UUֱ�� Desautels Faculty of Management - Operations Management News

A budgeting resource allocation model for capacity expansion

UUֱ�� — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 19:07:35 +0000

Authors: Senay Solak, Zhuoxin Li, Mehmet Gumus and Yueran Zhuo

Publication: International Journal of Production Economics
Articles in advance — published online: May 3, 2024
Volume 273, In progress (July 2024)

UUֱ�� Desautels professors and lecturers recognized at Faculty Awards

UUֱ�� — Fri, 24 May 2024 16:33:56 +0000

Across programs and subject areas, the UUֱ�� Desautels Faculty of Management recognizes the vital role that research, teaching, service and media engagement play in enriching the student experience and inspiring the next generation of leaders through the annual Faculty Awards. This year we recognize the following outstanding members of our faculty:

Research

UUֱ�� Desautels BCom Wins McCAIS Undergraduate Research Award 2024

UUֱ�� — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:51:24 +0000

Bachelor of Commerce student Nikki Tye is the recipient of the UUֱ�� Collaborative for AI & Society (McCAIS)’s Undergraduate Research Award (McURA) for Summer 2024. The $8,700 award, aimed at promoting interdisciplinary AI research in society, recognizes Nikki's project on "Protecting the Amazon Forest from Illegal Activity through Image Recognition and Operations Research: A Partnership with JungleKeepers and Peruvian Indigenous Communities."

2023 SSHRC Insight Development Grants

UUֱ�� — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 15:04:00 +0000

Congratulations to the UUֱ�� Desautels professors who received 2023 SSHRC Insight Grants.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) is the federal research funding agency that promotes and supports research and training in the humanities and social sciences.

UUֱ�� Desautels faculty members and researchers celebrated at Bravo Gala

UUֱ�� — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 17:55:09 +0000

UUֱ�� hosted its annual Bravo Gala on Thursday, March 21, which honours its faculty members and researchers who have won special awards, memberships and prizes over the past year. UUֱ�� Desautels is proud to announce 14 of its faculty amongst the distinguished honourees this year. Congratulations to our deserving laureates! Full list below.
#Bravo2024

· Geneviève Bassellier, Best AMCIS Emergent Research Forum Paper, Americas Conference on Information Systems

Retail Analytics in the New Normal: The Influence of Artificial Intelligence and the Covid-19 Pandemic

UUֱ�� — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 20:32:50 +0000

Authors: Y. Adulyasak, M. C. Cohen, W. Khern-Am-Nuai and M. Krause

Publication: IEEE Engineering Management Review, Forthcoming
Articles in Advance — published online: December 1, 2023

Abstract:

Maxime Cohen and Saibal Ray named Top Retail Experts for 2024

UUֱ�� — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 17:39:44 +0000

Two faculty members of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management (BSRM) have been named to Rethink Retail’s Top Retail Experts (TRE) list for 2024, one of the most prestigious global accolades in the Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry.

Nymisha Bandi named Runner-Up in the 2023 POMS CBOM Junior Scholar Paper Competition for "Incentivizing Healthy Food Choices Using Add-on Bundling: A Field Experiment”

UUֱ�� — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 21:03:58 +0000

Authors: Nymisha Bandi, Maxime C. Cohen and Saibal Ray

Managing Channel Profits with Positive Demand Externalities

UUֱ�� — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 18:34:10 +0000

Authors: Long Gao, Dawei Jian, Mehmet Gumus and Barry Mishra

Publication: Management Science, Forthcoming 2024.

Inventory Control and Learning for One-Warehouse Multistore system with Censored Demand

UUֱ�� — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 16:47:30 +0000

Authors: Recep Yusuf Bekci, Mehmet Gumus and Sentao Miao.

Publication: Operations Research, Forthcoming.
Article in advance, published online: August 2, 2023.

Bargain hunters beware: online deals can come with unanticipated conditions

UUֱ�� — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 18:22:24 +0000

Scouring for holiday gifts at bargain prices is a savvy way to cut costs, but the allure of Black Friday deals sometimes masks potential pitfalls. In an article for BNN Bloomberg, Associate Professor Vivek Astvansh emphasizes the need for caution among bargain hunters to ensure they're fully informed about any unforeseen conditions.

Holiday grocery price freeze includes more products this year, but long-term affordability solutions needed

UUֱ�� — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 18:20:32 +0000

This year, Canada’s large grocery chains are freezing the price for a greater variety of items than usual before the holidays. While 10-15% more products are included in the freeze this year, the true test of affordability will come later. “How high will grocery prices be when the price freeze ends?” asks Professor Saibal Ray in an interview with CBC Radio’s As It Happens.

Canada's big grocery chains face pressure to cut prices as food costs rise

UUֱ�� — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 17:54:42 +0000

Food prices rose by 5.8 per cent in September, prompting the federal government to ask Canada’s five largest grocery chains to provide a plan for how they will stabilize prices, with staple products a likely focus. “High transportation costs, inventory issues and other pressures driving up costs are subsiding,” says Professor Saibal Ray, who specializes in Operations Management. Ray, commenting to Financial Post and Toronto Star, suspects the grocers’ promises to Ottawa will involve price cuts.

Desautels-developed AI app is helping monkeys avoid injury in Costa Rica

UUֱ�� — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 16:17:57 +0000

When endangered howler monkey populations cross Costa Rica’s roads, they are vulnerable to injury from electrical wires and passing cars. Associate Professor Juan Camilo Serpa, partnering with Reserva Conchal, is using artificial intelligence to help prevent these injuries from occurring.

Artificial intelligence is helping Costa Rica NGOs preserve biodiversity

UUֱ�� — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 17:53:40 +0000

During a sabbatical year, Prof. Juan Camilo Serpa visited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Costa Rica, and found that while they were doing a lot of great work to help animals, they had little access to advanced technologies like data analytics and artificial intelligence. This inspired Serpa to re-focus his research toward the country’s NGOs, so he could help them implement new technologies that maximize the impact of their efforts.

UUֱ�� expands its business analytics degree with online delivery

UUֱ�� — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 16:53:35 +0000

UUֱ��’s Desautels Faculty of Management is launching an online version of its top-ranked Master of Management in Analytics (MMA) program. The 18-month online offering will feature the same high-quality curriculum and content as the in-person, full-time program, providing a balance of advanced statistics, technology and business strategy, and giving students a broad range of practical skills to turn data-driven insights into actionable solutions.

UUֱ�� Desautels Costa Rica study trip applies data analytics to sustainability projects

UUֱ�� — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 16:32:28 +0000

UUֱ�� students are working with Costa Rican non-governmental organizations to safeguard howler monkeys from road hazards. Through their research, they’ve created a "Mono-SOS" website for accident reporting in partnership with a local NGO, SalveMonos.

BSRM and MMA launch Data Sphere Lab

UUֱ�� — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 18:27:29 +0000

The Bensadoun School of Retail Management, in collaboration with the Master of Management in Analytics (MMA) at UUֱ�� Desautels Faculty of Management, is pleased to announce the launch of the Data Sphere Lab.

Go Wide or Go Deep? Assortment Strategy and Order Fulfillment in Online Retail

UUֱ�� — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 17:42:28 +0000

Authors: Sanjith Gopalakrishnan, Moksh Matta, Mona Imanpoor Yourdshahy and Vivek Choudhary

Publication: Manufacturing & Service Operations Management
Volume 25, Issue 3, May-June 2023, Pages 846-861

Prof Gopalakrishnan awarded FRQSC New Academics Grant

UUֱ�� — Fri, 05 May 2023 16:25:26 +0000

Congratulations to Sanjith Gopalakrishnan, Assistant Professor in Operations Management, who has been awarded the 2023-2024 FRQSC New Academics Grant (Soutien à la recherche pour la relève professorale):

“Systèmes de vélo-partage: Répercussions économiques et environnementales des stratégies opérationnelles”
(“Bike-sharing systems: Economic and environmental implications of operational strategies”)

Delve: AI-griculture, A High-Tech Approach to Decarbonizing Agricultural Food Supply Chains

UUֱ�� — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 19:21:59 +0000

One of the largest contributors to climate change worldwide, the agricultural food supply chain crosses international borders and reaches across industries and sectors. Reducing its environmental impact requires complex, high-tech solutions like artificial intelligence—and the people to implement them at the right time, in the right places.

Professor Nasiry awarded SSHRC Insight Development Grant

UUֱ�� — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 19:04:00 +0000

Congratulations to Javad Nasiry, Professor in Operations Management who was awarded a 2022-2023 SSHRC Insight Development Grant

“Analytical Models for Electronics Waste Management”

UUֱ��-led MiXR platform will connect Canada’s food and beverage sector

UUֱ�� — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 17:04:24 +0000

Thousands of restaurants and retailers across Canada sell food and beverages, and the logistics of getting these products where they need to be are complex. A new platform is using data to make it all more efficient. Led by Professor Laurette Dubé, Scientific Director of the UUֱ�� Centre for the Convergence of Health and Economics (MCCHE), MiXR will optimize resources throughout the food and beverage sector.

SAQ to reduce refrigeration to lower emissions, but other operations emit more

UUֱ�� — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 19:18:21 +0000

Quebecers who want to buy cold beer and wine may soon need to head to their local dépanneurs. The Societé des alcools du Québec (SAQ) plans to reduce the number of fridges in their stores from 2700 to 918, saying it’s part of their plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According Desautels assistant professor of operations management Sanjith Gopalakrishnan, this a good first step but there are bigger pieces to consider. "This will have cost savings for SAQ, and there might be some environmental benefits.

New challenge drives awareness of the environmental impact of clothing

UUֱ�� — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 14:13:01 +0000

We all need to wear clothing, but the environmental impact of purchasing clothing is significant, and a new initiative asks people to reflect on their own consumption. Participants in the New Clothing Detox Challenge refrain from clothing purchases during the month of March.

Companies must decarbonize supply chains to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and this can create risk for investors

UUֱ�� — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:57:57 +0000

As part of their effort to reduce emissions, large companies like McDonald’s have announced cuts to emissions from their own operations and power supply. These are known as Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, respectively. But large firms often do less to address emissions generated by the products they sell, which are known as Scope 3 emissions. McDonald’s is planning to install LED lights and power its restaurants with renewable energy. But it isn’t doing as much to address the carbon footprint of its food production.

Maxime Cohen and Saibal Ray named Top Retail Influencers for 2023

UUֱ�� — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 19:20:30 +0000

Two faculty members of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management were named to Rethink Retail’s Top Retail Influencers list for 2023. Professors Maxime Cohen and Saibal Ray were both recognized with this distinction, alongside some of the world’s top retail experts, consultants, analysts, academics, journalists, and thought leaders who are making an impact in the online retail community.

Managing Airfares Under Competition: Insights from a Field Experiment

UUֱ�� — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 16:52:46 +0000

Authors: Maxime C. Cohen, Alexandre Jacquillat, Juan Camilo Serpa and Michael Benborhoum

Publication: Management Science, Forthcoming

Clothing repairs and thrifting can help reduce the environmental footprint of the clothing you wear

UUֱ�� — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 15:24:55 +0000

Clothing companies used to offer just a few collections each year. Today, fast fashion companies like H&M or Zara offer dozens. One way they accomplish this is by reducing the quality of their clothing, but this increases the resources needed to make what we wear, and increases their environmental footprint as a result, said Javad Nasiry in an interview with BNN Bloomberg.

Excess inventory encourages steeper discounts in Black Friday sales

UUֱ�� — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 18:46:40 +0000

2021 was an anti-climactic year for Black Friday sales. Global supply chains had been disrupted, inventory was very low, and demand was very high. So, retailers had little incentive to sell items at discounted prices. 2022 has been a little different, said Prof Maxime Cohen in an interview with CTV News. Some supply chain disruptions have been alleviated, and there is excess inventory in certain product categories. This set of circumstances encourages retailers to discount products more aggressively.

Circular economy can help mitigate environmental impact of frenzied Black Friday shopping

UUֱ�� — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 15:40:52 +0000

Black Friday offers cut-rate deals, but low prices can come with a high environmental cost. If shoppers don’t make choices wisely, their purchases could end up in the landfill.

