Logistics - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. The document discusses the challenges of writing a dissertation on transport and logistics, noting the extensive research, analysis of complex information, and synthesis required. It then introduces HelpWriting.net, which offers professional dissertation writing services ...
How to Choose a Dissertation Topic
Step 1: Check the requirements. Step 2: Choose a broad field of research. Step 3: Look for books and articles. Step 4: Find a niche. Step 5: Consider the type of research. Step 6: Determine the relevance. Step 7: Make sure it's plausible. Step 8: Get your topic approved. Other interesting articles.
2024 Best Online Bachelor's in Logistics Degree Programs Ranking in
These programs delve deeper into complex topics like global logistics and inventory management. Graduates often recount the thrill of engaging in real-world projects, collaborating with peers to solve logistical challenges faced by actual companies. The camaraderie built during late-night study sessions and group projects fosters a sense of ...
Thesis and Dissertations-College of Graduate Studies-University of Idaho
Thesis and Dissertation Resources. You will find all you need to know about starting and completing your thesis or dissertation right here using ETD (Electronic submission of Dissertations and Theses). Note: COGS at this time is unable to provide any troubleshooting support or tutorials on LaTeX. Please use only if you are knowledgeable and ...
Starting Tips-Thesis and Dissertations-COGS-University of Idaho
WRITING. Divide up large tasks into more manageable ones. Commit yourself to working on your project (especially the writing part) for at least fifteen minutes every day to prevent procrastination and to keep the project moving. Talk with your advisor about reading chapter drafts: earlier intervention often saves you and her/him a lot of work ...