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Kevin W. Linderman

Color portrait of Kevin W. Linderman

Professor, Department Chair & Prof of Supply Chain Management of Supply Chain & Information Systems

Department Supply Chain & Information Systems

Email Address kfl5390@psu.edu

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Prior to joining the Smeal College of Business he was the Curtis L. Carlson Professor in Supply Chain and Operations at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Prof. Linderman has received a number of scholarly awards recognition including being ranked in the 2020 Decision Science Journal as one of the top 10 most productive and influential scholars in the field, the 2018 Supply Chain & Operations Teaching Award (student nominated), 2016 Associate Editor Award Journal of Supply Chain Management, 2016 Operations Management Scholar Award (Career Award - Academy of Management), 2016 Associate Editor Award Decision Science Journal, 2015 Associate Editor Award Journal of Supply Chain Management, 2015 and 2011 Carlson School of Management Research Award, 2010 and 2006 Elwood S. Buffa Doctoral Dissertation Award (Co-advisor), 2004 Academy of Management Chan K. Hahn Distinguished Paper Award.

Expertise

Professor Linderman takes a problem-driven approach to research and scholarship where he grounds his research into practice. He has worked directly with leading organizations such as 3M, Cargill, Best Buy, Motorola, Seagate Technologies, Cerdian, Alibaba and Corning to name a few. These organizations participated in some of his National Science Foundation grants and other research projects, where they served as sites for cases studies and data collection. His research has been published in several leading journals including Management Science, Manufacturing & Service Operations, Journal of Operations Management, Production and Operations Management, and Decision Science Journal to name a few. Professor Linderman was ranked as one of the top ten most productive scholars in operations management based on study published in Decision Sciences (Koufteros et al. 2020).

Professor Linderman’s research encompasses topics in the area of process improvement (e.g. six sigma and lean), environmental management, innovation and supply chain risk. These papers have been well received and played a defining role in defining new streams of research. For instance, he currently has the highest cited academic papers in the in the area of Six Sigma which have provided a basis for scholarly research in this area.

Education

Ph D, Operations Reserach / Operations Management, Case Western Reserve University, 1998

MS, Management Science, Case Western Reserve University, 1996

MS, Mathematics, Miami University, 1989

BA, Mathematics (Philosophy), Minnesota State University Moorhead, 1987

Courses Taught

MIS 494H – Research Project (Variable)
Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small-group basis.

SCIS 596 – Individual Studies (Variable)
Creative projects, including nonthesis research, that are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses. A specific title may be used in each instance and will be entered on the student's transcript.

SCIS 502 – Supply Chain Strategy (3)
SCM 502 develops students' ability to understand strategic decisions across the end-to-end supply chain. This course takes a systems perspective to understand critical decisions in the supply chain that encompasses issues related to make, source, deliver and return of goods and services. It links these decisions to the firm¿s business strategy and financial outcomes. The course also connects these decisions to related research in supply chain management and emerging issues in practice. It takes a problem-driven approach to scholarship in supply chain management, where we examine problems in supply chain management, connect these problems to research, and explore new research questions to study. Students will learn critical decisions in supply chain management, key concepts to understand these decisions, and the ability to formulate new research questions.

SCM 450W – Design and Mgt Sc (3)
Strategic design and management of supply chains. SCM 450W Strategic Design and Management of Supply Chains (3) This course is about the strategic design and effective operation of supply chains. It will help prepare you for supply chain management positions in manufacturing, distributing, and other service firms including providers of logistics services. The course focuses on the definition, as well as the application, of a single logic that guides the management of all the supply chain activities. Information decision support systems, primarily computer-based, provide the foundation for this logic. Because the determination of inventory locations and the control of inventory levels play a key role in this logic, we spend considerable time on these subjects. The last section of the course covers ways to lead and organize people to manage cross-firm and cross-functional relationships effectively. After completing this course, students should have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to: -Articulate the process perspective and the total systems view of supply chain management, the impact of systems thinking on firm performance, and the nature of relationships supply chain networks. -Quantify the effect of strategic initiatives such as postponement and risk pooling on the financial performance of the firm, as well as on supply chain performance. -Use and apply selected quantitative tools useful in implementing supply chain strategies. -Explain the complex nature of human interaction needed to successfully introduce supply chain concepts in the firm.This is the prescribed capstone course for the Supply Chain and Information Systems major. It builds upon the fundamental supply chain knowledge, skills, and abilities developed in foundation and intermediate courses. Students must complete SCM 421 before taking this course. SCM 450W is a writing-intensive course. In addition to written assignments encompassing case studies, hands-on exercises, and examinations, student evaluations include oral presentations and class participation.