Constrained optimization of objective functions determined from random forests

UUֱ�� — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 20:26:10 +0000

Authors: Max Biggs, Rim Hariss and Georgia Perakis

Publication: Production and Operations Management, Forthcoming
First published online: September 2022

Abstract:

Professors Cohen, Khern-am-nuai awarded SSHRC Insight Grant

UUֱ�� — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 16:07:20 +0000

Congratulations to Maxime Cohen, Professor in Retail and Operations Management and Warut Khern-am-nuai, Associate Professor in Information Systems who were awarded a 2022 SSHRC Insight Grant.

“Understanding Fairness in Fair Machine Learning”

Retail power in distribution channels: A double-edged sword for upstream suppliers

UUֱ�� — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 20:23:24 +0000

Authors: Yuhong He, Saibal Ray and Shuya Yin

Publication: Production and Operations Management
Volume 31, Issue 6, June 2022, Pages 2681 – 2694

Abstract:

Offering a signing bonus can help companies recruit new worker’s, but industry-wide worker shortages remain

UUֱ�� — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 19:05:47 +0000

Canada’s trucking industry has a worker shortage, and competition for qualified drivers is high. The last-mile delivery company Sysco is offering truck drivers up to $30 an hour – with a $10,000 bonus once they meet all of the company’s service standards. This type of incentive can help address a company’s need for employees in the short-term, but it doesn’t address the larger problem, said Prof. Mehmet Gumus in an interview with CTV News.

Health data analytics can help improve access to health care

UUֱ�� — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 17:33:31 +0000

Health questionnaires are time-consuming – for doctors and patients alike. “The digitalization of all of those questions would allow patients to do lot of work before visiting a physician,” says Maxime Cohen, a Professor of Retail and Operations Management at Desautels and the Chief AI officer for ELNA Medical, Canada’s largest network of clinics. That would save a lot of time, and could help physicians see more patients, and increase access to health care for more people.

Clothing recycling programs do little to address fast fashion’s environmental impact

UUֱ�� — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 19:09:51 +0000

Speed and variety. These are the pillars of the fast fashion model. Retailers like H&M and Zara seek to bring style to the masses by emulating the trends of Paris and Milan, but their model of disposable clothing comes with a high environmental cost. With this business model in place, it simply is not possible for these businesses to be sustainable, said Prof.

Prof Maxime Cohen wins 2022 MSOM Young Scholar Prize

UUֱ�� — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 15:55:23 +0000

Congratulations to Maxime Cohen, Professor of Retail and Operations Management, winner of the 2022 MSOM Young Scholar Prize, awarded by Manufacturing and Service Operations Management - MSOM Society of INFORMS.

Taxing waste could help make fashion more sustainable

UUֱ�� — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 16:30:46 +0000

Reducing waste can help lower the environmental impact of any business, and Javad Nasiry believes that policy can help achieve this. The fashion industry is a major source of carbon emissions, and fast fashion retailers have made it worse with low-quality apparel designed to be worn only a few times.

Celebrating excellence in teaching at Desautels

UUֱ�� — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 18:45:01 +0000

Across programs and subject areas, the Desautels Faculty of Management recognizes the vital role that teaching plays in enriching the student experience and in inspiring the next generation of leaders.

The Distinguished Teaching Award recipients Sujata Madan and Juan Serpa were honoured at UUֱ��’s 2022 Management Convocation ceremony on June 1, for their excellence in teaching.

Delve: How Predictive Data Analysis Illuminates the Future of Retail, with Maxime Cohen

UUֱ�� — Fri, 27 May 2022 17:06:27 +0000

Artificial Intelligence innovation thrives in an environment where business arenas, fundamental research, and thought leadership overlap. As seen in recent AI initiatives in Montreal, determining the capacities of AI and related data analytics applications is essential to understanding how they will play out in the wider world, whether analyzing healthcare data or implementing predictive analytics in retail.

Desautels’ event highlights innovative research and recognizes scholars

UUֱ�� — Fri, 20 May 2022 19:17:35 +0000

On Friday, May 13, members of the Desautels Faculty of Management gathered to celebrate the innovative and impactful research conducted by its scholars.

Fifteen professors were on hand to deliver two-minute presentations of their most interesting and research.

Before jumping into the presentations, Dean Yolande Chan took the time to highlight this year's Desautels Faculty Scholar awardees. Congratulations to this year's awardees!

Professor Maxime Cohen makes Poets&Quants 2022 Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors list

UUֱ�� — Mon, 16 May 2022 17:03:34 +0000

Poets&Quants has named Professor Maxime Cohen to its annual Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors of 2022 list. The influential business school news site annually recognizes professors under the age of 40 who are masters in the classroom, influence business and policy, are prolific researchers and have demonstrated meaningful impact on their fields.

Delve podcast: New Normal: How Fast Fashion Can Slow Down and Go Green, with Javad Nasiry

UUֱ�� — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:50:21 +0000

Fast fashion is a rapidly expanding subsection of an already environmentally problematic industry. What does a truly sustainable fashion industry model look like—and will customers buy it?

Executives should understand what data tells them about the present – and the future

UUֱ�� — Mon, 02 May 2022 18:36:04 +0000

Data can tell you a lot about the current state of business, and what the future holds. That’s information that companies can use to make strategic decisions, and it is multiplying quickly. Up to 90 per cent of all data was created in the past two years alone. To leverage, Prof. Maxime Cohen recommends executive education programs in data science as a way to understand the possibilities, and communicate effectively with data scientists.

High margin impulse buys can help retailers boost profits

UUֱ�� — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 15:02:44 +0000

The check-out counter is the last place paying customers visit before they leave the store – and it is a retailer’s last chance to make a sale. The counter and the aisles that lead up to it are called a cash wrap, and can be arranged to entice customers to made additional purchases. A good cash wrap should incentivize impulse buys without being pushy, according to Prof. Maxime Cohen, a Professor of Retail and Operations Management at Desautels.

Tech companies are doing more international hiring – and paying engineers top dollar

UUֱ�� — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 19:26:52 +0000

Technology has long had the capability to enable work from anywhere that has a solid internet connection – but many companies haven’t been willing to use it that way. Even tech companies that create the tools for remote work have tended to concentrate their workforce in major tech hubs like Silicon Valley and Seattle.

The Morty Yalovsky Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes excellence in academic leadership – starting with Yalovsky himself

UUֱ�� — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 21:13:36 +0000

Prof. Morty Yalovsky started teaching at UUֱ�� in 1969 - the same year that the Montreal Expos played their first Major League Baseball game. The Expos moved on nearly two decades ago, but Prof. Yalovsky has been enriching university life ever since. On March 28, he was honoured with a Desautels Lifetime Service Award for more than five decades of service to the Desautels Faculty of Management.

In-store shopping technologies can replicate the ease of online shopping

UUֱ�� — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 18:36:47 +0000

Standing in a check-out line is the least pleasant part of the shopping experience – and it could become a thing of the past. New technology is allowing shoppers to make in-store purchases with their phones, and a variety of self-checkout pilot projects are already underway at stores in Montreal. Some are as simple as scanning a QR code, and confirming your credit card information.

Delve: Using International Supply Chains For Peace in Times of War with Juan Camilo Serpa

UUֱ�� — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 20:35:00 +0000

Risk is a fact of life in business—it’s also an ever-present reality in times of war. Wars and armed conflicts embroil 60% of the developing world, and now Ukraine and Russia, posing a constant threat to commodity production, the flow of international supply chains, and the economic lifeblood of these nations.

Prof. Maxime Cohen lands new role

UUֱ�� — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 20:18:39 +0000

Canada’s largest integrated network of medical clinics is using technological innovation to improve the patient-physician experience, and Bensadoun School of Retail Management Prof. Maxime Cohen will help them do it. ELNA Medical recently announced that Cohen will be their first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. The Professor of Retail and Operations Management will use his expertise AI to help ELNA Medical achieve better health outcomes for their patients.

Competition and coopetition for two-sided platforms

UUֱ�� — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 15:02:30 +0000

Authors: Maxime C. Cohen and Renyu Zhang

Publication: Production and Operations Management, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Pricing for Heterogeneous Products: Analytics for Ticket Reselling

UUֱ�� — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 20:10:43 +0000

Authors: M. Alley, M. Biggs, Rim Hariss, C. Herrmann, M.L. Li, and G. Perakis

Publication:

Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Forthcoming
Articles in Advance, pp. 1-18, February 2022

Abstract:

Prof. Maxime Cohen to develop AI systems in healthcare

UUֱ�� — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 18:44:34 +0000

Congratulations to Professor Maxime Cohen, Desautels’ Scale AI Chair in Data Science for Retail, on his recent appointment as ELNA Medical’s inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. In his new role, Cohen will leverage AI methodologies to improve health access and outcomes at primary and specialty care clinics across Canada.

How far is too far for retail innovation?

UUֱ�� — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 22:24:08 +0000

Professor Saibal Ray, academic director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, is concerned that the ongoing rise in retail technologies like self-checkout kiosks and smartphone-based order facilities may backfire as some shoppers find these features inconvenient and frustrating. While technology has proven useful for navigating social distancing guidelines, it can only go so far before it disrupts people’s sense of comfort and control, he says.

New trucker vaccine mandate adds to supply chain woes

UUֱ�� — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 22:14:23 +0000

As of January 15, truckers crossing from the U.S. to Canada must show proof of vaccination to enter the country. Canadian truckers are exempt from the federal mandate but must quarantine for 14 days upon their return. In a recent broadcast of “CBC News: The National,” Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, says the mandate could result in significant supply shortages. The segment begins at the 8:50 mark.

Desautels professor named top retail influencer in 2022

UUֱ�� — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 22:09:08 +0000

Congratulations to Professor Maxime Cohen for making Rethink Retail’s list of Top Retail Influencers of 2022 in the academia category. Recognized for his groundbreaking leadership as co-director of UUֱ��’s Retail Innovation Lab, Professor Cohen is making a name for himself at the forefront of retail transformation.

Learn more

Making investing more transparent

UUֱ�� — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 20:02:13 +0000

In a new paper, Professor Maxime Cohen and his colleagues push for IPOs to adopt “triggered disclosures” instead of one-size-fits-all disclosures about their operations. Although currently voluntary, mandatory triggered disclosures would maintain company privacy while setting a precedent for greater transparency with investors.

Shedding light on liquor shortages

UUֱ�� — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 22:47:22 +0000

Amid supply chain bottlenecks overseas, Canada is facing a significant shortage of imported liquor, leading provincial liquor authorities to encourage early, local shopping for holiday favourites. According to Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, the ongoing scarcity of transportation resources is only making the shortage more acute.

Prof Maxime Cohen's paper receives the CIST Best Conference Paper Nomination Award

UUֱ�� — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 22:26:56 +0000

Congratulations to Maxime Cohen, Professor of Retail and Operations Management, whose paper "The Effect of Short-Term Rentals on Residential Investment“ was selected as Best Conference Paper Nominee at the 2021 Conference on Information Systems and Technology (CIST)

Prof Wei Qi wins INFORMS Chuck ReVelle Rising Star Award 2021

UUֱ�� — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 22:13:17 +0000

Congratulations to Wei Qi, Associate Professor in Operations Management, Winner of the INFORMS Chuck ReVelle Rising Star Award 2021

Delve podcast: New Normal: How the Pandemic Changed Shopping Forever with Mehmet Gumus

UUֱ�� — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 14:51:12 +0000

How we shop today certainly isn’t the same as it was before March 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic launched a swift if unsteady shift in shopping habits—and retailers quickly learned that adaptation was essential to survival. Today, a hybrid retail approach is leading the way to increased sales.

Prof. Maxime Cohen named as SCALE AI Research Chair in Data Science for Retail

UUֱ�� — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 19:33:14 +0000

Congratulations to Professor Maxime Cohen, co-director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management’s retail innovation lab, for being awarded the SCALE AI Research Chair in Data Science for Retail. The five-year chair will use AI to encourage healthier food choices, re-use more goods via a circular economy, make small businesses more efficient by digitizing supply chains in emerging markets, and increase access to legal advice.

This holiday season is make-or-break for retailers

UUֱ�� — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 17:11:40 +0000

In light of ongoing supply chain bottlenecks and labour shortages, businesses may not offer their deepest discounts this holiday season. According to Professor Saibal Ray, the Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, 2021 sales will signal whether many retailers can stay afloat despite production delays.

Delve podcast: New Normal: Climate Change and the Supply Chain with Sanjith Gopalakrishnan

UUֱ�� — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 22:17:25 +0000

Carbon emissions from a typical company’s supply chain are on average 5.5 times that of direct emissions, including from facilities and company vehicles. In certain sectors such as retail and food & beverage, that ratio goes up to 10 or 20 times. Reducing the environmental impact of supply chain emissions depends on both public pressure and government regulation.

Shedding light on the supply chain dilemma

UUֱ�� — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 20:51:32 +0000

As retailers anticipate a welcome uptick in sales amid the holiday shopping season, manufacturing and delivery delays continue to limit just how much profit retailers can expect.

Solving for the economic impact of Airbnb rentals

UUֱ�� — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 20:42:16 +0000

In a new paper, Professor Maxime Cohen and his colleagues find that rental platforms like Airbnb help increase real estate investment and economic development in the long term. While jurisdictions like New York City have issued city-wide bans on these short-term rentals, primarily due to housing shortages, the researchers recommend establishing guidelines that meet community needs on a more local basis.

Desautels’ Juan Camilo Serpa earns Principal’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching

UUֱ�� — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 16:54:10 +0000

Juan Camilo Serpa, Associate Professor of Operations Management, was recently recognized with the Principal’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching for an approach that engages students by asking them to use data analytics to see familiar data in novel ways.

Learn more

Slowing the vehicle supply chain

UUֱ�� — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 21:47:31 +0000

In the race to cut down on global carbon emissions, many experts are turning their attention to automotive manufacturers and their customers. As a potential solution to slowing the vehicle supply chain, Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director at the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, suggests a collective pivot toward car rentals or other ride-share services in place of purchasing personal vehicles. The move would significantly decrease the number of cars in factories and on the road.

Finding solutions for fair, online pricing

UUֱ�� — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 13:52:59 +0000

With e-commerce here to stay, dynamic pricing algorithms are adjusting what individual consumers pay for their items online using a complex system of price comparisons and purchase histories. In a new episode of the podcast "In Machines We Trust,” produced by MIT Technology Review, Professor Maxime Cohen recommends clearer regulations for data collection to better protect the privacy and fair pricing experience of consumers.

Online-Exclusive or Hybrid? Channel Merchandising Strategies for Ship-to-Store Implementation

UUֱ�� — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 15:46:52 +0000

Authors: N. Ertekin, Mehmet Gumus, and M.E. Nikoofal

Publication: Management Science, Forthcoming

Abstract:

An Empirical Analysis of Intra-Firm Product Substitutability in Fashion Retailing

UUֱ�� — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 15:38:02 +0000

Authors: E. Ergin, Mehmet Gumus, and N. Yang

Publication: Production and Operations Management, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Incentives and Emission Responsibility Allocation in Supply Chains

UUֱ�� — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 15:34:14 +0000

Authors: Sanjith Gopalakrishnan, D. Granot, F. Granot, G. Sošić, and H. Cui

Publication: Management Science, Volume 67, Issue 7, July 2021, Pages 4172-4190

Abstract:

In-store technology is transforming retail spaces

UUֱ�� — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 17:58:51 +0000

Throughout the pandemic, in-store technologies like price-check kiosks and self-checkout have created a more convenient shopping experience for consumers and provided retailers with greater access to valuable data on shopping habits. But consumers are concerned about privacy, and retailers may not have the necessary resources to purchase and upkeep in-store tech.

How to reform tax opportunity zones

UUֱ�� — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 17:55:26 +0000

Professor Maxime Cohen joins Boston College’s Dmitry Mitrofanov to weigh in on tax opportunity zones in the U.S. Designed to generate cash flow in lower-income areas, opportunity zone programs have proven useful for both residential and corporate real estate developers. On the other hand, these programs would benefit from clearer metrics and more adaptable protocols for identifying communities in which to invest.

Professor Cohen awarded 2021 NSERC Discovery Grant

UUֱ�� — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 21:30:59 +0000

Maxime Cohen, Professor of Retail and Operations Management awarded 2021 NSERC Discovery Grant

Frictionless shopping pays off

UUֱ�� — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 14:25:43 +0000

As convenient becomes more synonymous with contactless, Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, sees a wealth of opportunity for retailers to innovate.

By providing more digital options, both in-store and online, retailers can set the stage for a boost in sales and customer loyalty that exceeds their investment in technology upgrades.

Charging an Electric Vehicle-Sharing Fleet

UUֱ�� — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 20:37:43 +0000

Electric vehicle (EV) sharing programs rely on publicly available charging infrastructure. Yet often there simply isn’t enough infrastructure to go around, creating a major barrier to success. In 2016, the vehicle sharing company Car2Go sold off its fleet of EVs in San Diego largely because the city’s charging infrastructure couldn’t keep pace with demand. Or so it seemed. With too many vehicles being dropped off at a few charging points in high-use areas, delays grew.

Gauging progress in Canada’s vaccination efforts

UUֱ�� — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 13:43:26 +0000

Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, joins a group of experts on the Bill Kelly Show podcast to share his perspective on the status of Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout initiative, including the growing pressure to expand vaccine access on a global scale.

Promotion Optimization for Multiple Items in Supermarkets

UUֱ�� — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 14:16:47 +0000

Authors: Maxime C. Cohen, J.J. Kalas, and G. Perakis

Publication: Management Science, Volume 67, Issue 4, April 2021, Pages 2340-2364.

Abstract:

Delve - The "New Normal" podcast: Black Swan Event with Saibal Ray

UUֱ�� — Fri, 21 May 2021 20:36:07 +0000

In episode 1 of The ‘New Normal’ hosted by Dave Kaufman, Professor Saibal Ray highlights the successes and failures of the COVID-19 vaccine procurement and global distribution, compares Israel's effort to Canada's, and questions if Canada will want to do all that’s necessary to be prepared should similar incidents arise in the future.

Vaccine benefits far outweigh the risks

UUֱ�� — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 16:01:56 +0000

Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, joins the Scott Thompson Show to offer his perspective on the safety of AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines in the wake of health scares.

Listen (from 3:45 – 16:50)

Researchers find real-world case study in COVID-19 vaccine distribution

UUֱ�� — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 13:11:38 +0000

The just-in-time inventory system may have revolutionized supply chain management, but the staggering complexity of distributing COVID-19 vaccines calls for a more nuanced approach. Professor Saibal Ray brings his supply chain expertise to bear on the issue, painting the challenge in vivid detail and recognizing the opportunity to make supply chains more resilient in the future.

Predicting the future of domestic vaccine production

UUֱ�� — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 13:05:25 +0000

Professor Saibal Ray joins the Scott Thompson Show podcast to answers questions about current state of COVID-19 vaccine acquisition across Canada. Recently, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced a substantial provincial investment in the construction of a new, state-of-the-art influenza vaccine facility.

Behind Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine shortage

UUֱ�� — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 15:34:01 +0000

Professor Saibal Ray recently made a guest appearance on The Bill Kelly Show on Global News Radio to discuss the current vaccine shortage in Canada.

From Ray’s perspective, politics has played a central role in many countries’ decision to reserve vaccines for their own citizens, but navigating a complex supply chain has also factored into the difficulties experienced by countries like Canada.

Constant Job-Allowance Policies for Appointment Scheduling: Performance Bounds and Numerical Analysis

UUֱ�� — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 18:21:37 +0000

Authors: S. Zhou, Yichuan Ding, W.T. Huh, and G. Wan

Publication: Production and Operations Management, Forthcoming

Abstract:

A Simple Rule for Pricing with Limited Knowledge of Demand

UUֱ�� — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 18:11:39 +0000

Authors: Maxime C. Cohen, G. Perakis, R.S. Pindyck

Publication: Management Science, Volume 67, Issue 3, March 2021, Pages 1608-1621.

Abstract:

A Fluid Model for One-Sided Bipartite Matching Queues with Match-Dependent Rewards

UUֱ�� — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 17:48:19 +0000

Authors: Yichuan Ding, S.T. McCormick and M. Nagarajan

Publication: Operations Research, Forthcoming

Abstract:

An Achievable-Region-Based Approach for Kidney Allocation Policy Design with Endogenous Patient Choice

UUֱ�� — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 16:28:26 +0000

Authors: B. Ata, Yichuan Ding, and S. Zenios

Publication: Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Volume 23, Issue 1, January 2021, Pages: 36-54.

Abstract:

One year later, COVID-19 still disrupting supply and demand

UUֱ�� — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 18:15:09 +0000

According to Professor Saibal Ray, most companies were ill-prepared to deal with the surging demand for essential goods after the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020.

Panic buying and hoarding combined with transport shutdowns to make shortages even more severe.

One year later, we are still feeling the ripple effects of the initial shock to the supply chain.

Turning data into decisions

UUֱ�� — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 17:02:16 +0000

Professor Mehmet Gumus, Academic Director of the Master of Management in Analytics (MMA) program, joins SAP’s On-Demand Webcast to highlight how data interpretation impacts business decisions at every level of an organization. According to Gumus, the primary goal in teaching data analysis to MMA students at Desautels is to help them understand “what just happened, what will happen, and what should happen” in a business setting.

Mass vaccination possible for Canada despite supply shortage

UUֱ�� — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 13:39:13 +0000

As Canada struggles with a shortage of vaccine doses, Professor Saibal Ray says the government has an opportunity to get a mass vaccination plan in place by the time the supply chain stabilizes.

He points to indoor sites such as convention centres and malls as possible vaccination sites during the winter and larger venues like NHL arenas during summer months.

Package-free stores aim to eliminate waste

UUֱ�� — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 21:21:06 +0000

A new wave of sustainability-focused retailers are embracing a package-free retail trend to minimize the environmental impact of shopping for groceries and everyday goods.

Professor Saibal Ray, the academic director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, applauds the innovative attempts to avoid packaging while pointing out the difficulty of implementation.

Pfizer delay causing vaccine shortage in Quebec

UUֱ�� — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 22:44:02 +0000

Quebec will receive only half of the expected Pfizer-BioNtech vaccines by February 8^th due to strategy adjustments made by production facilities in Europe. Accelerated vaccine deliveries are planned for February and March to address the shortfall. The shortage will mainly affect elderly patients in long-term care, who were set to receive the second round of the vaccine in mid-March.

Crowdshipping could be answer to delivery delays as e-commerce soars

UUֱ�� — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 14:33:16 +0000

The sharp rise in e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic has strained the ability of Canada Post and private couriers alike to keep up with demand.

Avoiding a vaccine vial shortage

UUֱ�� — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 20:28:33 +0000

The launch of the largest vaccination campaign in history involves the mass production of medical vials constructed out of borosilicate glass.

Restaurant automation gains new appeal during pandemic

UUֱ�� — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 20:19:42 +0000

As social distancing measures remain in replace across Canada, consumers are flocking to buy automated food and drink kiosks for fresh, made-to-order food and beverages with little to no human contact.

Logistical challenges stand in the way of COVID-19 vaccine

UUֱ�� — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 18:59:21 +0000

Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, describes the daunting complexity involved in ramping up the first round of COVID-19 vaccine production. From transportation to coordination, getting the right amount of vaccines to the right place and the right time is no small feat. Learn more

Retail for a post-COVID world

UUֱ�� — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 21:03:25 +0000

Professor Saibal Ray weighs in on the strategies that will propel retailers to success in a post-pandemic landscape where the optimal customer experience is a frictionless experience. As the academic director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, Prof. Ray oversees the newly launched Master of Management in Retailing and the upcoming opening of a retail innovation lab that will give customers a glimpse of the future of retail.

Inventory in Times of War

UUֱ�� — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 17:02:37 +0000

Authors: Andres F. Jola-Sanchez and Juan Camilo Serpa

Publication: Management Science, 67(10):6457-6479

Abstract:

We study how armed conflicts affect inventory across firms’ production facilities. We track 38,916 production facilities—including plantations, livestock farms, and factories—in war-torn Colombian regions; we also collect the data of 5,138 attacks performed by the two rebel groups involved in Colombia’s civil war. To obtain exogenous variation in the conflict intensity, we use a difference-in-differences model that hinges on the peace process between the government and one of the guerrilla groups. We find that when the conflict intensity increases by one order of magnitude, inventory decreases by up to 10.38%. Firms, however, barely reduce finished inventory during war; they mainly reduce raw and work-in-process inventory. To offset this inventory reduction, firms increase their cash holdings—that is, they shift their working capital from physical inventory to liquid assets. The location of the facility moderates the effect of war: when a facility is close to a distribution center—hence, inventory travels short distances—the firm responds to violence by aggressively reducing inventory; when a facility is far from a distribution center, the firm reacts less aggressively to war.