SCM 597 – Special Topics (2)
Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently; several different topics may be tuaght in one year or semester.

SCIS 597 – Special Topics (Variable)
Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently; several different topics may be taught in one year or semester.

SCM 496 – Indep Studies (Variable)
Creative projects, including research and design, that are supervised on an individual basis and that fall outside the scope of formal courses.

SCM 497 – Special Topics (3)
Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject that may be topical or of special interest.

Selected Publications

Chen K., Su H., Linderman K. W., Li W., "When Does It Pay to Be Green? The Strategic Benefits of Adoption Speed." Journal of Operations Management, 2024
Chen K., Su H., Linderman K. W., Li W., "Last-Minute Coordination: Adapting to Demand to Support Last-Mile Operations." Journal of Operations Management, 2024
Lameijer B., Antony J., Borgman H., Linderman K. W., "Why do Process Improvement Projects Fail in Organizations? A Review and Future Research Agenda." International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, 2023
Tong X., Linderman K. W., Zhu Q., "Managing a portfolio of environmental projects: Focus, balance, and environmental management capabilities." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 69, no. 1, 2023, pp. 127-158
Su H., Rungtusanatham J., Linderman K. W., "Retail inventory shrinkage, sensing weak security breach signals, and organizational structure." Decision Sciences Journal, vol. 54, no. 1, 2023, pp. 8-28
Chen K., Li Y., Liu X., Linderman K. W., "Government Support and Cross-Border Innovation: The Effect of China's Innovative City Policy on Chinese Firms' Patenting in the US." Production and Operations Management Journal, 2023
Tong X., Linderman K. W., Lo K., Lai K., Cheng T., "Antilearning behavior on safety risk: The roles of internal contect and social contagion." Decision Sciences Journal, vol. 53, no. 5, 2022, pp. 932-961
Anthony J., Lameijer B., Borgman H., Linderman K. W., "Process improvement project failure: A systematic literature review and future research agenda." International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, vol. 13, no. 1, 2022, pp. 8-32
Arumugam V., Linderman K. W., "Six Sigma and operational absorptive capacity: the role of project leader." Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, vol. 33, 2022, pp. 59-528
Chen K., Li Y., Linderman K. W., "Supply Network Resilience Learning: An Exploratory Data Analytics Study." Decision Sciences Journal, vol. 53, no. 1, 2022, pp. 8-27
Basole R., Bendoly E., Chandrasekaran A., Linderman K. W., "Visualization in Operations Management Research." INFORMS Journal on Data Science, vol. 1, no. 2, 2022, pp. 1-24
De Mast J., Lameijer B., Linderman K. W., Van de Ven A., "Exploring the process of management system implementation: a case of Six Sigma." International Journal of Operations and Production Management, vol. 42, no. 13, 2021, pp. 1-24
Azadegan A., Shaheen I., Linderman K. W., Fereidooni A., "Leadership styles in supply chain disruptions: A multi-method evaluation based on practioner insights." International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 2021
Dhanorkar S., Donohue K., Linderman K. W., "Online B2B Markets for Industrial Product Reuse: Evidence from an Operational Policy Change." Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, vol. 23, no. 6, 2021, pp. 1373-1397
Dhanorkar S., Donohue K., Linderman K., "Online Business-to-Business Markets for Industrial Product Reuse: Evidence from an Operational Policy Change." Manufacturing & Servicing Operations Management, vol. 23, no. 6, 2020, pp. 1333-1682
Ta-Wei K., Hung-Chung S., Linderman K., "Where in the Supply Chain Network does ISO 9001 improve firm productivity more effectively?." European Journal of Operational Research, vol. 283, no. 2, 2020, pp. 530-540
Cho Y. S., Linderman K., "Resource-Based Product and Process Innovation Model: Theory Development and Empirical Validation." Sustainability, vol. 12, no. 3, 2020, pp. 913
Cho Y., Linderman K. W., "Resource-Based Product and Process Innovation Model: Theory Development and Empirical Validation." Sustainability, vol. 12, no. 913, 2020, pp. 1-23
Su H., Kao T., Linderman K. W., "Where in the Supply Chain Network does ISO 9001 improve firm productivity more effectively?." European Journal of Operational Research, vol. 283, no. 2, 2020, pp. 530-540