COVID-19 pandemic spurs growth in data analytics and business intelligence

UUֱ�� — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 21:47:28 +0000

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, companies are relying more heavily than ever on data analytics and business intelligence applications to weather the storm. Led by Professor Juan Serpa, a student-run initiative called COVID-QC is providing approximate real-time information about infection, death, and recovery numbers in Quebec to help leaders make more strategic, data-informed decisions.

Montreal retailers plan for month-long Black Friday to stay afloat

UUֱ�� — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 19:35:21 +0000

Struggling Montreal retailers hope to build a critical mass of shoppers downtown through offering traditional Black Friday sales and events for multiple days, even up to a month in some stores. Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, weighs in on their Hail Mary strategy.

Learn more

Maxime Cohen appointed Associate Editor of Management Science

UUֱ�� — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 20:23:42 +0000

Maxime Cohen, Associate Professor of Retail Management and Operations Management, was recently appointed Associate Editor of Management Science

QS ranks UUֱ�� MMA best in Canada, 10th in the world

UUֱ�� — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 14:18:13 +0000

Only two years since the program launched in 2018, the Master of Management (MMA) program at UUֱ�� has carved a spot in the top 10 business analytics programs in the world and taken the top spot in Canada.

Released today, the QS World University Rankings places the UUֱ�� MMA 10^th in the QS Masters in Business Analytics Rankings 2021.

Professor Robert David named Vice-Dean of Faculty

UUֱ�� — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:56:21 +0000

Professor Robert David has been appointed Vice-Dean (Faculty) of the Desautels Faculty of Management at UUֱ��.

Delve: Adapting our Global Supply Chains During a Historic Pandemic

UUֱ�� — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 19:55:36 +0000

For the last several decades we have been conditioned to assume that necessities like food items and cleaning supplies will be readily available whenever we require them. But the COVID-19 pandemic has upended those supply chains, as well as those for other necessities, such as medical devices (e.g. respirators) and personal protective equipment (e.g. masks, gloves). In this context, UUֱ��’s Saibal Ray explores how Canada can best adapt its global supply chains and the lessons to be learned.

Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou steps down as Dean of Desautels

UUֱ�� — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 20:52:58 +0000

After five years at the helm of the Desautels Faculty of Management, Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou has been appointed the new Dean of Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. Dean Bajeux-Besnainou will end her second term as Dean in October 2020.

Desautels professors celebrated for their teaching excellence

UUֱ�� — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 16:54:51 +0000

Congratulations to Sebastien Betermier, Professor of Finance, and Wei Qi, Professor of Operations Management, who were honoured at UUֱ��’s Management Convocation ceremony for their excellence in teaching.

Delve: The Retailer’s Post-Pandemic Playbook

UUֱ�� — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 14:06:46 +0000

Even if the spread of COVID-19 shows signs of slowing down and retail stores begin to reopen, the economic recovery from the shutdown will be long and convincing people to visit brick-and-mortar stores will be a challenge. Professors Maxime Cohen and Saibal Ray of UUֱ��’s Bensadoun School of Retail Management share two retail strategies that will be useful moving forward.

Desautels professors awarded IVADO research funding

UUֱ�� — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 13:29:58 +0000

Four Desautels professors have been awarded research grants by the Institute for Data Valorization (IVADO), a Montreal-based scientific and economic data science hub. The grants will fund three two-year research projects led by Desautels professors as part of IVADO’s Fundamental Research Funding Program.

Preparing case studies for today’s learners

UUֱ�� — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 17:58:30 +0000

In business schools, operations management (OM) and analytics courses often use case studies to drive student learning. While OM cases have traditionally focused on applications in production and manufacturing, millennial and Gen Z students are increasingly drawn to more practical, hands-on cases that develop their skills in areas like programming and data analytics.

Delve: Consumer Behaviour in the Post-Pandemic Retail Landscape

UUֱ�� — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 21:30:04 +0000

As the world rallies to contain the spread of COVID-19, consumers continue to adapt to the new normal, characterized by stringent physical distancing and self-quarantining measures. In such a context, few aspects of consumer behaviour will be left unchanged over the long term. Professors Maxime Cohen and Saibal Ray of UUֱ��’s Bensadoun School of Retail Management outline four shifts that we can expect to see.

Protecting consumers from supply chain disruptions during global crises

UUֱ�� — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:05:01 +0000

COVID-19 has resulted in significant disruptions to the supply chain, particularly for necessities such as medical devices and personal protective equipment (PPE). Such large-scale disruptions have become a matter of life or death for some, with manufacturing and transportation systems almost coming to a global standstill.

Conflict Analytics Lab launches app for workers laid off during the pandemic

UUֱ�� — Wed, 13 May 2020 21:04:31 +0000

In the wake of COVID-19, nearly two million Canadians have lost their jobs with many more facing employment uncertainties. For laid off workers, understanding their legal rights can be a daunting task in an already challenging situation.

Professor Serpa awarded grant to monitor COVID-19’s impact on business

UUֱ�� — Fri, 08 May 2020 16:20:40 +0000

UUֱ�� has awarded Professor Juan Serpa with MI4 Emergency COVID-19 Research Funding to monitor COVID-19’s impact on business in Canada and across the world. Titled Quebec Data Central for Impact of Covid-19 on Society and Business and for a Post-Pandemic World, the one-year project aims to support businesses, researchers and policymakers in making informed decisions in the post-COVID era.

UUֱ�� team creates COVID-19 dashboard to monitor Montreal and Quebec cases

UUֱ�� — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 17:51:56 +0000

Under the supervision of Professors Juan Serpa and Mehmet Gumus, a team of UUֱ�� Desautels students have partnered with students from the Faculty of Engineering to develop a dashboard that tracks COVID-19 cases in Montreal and Quebec.

Desautels Professor Maxime Cohen and student Matthieu Reed publish Tableau case study

UUֱ�� — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 17:48:22 +0000

Professor Maxime Cohen and Desautels student Matthieu Reed (BCom’20), in collaboration with Columbia Business School Professor Daniel Guetta, have created a case study entitled "Modern Retail Analytics: Data Visualization Using Tableau".

Desautels students create dashboard to track COVID-19 cases in Canada

UUֱ�� — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 21:23:34 +0000

UUֱ�� Desautels students Venkatesh Chandra and Ramy Hammam recently developed an analytics-based COVID-19 dashboard to monitor cases across Canada in an effort to combat the spread of panic and misinformation.

Professor Cohen wins early career award for operations management research

UUֱ�� — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 17:44:24 +0000

Maxime Cohen, Associate Professor of Retail Management and Operations Management at the Desautels Faculty of Management, has been awarded the Wickham Skinner Early-Career Research Accomplishments Award. This award was given by the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS).

The Early-Career Research Accomplishments Award recognizes researchers who have received their doctoral degree within the previous six years and whose research has broadened the way that POM is conceptualized, practiced, and viewed.

Delve: Converting Commuters into Carpoolers

UUֱ�� — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 19:29:10 +0000

Congestion pricing policies, carpool lanes, and new light rail train or subway infrastructure are all expensive, long-term ways for governments to battle traffic. A simpler solution, focused on human behaviour more than infrastructure, is convincing people to carpool.

Value of Audit for Supply Chains with Hidden Action and Information

UUֱ�� — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 14:14:48 +0000

Authors: Mohammad Nikoofal, Mehmet Gumus

Publication: European Journal of Operational Research, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Queen’s and UUֱ�� partner up through the Conflict Analytics Lab

UUֱ�� — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 18:01:19 +0000

Two of Canada’s most storied universities have joined forces to apply cutting-edge technology to the legal profession.

The Queen’s University Faculty of Law and the Desautels Faculty of Management at UUֱ�� have partnered to advance the work of the Conflict Analytics Lab, a research lab that will widen access to justice using technology.

Delve: Optimizing Oversight for Improved Project Delivery

UUֱ�� — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 14:31:01 +0000

Holding someone accountable is no simple undertaking. Oversight is a necessary part of doing business but it’s cumbersome, requires resources, and is riddled with paperwork.

While there may not be a single, all-encompassing technique to make scrutiny less cumbersome, UUֱ��’s Juan Serpa and co-authors find that companies and government agencies can make simple adjustments to improve the efficiency of their checks and balances. The key is to be flexible and open to innovation.

Professor Saibal Ray publishes new book

UUֱ�� — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 20:49:52 +0000

In his new book Channel Strategies and Marketing Mix in a Connected World, Professor Saibal Ray puts the spotlight on how the digitalization of the retail channel affects consumers, products, and sustainability.

Learn more

Supply Competition under Quality Scores: Motivations, Information Sharing and Credibility

UUֱ�� — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 21:42:03 +0000

Authors: Hedayat Alibeiki, Mehmet Gumus

Publication: International Journal of Production Economics, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Evaluation of the allocation performance in a fashion retail chain using data envelopment analysis

UUֱ�� — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 21:28:31 +0000

Authors: He Huang, Shanling Li & Yu Yu

Publication: The Journal of the Textile Institute, Vol. 110, Issue 6, Pages 901-910, 2019

Abstract:

Consumers show a rising interest in retail events

UUֱ�� — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 16:02:25 +0000

As we see a growing interest in retail events, retailers are tasked with the challenge of finding new and exciting ways to draw in customers. The expansion of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales into a week-long event indicates that the retail industry is showing no signs of slowing down.

Bensadoun School on the rising popularity of Black Friday sales

UUֱ�� — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 15:45:37 +0000

For many stores, Black Friday is now a week-long sale catering to the needs of both online and in-store shoppers. Professor Saibal Ray talks to Global News about the rising popularity of Black Friday sales and how the Bensadoun School of Retail Management is preparing the next generation of retailers to enhance the customer’s journey.

Watch interview

Community treatment order outcomes in Quebec – a unique jurisdiction

UUֱ�� — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 15:57:33 +0000

Authors: Daniel Frank, Fan E, Angelos Georghiou, and Vedat Verter

Publication: The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, Forthcoming

Objective:

Making legal work accessible with AI

UUֱ�� — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 15:05:09 +0000

Professor Maxime Cohen has partnered with Professor Samuel Dahan, Director of the Conflict Analytics Lab, to support the development of an AI-powered dispute resolution tool that will provide legal predictions and negotiation support for self-represented litigants.

Professor Maxime Cohen’s work recognized at 2019 INFORMS conference

UUֱ�� — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 14:46:00 +0000

At the 2019 INFORMS Annual Meeting, Professor Maxime Cohen, with co-authors Ruben Lobel and Georgia Perakis, was awarded the Best Operations Management Paper in Management Science Award within the past three years for their paper “The Impact of Demand Uncertainty on Consumer Subsidies for Green Technology Adoption”. This paper also received an honourable mention for the best publication in environment and sustainability award.

Delve: How to Keep Suppliers Honest—Instead of Allowing them Every Opportunity not to Be

UUֱ�� — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 13:37:33 +0000

New research from Prof Mehmet Gumus explores the challenges that companies face when monitoring product quality in distant factories, and how choosing the right contract structure can incentivize suppliers to deliver higher quality products.

This article is brought to you by Delve, the official thought leadership publication of UUֱ��'s Desautels Faculty of Management.

2019 SSHRC Grants awarded

UUֱ�� — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 16:21:35 +0000

Congratulations to the Desautels professors who received 2019 SSHRC Grants.

SSHRC Insight Development Grants

MMA Students Gain Hands-on Experience at Pratt & Whitney Canada

UUֱ�� — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 15:09:37 +0000

As core to the Master of Management in Analytics (MMA) program, the EXP Analytics Consulting module has MMA students working alongside industry professionals over a 10-month period solving a significant Data & Analytics problem, aimed to boost the client’s top or bottom lines.

Take a look at what our MMA students have to say after working with partner Pratt & Whitney Canada.

Watch video >

Professor Juan Camilo Serpa awarded 2019 SSHRC Insight Development Grant

UUֱ�� — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 15:28:05 +0000

Juan Camilo Serpa, Associate Professor in Operations Management, awarded 2019 SSHRC Insight Development Grant

UUֱ�� meets rising demand for specialty business degrees

UUֱ�� — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 19:16:11 +0000

Masters degrees in fields like finance and big data are quickly becoming a popular alternative to the traditional MBA for students looking to specialize. Professor Mehmet Gumus, Academic Director for the Master of Management in Analytics (MMA), and Rida Mehdi (MMA'19) weigh in on the unique advantages of a specialty degree.

Mehmet Gumus appointed to Editorial Board of Manufacturing & Service Operations Management

UUֱ�� — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 19:53:18 +0000

Mehmet Gumus, Associate Professor in Operations Management, was recently appointed to the Editorial Board of Manufacturing & Service Operations Management (M&SOM).

Professor Mehmet Gumus awarded 2019 NSERC Discovery Grant

UUֱ�� — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 19:47:41 +0000

Mehmet Gumus, Associate Professor in Operations Management was recently awarded a 2019 NSERC Discovery Grant.

Design and Analysis of Data-driven Pricing and Supply Chain Strategies for Online Multi-sided Platforms

Recently, there is growing research focusing on the use of data-driven methods for the management of multi-sided retail platforms that are exposed to increasing degrees of online and offline data streams.

MMA students find inspiration on inaugural Study Trip in San Francisco

UUֱ�� — Mon, 29 Jul 2019 21:36:37 +0000

The UUֱ�� Master of Management in Analytics (MMA) degree is a pre-experience, twelve-month specialized program in the evolving field of management analytics with a strong emphasis on experiential learning.

As part of this hands-on learning, the first cohort of MMA students went on the program's inaugural Study Trip to San Francisco in June.

Wei Qi awarded 2019 NSERC Discovery Grant

UUֱ�� — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 17:49:45 +0000

Congratulations to Wei Qi, Assistant Professor in Operations Management, awarded 2019 NSERC Discovery Grant “Towards a Smart-City Future: Urban-Scale Integration of Mobility and Energy Systems”.

Wei Qi awarded 2019 FRQSC New Academics Grant

UUֱ�� — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 17:41:05 +0000

Congratulations to Wei Qi, Assistant Professor in Operations Management, awarded the 2019 FRQSC New Academics Grant (Soutien à la recherche pour la relève professorale) “Le partage de la mobilité durable dans les villes intelligentes” (“Sharing Sustainable Mobility in Smart Cities”).

Celebrating excellence in teaching at Desautels

UUֱ�� — Tue, 21 May 2019 18:57:04 +0000

On May 16, the Desautels community gathered to recognize faculty who have gone above and beyond in their teaching. Congratulations to the following recipients of the 2018-19 teaching awards!

Building a better business through data analytics

UUֱ�� — Tue, 21 May 2019 18:46:07 +0000

Discover how Professor Juan Serpa and a team of Desautels students are using data analytics to streamline operations for Santropol Roulant.

Igniting the power of data analytics

UUֱ�� — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 18:51:48 +0000

Discover how Professor Juan Serpa and the 16 Desautels students comprising a new food analytics club are revolutionizing the operations of beloved NPO Santropol Roulant – and it’s all through the power of data analytics.

Low-complexity method for hybrid MPC with local optimality guarantees

UUֱ�� — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 18:03:29 +0000

Authors: Damian Frick, Angelos Georghiou, Juan L. Jerez, Alexander Domahidi, and Manfred Morari

Publication: SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization, Forthcoming

Abstract:

A Primal-Dual Lifting Scheme for Two-Stage Robust Optimization

UUֱ�� — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 14:22:03 +0000

Authors: Angelos Georghiou, Angelos Tsoukalas, Wolfram Wiesemann

Publication: Operations Research, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Two-stage robust optimization problems, in which decisions are taken both in anticipation of and in response to the observation of an unknown parameter vector from within an uncertainty set, are notoriously challenging. In this paper, we develop convergent hierarchies of primal (conservative) and dual (progressive) bounds for these problems that trade off the competing goals of tractability and optimality: While the coarsest bounds recover a tractable but suboptimal affine decision rule approximation of the two-stage robust optimization problem, the refined bounds lift extreme points of the uncertainty set until an exact but intractable extreme point reformulation of the problem is obtained. Based on these bounds, we propose a primal-dual lifting scheme for the solution of two-stage robust optimization problems that accommodates for generic polyhedral uncertainty sets, infeasible problem instances as well as the absence of a relatively complete recourse. The incumbent solutions in each step of our algorithm afford rigorous error bounds, and they can be interpreted as piecewise affine decision rules. We illustrate the performance of our algorithm on illustrative examples and on an inventory management problem.

Performance guarantees for model-based Approximate Dynamic Programming in continuous spaces

UUֱ�� — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 18:51:43 +0000

Authors: Paul N. Beuchat, Angelos Georghiou, and John Lygeros

Publication: IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Evaluation of the allocation performance in a fashion retail chain using data envelopment analysis

UUֱ�� — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 20:36:23 +0000

Authors: He Huang, Shanling Li & Yu Yu

Publication: The Journal of The Textile Institute, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Grocery stores for a more ethical world

UUֱ�� — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 17:29:16 +0000

While most will agree with making ethical food choices in theory, it remains difficult to sway consumers to change their buying behaviors.

For Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, the benefits must be apparent and immediate for the average shopper.

The key, he goes on to explain, is finding ways to save people time and money.

Welcoming a new MMA advisory member

UUֱ�� — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 18:47:25 +0000

The Masters of Management in Analytics program is pleased to announce that Wemba Opota, National Technology Strategist at Microsoft, has joined the program’s Advisory Board.

Learn more

Welcoming a new MMA advisory member

UUֱ�� — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 17:25:20 +0000

The Master’s of Management in Analytics program is pleased to announce that Richard Hines, Senior Director, Data and Digital Enablement at Air Canada, has joined the program’s Advisory Board.

Shoppers hit the stores with sights set on bargains

UUֱ�� — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 17:51:17 +0000

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become synonymous with frenzied shoppers looking to get the best deals on their favorite products.

In light of their growing appeal, Professor Saibal Ray charts the development of these major shopping events, particularly within the Canadian market.

Insights into the changing face of retail

UUֱ�� — Fri, 23 Nov 2018 18:44:39 +0000

On one of the biggest shopping days of the year, Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management joins Global News Morning to explore the unique opportunities that the school will bring for students and researchers interested in the evolving retail sector.

Watch video

Open for Business: UUֱ��’s Bensadoun School of Retail Management dedicated to the future of retail

UUֱ�� — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 15:30:09 +0000

Interdisciplinary teaching and research hub equips next generation of leaders to promote sustainable retail practices

The Decision Rule Approach to Optimization under Uncertainty: Methodology and Applications

UUֱ�� — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 15:54:28 +0000

Authors: Angelos Georghiou, Daniel Kuhn, Wolfram Wiesemann

Publication: Computational Management Science, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Robust Dual Dynamic Programming

UUֱ�� — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 15:52:25 +0000

Authors: Angelos Georghiou, Angelos Tsoukalas, Wolfram Wiesemann

Publication: Operations Research, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Multi-stage robust optimization problems, where the decision maker can dynamically react to consecutively observed realizations of the uncertain problem parameters, pose formidable theoretical and computational challenges. As a result, the existing solution approaches for this problem class typically determine suboptimal solutions under restrictive assumptions. In this paper, we propose a robust dual dynamic programming (RDDP) scheme for multi-stage robust optimization problems. The RDDP scheme takes advantage of the decomposable nature of these problems by bounding the costs arising in the future stages through lower and upper cost to-go functions. For problems with uncertain technology matrices and/or constraint right-hand sides, our RDDP scheme determines an optimal solution in finite time. If also the objective function and/or the recourse matrices are uncertain, our method converges asymptotically (but deterministically) to an optimal solution. Our RDDP scheme does not require a relatively complete recourse, and it offers deterministic upper and lower bounds throughout the execution of the algorithm. We demonstrate the promising performance of our algorithm in a stylized inventory management problem.

MMA assembles accomplished advisory board

UUֱ�� — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 15:48:45 +0000

This fall, the Masters of Management in Analytics (MMA) kicked off its first Advisory Board meeting to discuss the future directions of the MMA curriculum, which will benefit its inaugural cohort.

The MMA Advisory Board comprises senior industry leaders from a wide variety of educational and skills backgrounds who have excelled in their given fields.

Optimizing Foreclosed Housing Acquisitions in Societal Response to Foreclosures

UUֱ�� — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 14:59:47 +0000

Authors: Senay Solak, Armagan Bayram, Mehmet Gumus, Yueran Zhuo

Publication: Operations Research, Forthcoming

Abstract:

A dramatic increase in U.S. mortgage foreclosures during and after the great economic recession of 2007-2009 had devastating impacts on the society and the economy. In response to such negative impacts, non-profit community development corporations (CDCs) throughout the U.S. utilize various resources, such as grants and lines of credit, in acquiring and redeveloping foreclosed housing units to support neighborhood stabilization and revitalization. Given that the cost of all such acquisitions far exceeds the resources accessible by these non-profit organizations, we identify socially optimal policies for CDCs in dynamically selecting foreclosed properties to target for potential acquisition as they become available over time. We evaluate our analytical results in a numerical study involving a CDC serving a major city in the U.S, and specify social return based thresholds defining selection decisions at different funding levels. We also find that for most foreclosed properties CDCs should not offer more than the asking price, and should typically consider overbidding only when the total available budget is low. Overall, comparisons of optimal policies with historical acquisition data suggest a potential improvement of around 20% in expected total impacts of the acquisitions on nearby property values. Considering a CDC with annual fund availability of $4 million for investment, this corresponds to an estimated additional value of around $280,000 for the society.

Angelos Georghiou appointed Associate Editor of Energy Systems

UUֱ�� — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 13:47:22 +0000

Angelos Georghiou, Assistant Professor in Operations Management, was recently appointed Associate Editor of Energy Systems - Optimization, Modeling, Simulation, and Economic Aspects.

The journal Energy Systems presents mathematical programming, control, and economic approaches towards energy systems related topics, and is especially relevant in light of the major worldwide challenges confronting humanity in this century.

In celebration of two UUֱ�� greats

UUֱ�� — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 18:16:51 +0000

Fifty years ago, UUֱ�� had the good fortune of welcoming Professors Henry Mintzberg and Morty Yalovsky on board.

On August 30, members of the UUֱ�� community, along with family and friends, celebrated their contributions by establishing two teaching awards in their honour.

View the photo gallery and contribute to the awards.

A Smart-City Scope of Operations Management

UUֱ�� — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 19:59:05 +0000

Authors: Wei Qi and Zuo-Jun Max Shen

Publication: Production and Operations Management, Forthcoming

Abstract:

We are entering an era of great expectations towards our cities. The vision of “smart city” has been pursued worldwide to transform urban habitats into superior efficiency, quality and sustainability. This phenomenon prompts us to ponder what role the scholars in operations management (OM) can assume. In this essay, we express our initial thoughts on expanding OM to the smart-city scope. We review smart-city initiatives of governments, industry, national laboratories and academia. We argue that the smart-city movement will transition from the tech-oriented stage to the decision-oriented stage. Hence, a smart city can be perceived as a system scope within which planning and operational decisions are orchestrated at the urban scale, reflective of multidimensional needs, and adaptive to massive data and innovation. The benefits of studying smart-city OM are manifold and significant: contributing to deeper understanding of smart cities by providing advanced analytical frameworks, pushing OM knowledge boundaries (such as data-driven decision making), and empowering the OM community to deliver much broader impacts than before. We discuss several research opportunities to embody these thoughts, in the interconnected contexts of smart buildings, smart grid, smart mobility and new retail. These opportunities arise from the increasing integration of systems and business models at the urban scale.

Masters of Management in Analytics: Meet the inaugural class

UUֱ�� — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 16:18:41 +0000

Diversity of students strengthens classroom experience

The Desautels Faculty of Management welcomed its inaugural cohort of Masters of Management in Analytics (MMA) students on August 3.

The thirty-five students (14 female, 21 male) originate from 12 nations across five continents and have an average entering CGPA of 3.40, bringing diverse cultural perspectives and strong academic credentials.

Designing Risk‐Adjusted Therapy for Patients with Hypertension

UUֱ�� — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 13:17:35 +0000

Authors: Manaf Zargoush, Mehmet Gumus, Vedat Verter, Stella S. Daskalopoulou

Publication: Production and Operations Management, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Limited guidance is available for providing patient‐specific care to hypertensive patients, although this chronic condition is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. To address this issue, we develop an analytical model that takes into account the most relevant risk factors including age, sex, blood pressure, diabetes status, smoking habits, and blood cholesterol. Using the Markov Decision Process framework, we develop a model to maximize expected quality‐adjusted life years, as well as characterize the optimal sequence and combination of antihypertensive medications. Assuming the physician uses the standard medication dose for each drug, and the patient fully adheres to the prescribed treatment regimen, we prove that optimal treatment policies exhibit a threshold structure. Our findings indicate that our recommended thresholds vary by age and other patient characteristics, for example (1) the optimal thresholds for all medication prescription are nonincreasing in age, and (2) the medications need to be prescribed at lower thresholds for males who smoke than for males who have diabetes. The improvements in quality‐adjusted life years associated with our model compare favorably with those obtained by following the British Hypertension Society's guideline, and the gains increase with the severity of risk factors. For instance, in both genders (although at different rates), diabetic patients gain more than non‐diabetic patients. Our sensitivity analysis results indicate that the optimal thresholds decrease if the medications have lower side‐effects and vice versa.

Quality at the Source or at the End? Managing Supplier Quality Under Information Asymmetry

UUֱ�� — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 13:20:28 +0000

Authors: Mohammad E. Nikoofal, Mehmet Gumus

Publication: Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Vol. 20, No. 3, Summer 2018

Abstract:

Supply Diagnostic Incentives under Endogenous Information Asymmetry

UUֱ�� — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 14:21:05 +0000

Authors: Mohammad E. Nikoofal, Mehmet Gumus

Publication: Production and Operations Management, Forthcoming

Abstract:

This paper develops a dyadic supply chain model with one buyer who contracts the manufacturing of a new product to a supplier. Due to the lack of experience in manufacturing, the extent of supply risk is unknown to both the buyer and supplier before the time of contract. However, after the contract is accepted, the supplier may invest in a diagnostic test to acquire information about his true reliability, and use this information when deciding on a process improvement effort. Using this setting, we identify both operational and strategic benefits and costs of diagnostic test. Operationally, it helps the supplier to take the first-best level of improvement effort, which would increase efficiency of the total supply chain. Strategically, it enables the buyer to reduce the agency costs associated with implementing process improvement on the supplier. Besides these benefits, diagnostic test increases the degree of information asymmetry along the supply chain. This in turn provides the supplier with proprietary information, whose rent would be demanded from the buyer in equilibrium. Benefit-cost analysis reveals two key factors in determining the value of diagnostic test: (i) degree of endogenous information asymmetry between supply chain firms, and (ii) the relative cost of diagnostic test with respect to process improvement cost. Our results indicate that when both are high, the mere presence of diagnostic test can result in less reliable supply chain. This implies that when incentives are not properly aligned, information asymmetry amplified due to diagnostic test neutralizes all its benefits.

Determinants of Climate Change Mitigation Technology Portfolio: An Empirical Study of Major U.S. Firms

UUֱ�� — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 13:44:16 +0000

Authors: Derek D. Wang, Shanling Li, Toshiyuki Sueyoshi

Publication: Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 196, September 2018

Abstract:

Oversight and Efficiency in Public Projects: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis

UUֱ�� — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 20:47:31 +0000

Authors: Eduard Calvo, Ruomeng Cui and Juan Camilo Serpa

Publication: Management Science, Volume 65, Issue 12, December 2019, Pages 5651-5675.

Abstract:

In the U.S., four in ten public infrastructure projects report delays or cost overruns. To tackle this problem, regulators often scrutinize the project contractor’s operations. We investigate the causal effect of government oversight on project efficiency by gleaning 262,857 projects that span seventy-one U.S. federal agencies and 54,739 contractors. Our identification strategy exploits a regulatory bylaw: if a project’s anticipated budget exceeds a threshold value, the contractor’s operations are subject to surveillance from independent procurement officers; otherwise, these operational checks are waived. Using a regression discontinuity design, we find that oversight is obstructive to the project’s operations, especially when the contractor (i) has no prior experience in public projects, (ii) is paid with a fixed-price contract that includes performance-based incentives, and (iii) performs a labor-intensive task. In contrast, oversight is least obstructive — or beneficial — when the contractor (i) is experienced, (ii) is paid with a time-and-materials contract, and (iii) performs a machine-intensive task.

Supply Chain Proximity and Product Quality

UUֱ�� — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 17:45:43 +0000

Authors: Robert Bray, Juan Camilo Serpa and Ahmet Colak

Publication: Management Science, Volume 65, Issue 9, September 2019, Pages 4079-4099.

Abstract:

We explore the effect of supply chain proximity on product quality by merging four independent data sources from the automotive industry, collecting: (i) auto component defect rates, (ii) upstream component factory locations, (iii) downstream assembly plant locations, and (iv) product-level links connecting the upstream and downstream factories. Combining these four datasets allows us to trace the flow of 27,807 products through 529 supplier factories and 275 assembly plants. We estimate that increasing the distance between an upstream component factory and a downstream plant by an order of magnitude increases the component’s expected defect rate by 3.9%. We also find that shorter inter-factory spans are associated with more rapid product quality improvements, and that supply chain distance is more detrimental to quality when automakers: (i) produce early generation models or (ii) high-end products, (iii) when they buy components with more complex configurations, or (iv) when they source from suppliers who invest relatively little in research and development

Patient-centric design of long-term care networks

UUֱ�� — Fri, 08 Jun 2018 15:50:42 +0000

Authors: Paul Intrevado, Vedat Verter and Lucie Tremblay

Publication: Health Care Management Science, Forthcoming

Abstract:

The prediction of oil price turning points with log-periodic power law and multi-population genetic algorithm

UUֱ�� — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 19:26:28 +0000

Authors: Fangzheng Cheng, Tijun Fan, Dandan Fan and Shanling Li

Publication: Energy Economics, Vol. 72, May 2018

Abstract:

It’s full speed ahead for the Bensadoun Retail Initiative

UUֱ�� — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 19:32:22 +0000

Almost one year since the Bensadoun Family Foundation announced the landmark gift to UUֱ�� of $25 million, the proposed Bensadoun School of Retail Management has received official approval from the University as of March.

According to Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun Retail Initiative, “We see ourselves as having a unique opportunity to do something on a global level that can differentiate us.

Shared Mobility for Last-Mile Delivery: Design, Operational Prescriptions and Environmental Impact

UUֱ�� — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 18:08:19 +0000

Authors: Wei Qi, Lefei Li, Sheng Liu, Zuo-Jun Max Shen

Publication: Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Vol. 20, No. 4, Fall 2018

Abstract:

Sharing demand-side energy resources - A conceptual design

UUֱ�� — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 16:39:14 +0000

Authors: Wei Qi, Bo Shen, Hongcai Zhang, Zuo-Jun Max Shen

Publication: Energy, Vol. 135, September 2017

Abstract:

1st Fashion Retailing Conference

UUֱ�� — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 19:11:34 +0000

Join us in Montreal on April 27-28, 2018 for the 1st Fashion Retailing Conference.

Organized by the Bensadoun Retail Initiative, this conference will provide a forum for exchange —for both professionals and academics— at the newly opened Donald E. Armstrong Building. An impressive roster of academic and practitioner speakers will foster discussions about the latest research, industry practices & approaches, trends & challenges in retail.

Designing Risk-Adjusted Therapy for Patients with Hypertension

UUֱ�� — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 19:14:57 +0000

Authors: Manaf Zargoush, Mehmet Gumus, Vedat Verter, Stella Daskalopoulou

Journal Name: Production and Operations Management, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Hypertension has not been well studied by operations researchers from a clinical decision support perspective. Moreover, little personalized (i.e. patient-centric) guidance is available regarding the number and combination of antihypertensive medications. To fill this gap, we develop a Markov Decision Process (MDP) to characterize the optimal sequence (and combination) of antihypertensive medications under the standard medication dose. Our model is patient-centric as it takes into account a set of relevant patient characteristics such as age, gender, blood pressure level, smoking habits, diabetes status, and cholesterol level. Based on a set of intuitive assumptions, we prove that our model yields a series of structured optimal policies. Having calibrated our model based on real data and medical literature, we analyze these optimal policies and discuss their insights to the real practice. We also compare the benefits, in terms of quality adjusted life expectancy, QALE, obtained from our results with those obtained from British Hypertension Society (BHS) guideline.

Did Europe Move in the Right Direction on E-Waste Legislation?

UUֱ�� — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:46:24 +0000

Authors: Shumail Mazahir, Vedat Verter, Tamer Boyaci and Luk van Wassenhove

Publication: Production and Operations Management, Forthcoming

Abstract:

This paper presents an analytical framework of the product take back legislation in the context of product reuse. We characterize existing and proposed forms of E-waste legislation and compare their environmental and economic performance. Using stylized models, we analyze an OEM’s decision about new and remanufactured product quantity in response to the legislative mechanism. We focus on the 2012 waste electrical and electronic equipment directive in Europe, where the policy-makers intended to create additional incentives for the product reuse. Through a comparison to the original 2002 version of the directive, we find that these incentives translate into improved environmental outcomes only for a limited set of products. We also study a proposed policy that advocates a separate target for the product reuse. Our analysis reveals that from an environmental standpoint, the recast version is always dominated either by the original policy or by the one that advocates a separate target for the product reuse. We show that the benefits of a separate reuse target scheme can be fully replicated with the aid of fiscal levers. Our main message is that there cannot be a single best environmental policy that is suitable for all products. Therefore, the consideration of product attributes is essential in identification of the most appropriate policy tool. This can be done either by the implementation of different policies on each product category or by implementation of product based target levels.

Recognizing members of the Desautels community

UUֱ�� — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 14:58:17 +0000

The Desautels Faculty of Management is delighted to recognize members of its community who have recently received awards of excellence.

Please join me in congratulating them for their continued and inspiring commitment to Desautels and UUֱ��.

Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou
Dean & Professor of Finance
Desautels Faculty of Management

UUֱ�� Food Analytics Club presents Lecture & Hackathon

UUֱ�� — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 19:27:37 +0000

The UUֱ�� Food Analytics Club (UUֱ�� FAC) is a student-driven data analytics club that focuses on food. As the world is heading towards a massive food crisis the next decade, there is an urgent need to come up with solutions. Inspired and supported by Desautels Professor Juan Camilo Serpa, the club members want to contribute to solving this food crisis with data analytics. This includes research, coding and outreach.

Hospital capacity management based on the queueing theory

UUֱ�� — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 18:27:38 +0000

Authors: Otavio Bittencourt, Vedat Verter, Morty Yalovsky

Publication: International Journal of Productivity and Performance

Abstract:

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the contributions of queueing theory to hospital capacity management to improve organizational performance and deal with increased demand in the healthcare sector.

Juan Serpa's article featured in Management Science

UUֱ�� — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 19:38:13 +0000

Professor Juan Serpa's paper "The Impact of Supply Chains on Firm-Level Productivity," together with Harish Krishnan was selected by the Editor-in-Chief of Management Science one of the three Featured Articles for the February 2018 issue.

Management Science is a scholarly journal that publishes scientific research on the practice of management. Within our scope are all aspects of management related to strategy, entrepreneurship, innovation, information technology, and organizations as well as all functional areas of business, such as accounting, finance, marketing, and operations. We include studies on organizational, managerial, and individual decision making, from both normative and descriptive perspectives.

Optimal markdown pricing for holiday basket with customer valuation

UUֱ�� — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 17:42:33 +0000

Authors: Hijun Wang, Shanling Li and Jianwen Luo

Publication: International Journal of Production Research, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Brand Positioning and Consumer Taste Information

UUֱ�� — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 20:44:16 +0000

Authors: Arcan Nalca, Tamer Boyaci and Saibal Ray

Publication: European Journal of Operational Research, Forthcoming

Abstract:

An integrated framework for inventory management and transportation of refined petroleum products: Pipeline or marine?

UUֱ�� — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 21:43:27 +0000

Authors: Atiq W. Siddiqui, Manish R. Verma and Vedat Verter

Publication: Applied Mathematical Modelling, Vol. 55, 2018

Abstract:

The Power of Diversity: Data-Driven Robust Predictive Control for Energy-Efficient Buildings and Districts

UUֱ�� — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 17:26:13 +0000

Authors: Georgios Darivianakis, Angelos Georghiou, Roy S. Smith, John Lygeros

Publication: IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology (Volume: PP, Issue: 99)

Abstract:

Bensadoun School of Retail Management highlighted among Quebec’s most innovative business programming

UUֱ�� — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 22:07:52 +0000

As business schools adapt their programs to address the grand challenges of our time, UUֱ��’s Bensadoun School of Retail Management stands out as an initiative that will respond to the needs of a rapidly changing retail industry.

With many programs to be created at all levels over the next few years (Undergraduate, Masters, PhD), the School aims to equip students with the tools needed to succeed in an ever-evolving retail world, explains Charles de Brabant (BCom'83), Executive Director of the Bensadoun Retail Initiative.

Designing distribution systems with reverse flows

UUֱ�� — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 16:35:07 +0000

Authors: Ayse Cilaci Tombus¸ Necati Aras, Vedat Verter

Publication: Journal of Remanufacturing, Vol. 7, No. 2-3, December 2017

Abstract:

The Strategic Role of Business Insurance

UUֱ�� — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 18:41:09 +0000

Authors: Juan Serpa and Harish S. Krishnan

Publication: Management Science, Vol. 63, No. 2, February 2017

Abstract:

The use of business insurance has been traditionally studied in a single-firm setting, but in reality preventing operational accidents involves the (unobservable) efforts of multiple firms. We show that, in a multifirm setting, insurance can be used strategically as a commitment mechanism to prevent excessive free riding by other firms. In the presence of wealth imbalances, contracts alone leave wealth-constrained firms with inefficiently low incentives to exert effort (because of limited liability) and firms with sufficient wealth with excessive incentives. Insurance allows the latter to credibly commit to lower effort, thereby mitigating the incentives of the wealth-constrained firms to free ride. This finding shows that insurance can improve the efficiency of risk management efforts by decreasing free-riding problems.

Read full article: Management Science

The Impact of Supply Chains on Firm-Level Productivity

UUֱ�� — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 18:32:38 +0000

Authors: Juan Serpa and Harish S. Krishnan

Publication: Management Science, Vol. 64, No. 2, February 2018

Abstract:

Firms in a vertical relationship are likely to affect each other’s productivity. Exactly how does productivity spill over across this type of relationship (i.e., through which mechanisms)? Additionally, how does the relative importance of these mechanisms depend on the structure of the supply chain?

To answer these questions, we decompose the channels of upstream productivity spillovers—from customers to suppliers—by developing a structural econometric model on a sample of approximately 22,500 supply chain dyads.

We find that the “endogenous channel” (i.e., the effect of the customer’s own productivity on the supplier’s productivity) is by far the most important source of spillovers. This is especially true if (i) the supplier has a concentrated customer base, (ii) the supplier and the customer have similar operational characteristics, and (iii) the relationship has medium maturity.

In the converse scenarios, we find, it is more important to have a partner with a portfolio of favorable “contextual” characteristics (high inventory turnover, financial liquidity, and asset turnover) than to have a productive partner.

Read full article: Management Science

Saibal Ray on the potential benefits and costs if Amazon chooses Montreal

UUֱ�� — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 14:11:53 +0000

As Amazon hunts for a location for its second North American headquarters, Canada’s major cities are building their cases.

In a short interview with the UUֱ�� Media team, Desautels Professor Saibal Ray talks about the benefits that a Montreal Amazon office would bring in terms of jobs and indirect benefits to the city’s academic and research sectors.

Desautels’ Juan Serpa included on Poets & Quants’s top 40 Undergrad profs list

UUֱ�� — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 20:18:23 +0000

Poets & Quants has released its inaugural 2017 Top Undergraduate Business Professors list, and on it is Desautels’ own Juan Camilo Serpa, Assistant Professor of Operations Management.

Prof. Serpa’s students hail his enthusiastic approach and his unique teaching methods, which last year included using business statistics to predict a film’s chances at box-office success. He also holds “coffice” hours in cafés on the weekend.

Desautels professor on cultural sensitivity and western managers working in China

UUֱ�� — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 20:34:16 +0000

A piece at CNBM.net.cn quotes Desautels Professor Saibal Ray on how foreign workers in China can work smoothly with their Chinese counterparts.

The piece looks at the major differences in management culture; how factors that would make western workers complain about privacy violations (impacting on family or private time, for instance) play into being a good, caring manager in Chinese business culture.

Integrated fleet mix and routing decision for hazmat transportation: A developing country perspective

UUֱ�� — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 18:59:07 +0000

Authors: Anand Kumar, Debjit Roy, Vedat Verter and Dheeraj Sharma

Publication: European Journal of Operational Research, Vol 264, No. 1, January 2018

Abstract:

Managing Patient UUֱ�� in a Neurology Ward

UUֱ�� — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 19:55:12 +0000

Authors: Saied Samiedaluie, Beste Kucukyazici, Vedat Verter, Dan Zhang

Publication: Operations Journal

Abstract:

As Lush expands, pressure on producers mounts

UUֱ�� — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 14:19:21 +0000

According to the Globe and Mail, times are good for UK-based bath-bomb producer Lush. Right now, all of its North American stores are supplied from two Canadian production centres, but as business picks up in the southern US, the company is looking at opening a US factory to supply that market; since Lush is all about sustainable, preservative-free products, it needs a production facility to be near a given area’s retailers.

2016-17 Desautels Teaching Awards

UUֱ�� — Wed, 17 May 2017 16:27:51 +0000

Congratulations to Professor Juan Serpa and Professor Sujata Madan who have been selected as the recipients of the 2016-17 Desautels Faculty Teaching Award for Undergraduate and Graduate teaching, respectively.

Juan Serpa awarded 2017 FRQSC New Academics Grant

UUֱ�� — Mon, 15 May 2017 17:22:11 +0000

Juan Serpa, Assistant Professor in Operations Management was recently awarded a 2017 FRQSC New Academics Grant for his project "Estimation de la relation entre la qualité du produit et la proximité de la chaîne d'approvisement".

This project will study the effect of supply chain proximity on product quality with data from the auto industry. To this end, we merge four independent data sources, collecting

(i) auto part failure rates,

(ii) upstream component factory locations,

Quality at the Source or at the End? Managing Supplier Quality Under Information Asymmetry

UUֱ�� — Thu, 11 May 2017 16:02:32 +0000

Authors: Mohammad E. Nikoofal, Mehmet Gümüş

Publication: Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Forthcoming

Abstract:

Restructuring the resident training system for improving the equity of access to primary care

UUֱ�� — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 20:12:18 +0000

Authors: Anna Graber-Naidich, Michael W. Cartera, Vedat Verter

Publication: European Journal of Operational Research, Volume 258, Issue 3, 1 May 2017, Pages 1143–1155

Abstract:

Evaluating the role of simulation in healthcare innovation: recommendations of the Simnovate Medical Technologies Domain Group

UUֱ�� — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 16:28:32 +0000

Authors: Madani, A., Gallix, B., Pugh, C.M., Azagury, D., Bradley, P., Fowler, D., Hannaford, B., Macdonald, S., Miyasaka, K., Nuño, N., Szold, A., Verter, V., Aggarwal, R.

Publication: Simnovate supplement

Abstract:

Binary decision rules for multistage adaptive mixed-integer optimization

UUֱ�� — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 16:14:38 +0000

Authors: Dimitris Bertsimas and Angelos Georghiou

Publication: Mathematical Programming, Vol. 167, No. 2, 2018, pp. 395-433

Abstract:

Supply-chain tests and solutions for growing Lush handmade cosmetics

UUֱ�� — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 15:56:21 +0000

Lush’s North American factories in Vancouver and Etobicoke are putting out bath bombs at a frenetic pace to keep up with the demands of the rapidly-growing company — and the extremely short turnaround that a preservative-free product line entails. But as the company and the wider organic and Fairtrade industries grow, they put increased strain on suppliers and growers.

Facility Location and Capacity Acquisition under Carbon Tax and Emissions Limits: To Centralize or To Decentralize?

UUֱ�� — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 15:59:59 +0000

Authors: Turken, N., Carrillo, J., Verter, V.

Publication: International Journal of Production Economics

Abstract:

Desautels students uncover the secret to a successful movie

UUֱ�� — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 15:57:04 +0000

A team of Desautels undergraduate researchers from a business statistics class taught by Assistant Professor Juan Camilo Serpa examined data from online film sites like IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, plus box-office sales, to come up with a picture of just what it is that makes a movie successful. The team studied elements like star power, ratings and budget to determine the most influential factor.

Group Selling, Product Durability, and Consumer Behavior

UUֱ�� — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 17:06:29 +0000

Authors: He, Y., Ray, S., Yin, S.

Publications: Production and Operations Management

Abstract:

Pourquoi les manufacturiers doivent augmenter leur productivité de 5 % par année

UUֱ�� — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 16:10:52 +0000

«C’est extrêmement ambitieux, il faut en être conscient. Electricity symbols ks2 Mais je pose la question : avons-nous le choix ?» demande le patron des MEQ dans un entretien avec Les Affaires.

Saibal Ray, vice-doyen de la Faculté de gestion Desautels à l’Université UUֱ��, est aussi sceptique quant à la possibilité que l’industrie québécoise puisse accroître sa productivité de 5 % par année pendant 10 ans. Electricity outage sacramento Malgré tout, il ne croit pas la chose irréalisable.

Three Indo-Canadians are Honorees at Royal Society of Canada

UUֱ�� — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 17:47:03 +0000

Three Indo-Canadians have been named Honorees in the prestigious Royal Society of Canada (RSC). All three are academics teaching and conducting research in various disciplines at UUֱ�� in Montreal.

They are Dr. Vijay Raghavan, James UUֱ�� Professor, Department of Agricultural Engineering; Prof. Saibal Ray, Vice-Dean, Research and Faculty at the Desautels Faculty of management and the Director of the Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management Program; and Prof. Hosahali S. Ramaswamy, Professor of Food Science and Agriculture Chemistry.

Robust optimal control with adjustable uncertainty sets

UUֱ�� — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 21:41:48 +0000

Authors: Xiaojing Zhanga, X., Kamgarpoura, M., Georghiou, A., and Lygeros, J.

Publication: Automatica

Abstract:

Congratulations to Professor Vedat Verter on receiving a CIHR/SSHRC Healthy and Productive Work Partnership Development Grant

UUֱ�� — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 17:03:54 +0000

Congratulations to Professor Vedat Verter (Co-investigator) on receiving a CIHR/SSHRC Healthy and Productive Work Partnership Development Grant for, Strengths-Based Nursing Management and Leadership Training with Innovative Story-sharing. This program is very competitive; of the 20 grants awarded, UUֱ�� was granted one.

Professor Saibal Ray named a Member of the College of New Scholars, Artists & Scientists, RSC

UUֱ�� — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 20:16:44 +0000

Congratulations to Professor Saibal Ray on being named a Member of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists, Royal Society of Canada. This distinguished honour is conferred upon Professor Ray for his accomplishment in the study of social entrepreneurship operations and recognizes the impact that his research has made on society.

The UUֱ�� community will celebrate Professor Ray, along with other award winners, at the 2017 Bravo gala this March.

Impact of train makeup on hazmat risk in a transport corridor

UUֱ�� — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 13:54:27 +0000

Authors: Cheng, J., Verma, M., Verter, V.

Publication: Journal of Transportation Safety and Security

Abstract:

The evolution of business schools: Desautels Faculty of Management at UUֱ��

UUֱ�� — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 18:58:39 +0000

Desired skillsets are constantly changing and adapting to the needs of ever evolving businesses across the globe. Therefore business schools must change what they teach. Professor Morty Yalovsky tells Emily Sexton-Brown about these changes…

Read full article: Changeboard, July 29, 2016

Supplier selection considering product structure and product life cycle cost

UUֱ�� — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 18:23:59 +0000

Authors: Ebrahimipour, V., Maleki Shoja, B., Li, S.

Publications: International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management

Abstract:

Kabtek improves production throughput up to 20% with CablePlan

UUֱ�� — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 17:43:22 +0000

CablePlan Plannica reduces the planning cycle from days to minutes. It enhances and improves the decision making of production planners. CablePlan reduces the manual workload and releases the decision makers’ valuable time, enabling them to regain responsiveness and flexibility in the planning cycle. CablePlan enables planners to increase their planning horizon, enables smarter optimization and allows planning considering multiple objectives.

Di Grappa leaves UUֱ�� for private sector position

UUֱ�� — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 14:25:02 +0000

After a 30-year career in higher education, including more than five years in his current role as UUֱ��’s Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance), Michael Di Grappa has accepted a senior position with Canderel, a Canadian real estate company based in Montreal, Principal Suzanne Fortier announced on Tuesday, March 29.

Pourquoi les manufacturiers doivent augmenter leur productivité de 5 % par année

UUֱ�� — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 14:31:48 +0000

La tâche est douloureuse, mais indispensable, affirme Éric Tétrault, président des Manufacturiers et exportateurs du Québec (MEQ). Pour profiter pleinement du futur accord de libre-échange avec l'Union européenne, les entreprises québécoises doivent accroître leur productivité d'au moins 5 % par an au cours des 10 prochaines années.

«C'est extrêmement ambitieux, il faut en être conscient. Mais je pose la question : avons-nous le choix ?» demande le patron des MEQ dans un entretien avec Les Affaires.

Assessment of U.S. firm-level climate change performance and strategy

UUֱ�� — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 18:13:13 +0000

Authors: Yu, Y., Wang, D.D., Li, S., Shi, Q.

Publication: Energy Policy

Abstract:

Assessment of U.S. firm-level climate change performance and strategy

UUֱ�� — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 18:12:19 +0000

Authors: Yu, Y., Wang, D.D., Li, S., Shi, Q.

Publication: Energy Policy

Abstract:

BMO and Catalyst Canada Introduce BMO Millennial Leaders Advisory Council

UUֱ�� — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 15:03:33 +0000

BMO Financial Group and Catalyst Canada have announced the launch of the BMO Millennial Leaders Advisory Council on Inclusion. The Group is made up of 30 female student leaders from universities across Canada.

Supply-Side Story: Risks, Guarantees, Competition, and Information Asymmetry

UUֱ�� — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 16:28:25 +0000

Authors: Gümüş, M., Gurnani, H., and Ray, S.

Publication: Management Science

Railway crew capacity planning problem with connectivity of schedules

UUֱ�� — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 14:57:34 +0000

Authors: Şahinb, G. and Suyabatmaza, A. C.

Publication: Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review

The Impact of Product Substitution and Retail Capacity on the Timing and Depth of Price Promotions: Theory and Evidence

UUֱ�� — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 14:27:49 +0000

Authors: Gumus, M., Kaminsky, P., and Mathur, S.

Publication: International Journal of Production Research

GE expansion suggests Canadian manufacturing may get boost from U.S. gridlock

UUֱ�� — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 13:56:34 +0000

Canadian manufacturing could be on the brink of a much-needed investment boost from an unlikely source: the U.S. government.
... “Given that our dollar is weak, the timing is such that, if we are ready, we can take advantage absolutely,” said Saibal Ray, associate dean at UUֱ��’s Desautels Faculty of Management.

Effects of upstream and downstream mergers on supply chain profitability

UUֱ�� — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:05:07 +0000

Authors: Zhu, J., Boyaci, T. and Ray, S.

Publications: European Journal of Operational Research

Supply chain design for unlocking the value of remanufacturing under uncertainty

UUֱ�� — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 15:33:46 +0000

Authors: Chen, W., Kucukyazici, B., Verter, V., Jesús Sáenz, M.

Publication: European Journal of Operational Research

Abstract:

Teaching the business of sustainability

UUֱ�� — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 21:27:03 +0000

A team led by Steve Maguire, Director of the Marcel Desautels Institute for Integrated Management (MDIIM) , has been named winner of the 2014 Dr. Alfred N. and Lynn Manos Page Prize for Integration of Sustainability Issues in Business Curricula, for conceiving and implementing the new Managing for Sustainability Major and Concentration (MSUS) programs for Bachelor of Commerce students at UUֱ��.

New Undergraduate Program Wins Award for Sustainability in Business Curricula

UUֱ�� — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 19:07:31 +0000

The Desautels Faculty of Management congratulates the Marcel Desautels Institute for Integrated Management (MDIIM) and Desautels faculty members who were recently named recipients of the 2014 Dr. Alfred N. and Lynn Manos Page Prize for Integration of Sustainability Issues in Business Curricula, for conceiving and implementing the new Managing for Sustainability Major and Concentration (MSUS) programs for Bachelor of Commerce students at UUֱ��.

Joint procurement and demand-side bidding strategies under price volatility

UUֱ�� — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 13:33:52 +0000

Authors: Nie, X., Boyacı, T., Gümüş, M., Ray, S., Zhang, D.

Publication: Annals of Operations Research

Abstract

United We Stand, Divided We Fall: Strategic Supplier Alliances Under Default Risk

UUֱ�� — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 14:51:34 +0000

Authors: Xiao Huang, Tamer Boyaci, Mehmet Gumus, Saibal Ray and Dan Zhang

Publication: Management Science

Abstract:

Spending defence budgets the wrong way risks major damage from terrorist attacks

UUֱ�� — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 21:09:16 +0000

Governments that fail to account for analysis of terrorists' personal information in allocating their defence budgets risk increased damage from terrorist attacks, new research from the Desautels Faculty of Management finds.
... Professor Mehmet Gumus and his PhD student Dr. Nikoofal find that there are two types of terrorists; either organised or unorganised. Organised terrorists observe the behaviours of governments and defence measures in place before they carry out an attack, while unorganised terrorists act without such planning.

Industry reacts to vote to renew US terrorism insurance act

UUֱ�� — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 21:05:41 +0000

Industry leaders have been reacting to the news that the US Congress has voted overwhelmingly in favor or reauthorizing the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act for six years. The vote stalled before Christmas after a senator objected but passed through both houses of Congress on Wednesday.
... Meanwhile an academic has warned that policies on protecting locations need to be more flexible. Professor Mehmet Gumus of Desautels Faculty of Management says that governments need to allow funds for analysis of terrorists’ behaviours.

Desautels expanding into Bookstore space

UUֱ�� — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 16:12:42 +0000

The Desautels Faculty of Management will take over the adjacent UUֱ�� Bookstore at 3420 McTavish St. sometime in 2016, providing a new home for the Faculty’s MBA programs, which will be moved out of the overcrowded Bronfman Building.

UUֱ�� celebrates top teachers

UUֱ�� — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 15:43:00 +0000

With the highest admission standards in Canada, UUֱ�� attracts many of the brightest students in the country and from around the world. Being entrusted to guide these exceptional students is a huge responsibility, which is why the Principal’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching was established in 2000 to celebrate teachers.

... Faculty of Management Professor Henry Mintzberg was also honoured when he became only the fifth person to be presented with the UUֱ�� Lifetime Achievement Award for Leadership in Learning.

On the Value of Terrorist's Private Information in Government's Defensive Resource Allocation Problem

UUֱ�� — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 22:05:31 +0000

Authors: Mohammad E. Nikoofal & Mehmet Gumus

Publication: IIE Transactions

Abstract:

DEA environmental assessment on U.S. industrial sectors: Investment for improvement in operational and environmental performance to attain corporate sustainability

UUֱ�� — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 21:14:20 +0000

Authors: Wang, D., Li, S., Sueyoshi, T.

Publication: Energy Economics

Abstract

What I Learned This Week: Here Are The Crayons

UUֱ�� — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 19:19:43 +0000

Since January, I've been teaching a somewhat different type of course at UUֱ��. While saddled with the unfortunate standard curriculum name "Marketing and Society," the class is anything but.

... When I first put this course together, I had a discussion with two academics I respect immensely, Prof. Morty Yalovsky of UUֱ�� (who used to be MY stats prof in my undergrad years) and Prof. Pete McGraw of the University of Colorado at Boulder (and co-author of the upcoming book "The Humor Code").

"Ordering Behavior Under Supply Risk: An Experimental Investigation," Manufacturing and Service Operations Management

UUֱ�� — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 19:32:59 +0000

Authors: Gurnani, Haresh; Ramachandran, Karthik; Ray, Saibal; Xia, Yusen

Publication: Manufacturing and Service Operations Management

Abstract:

"Capacity Planning with Financial and Operational Hedging in Low-Cost Countries," Production and Operations Management

UUֱ�� — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 21:09:16 +0000

Authors: Chen, Lijian; Li, Shanling; Wang, Letian

Publication: Production and Operations Management, 2014

Abstract:

"Analysis of Batch Ordering Inventory Models with Setup Cost and Capacity Constraint," International Journal of Production Economics

UUֱ�� — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 17:07:06 +0000

Authors: Yang, Yi; Yuan, Quan; Xue, Weili; Zhou, Yun (post-doctoral fellow)

Publication: International Journal of Production Economics, 2013

Abstract:

"On the Impact of Advertising Initiatives in Supply Chains," European Journal of Operational Research

UUֱ�� — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:42:34 +0000

Authors: Zhang, Wenqing; Li, Shanling; Zhang, Dan; Hou, Wenhua

Publication: European Journal of Operational Research, 2013

Abstract:

"With or Without Forecast Sharing: Competition and Credibility under Information Asymmetry," Production and Operations Management

UUֱ�� — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 15:10:26 +0000

Author: Mehmet Gumus

Publication: Production and Operations Management

Abstract:

Transforming the Chinese Manufacturing Industry through Global Production Sharing -- The GMSCM Program Opening Ceremony & Seminar

UUֱ�� — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 19:45:11 +0000

On May 7, 2012, Zhejiang University signed a partnership agreement with UUֱ�� to launch an innovative dual-degree program called the Master in Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management (GMSCM). After a year of preparation, on September 13, 2013, the GMSCM program was officially launched with an opening ceremony, welcoming 27 newly admitted students.

"Returns Policies Between Channel Partners for Durable Products," Marketing Science

UUֱ�� — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 16:11:30 +0000

Authors: Gumus, Mehmet; Ray, Saibal; Yin, Shuya

Publication: Marketing Science

Abstract:

"Shipping Fees or Shipping Free? A Tale of Two Price Partitioning Strategies in Online Retailing," Production and Operations Management

UUֱ�� — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 13:58:50 +0000

Authors: Gumus, Mehmet; Li, Shanling; Oh, Wonseok; Ray, Saibal

Publication: Production and Operations Management, July 2013

Abstract:

"Selling with Money-Back Guarantees: The Impact on Prices, Quantities, and Retail Profitability," Production and Operations Management

UUֱ�� — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 13:46:49 +0000

Authors: Akçay, Yalçn; Boyaci, Tamer; Zhang, Dan

Publication: Production and Operations Management, July 2013

Abstract:

Le prix payé pour nous habiller

UUֱ�� — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:27:57 +0000

Il y a quelques semaines, le détaillant H&M, deuxième joueur mondial du prêt-à-porter, a fait ce que d’autres n’oseront jamais : publier l’adresse des 1800 usines — et le nom des 785 propriétaires — qui fabriquent ce qui se retrouve dans ses 2800 magasins. Passée inaperçue, la recension révèle toute l’ampleur d’une industrie complexe, ultrarapide et à ce point tentaculaire que près de 90 % des vêtements achetés au Canada viennent maintenant de l’étranger.

"Competitive price-matching guarantees: Equilibrium analysis of the availability verification clause under demand uncertainty," Management Science

UUֱ�� — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:05:30 +0000

Authors: Nalca, Arcan; Boyaci, Tamer; Ray, Saibal

Publication: Management Science

Abstract:

S'adapter à la démographie pour vendre en Asie

UUֱ�� — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:17:35 +0000

La Chine et l'Inde comptent au total 2,5 milliards d'habitants. Mais si ces deux pays ont en commun d'être très peuplés, la Chine est vieillissante tandis que l'Inde est très jeune. Les entreprises qui visent ces marchés ont donc tout intérêt à adapter leurs stratégies en fonction de leurs profils démographiques, disent des spécialistes.

Supply-side story: Risks, guarantees, competition, and information asymmetry

UUֱ�� — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 19:24:55 +0000

Authors: Gumus, Mehmet; Ray, Saibal; Gurnani, Haresh

Abstract:

Just For Laughs goes back to school

UUֱ�� — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 14:26:02 +0000