Cho Y. S., Linderman K., "Metacognition-Based Process Improvement Practices." International Journal of Production Economics, vol. 211, 2019, pp. 132-144
Dhanorkar S., Kim Y., Linderman K., "An Empirical Investigation of Transaction Dynamics in Online Surplus Networks: A Complex Adaptive Systems Perspective." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 65, no. 2, 2019, pp. 160-189
Linderman K., Sting F. J., Chandrasekaran A., "Avoiding epistemological silos and empirical elephants in OM: How to combine empirical and simulation methods?." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 63, no. 1, 2018, pp. 1-5
Gardner J., Linderman K., McFadden K., "Managing Quality Crossroads in Healthcare: An Integrative Supply Chain Perspective." Quality Management Journal, vol. 25, no. 1, 2018, pp. 2-17
Schaltenbrand B., Foerstl K., Azadegan A., Linderman K., "See What We Want to See? The Effects of Managerial Experience on Corporate Green Investments." Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 150, 2018
Arumugam V., Anthony J., Linderman K., "A multi-level framework of Six Sigma: A systematic review of the literature, possible extensions and future research." Quality Management Journal, vol. 21, no. 4, 2017, pp. 36-61
Cho Y. S., Yung J. Y., Linderman K., "The QM Evolution: Behavioral Quality Management as a Firm's Strategic Resource." International Journal of Production Economics, vol. 191, 2017, pp. 233-249
Dhanorkar S. S., Siemsen E., Linderman K., "Promoting Change from the Outside: Directing Managerial Attention in the Implementation of Environmental Improvements." Management Science, vol. 64, no. 6, 2017, pp. 2473-2972
Dhanorkar S., Siemsen E., Linderman K. W., "Promoting Change from the Outside: The Roles of Punishment and Support in the Context of Environmental Improvements." Management Science, vol. 64, no. 6, 2017, pp. 2535-2556
Hardcopf R., Goncalves P., Linderman K., Bendoly E., "Short-term bias and strategic misalignment in operational solutions: Perceptions, tendencies, and traps." European Journal of Operational Research, vol. 258, no. 3, 2017, pp. 1004–1021
Chandrasekaran A., Linderman K., Sting F., Benner M., "Managing R&D Project Shifts in High-Tech Organizations: A Multi-Method Study." Production and Operations Management, vol. 25, no. 3, 2016, pp. 390-416
Chandrasekaran A., Linderman K. W., Sting F., Benner M. J., "Managing R&D Project Shifts in High-Tech Organizations: A Multi-Method Study." Journal of Operations Managment, vol. 25, no. 3, 2016, pp. 390-416
Su H., Linderman K., "An Empirical Investigation in Sustaining High Quality Performance." Decision Sciences, vol. 47, no. 5, 2016, pp. 787-819
Arumugam V., Antony J., Linderman K., "The influence of challenging goals and structured method on Six Sigma project performance: A mediated moderation analysis." European Journal of Operational Research, vol. 254, no. 1, 2016, pp. 202–213
Sterman J., Oliva R., Linderman K., Bendoly E., "System dynamics perspectives and modeling opportunities for research in operations management." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 39-40, no. 1, 2015, pp. 1-5
Su H., Dhanorkar S., Linderman K., "A Competitive Advantage from the Implementation Timing of ISO Management Standards." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 37, 2015, pp. 31-44
Jacobs B., Swink M., Linderman K., "Performance Effects of Early and Late Six Sigma Adoptions." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 36, 2015, pp. 244-257
Chandrasekaran A., Linderman K. W., Schroeder R. G., "The Role of Project and Organizational Context in Managing High-Tech R&D Projects." Production and Operations Management, vol. 24, no. 4, 2015, pp. 560-586
Dhanorkar S., Donohue K., Linderman K., "Repurposing Materials & Waste through Online Exchanges: Overcoming the Last Hurdle." Production and Operations Management, vol. 24, no. 9, 2015, pp. 1473-1493
Kim Y., Chen Y., Linderman K., "Supply Network Disruption and Resilience: A Network Structural Perspective." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 33-34, 2015, pp. 43-59
Su H., Linderman K., Schroeder R. G., Van De Ven A. H., "A Comparative Case Study of Sustaining Quality as a Competitive Advantage." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 32, 2014, pp. 429-445
Sanders Jones J. L., Linderman K. W., "Process management, innovation and efficiency performance: The moderating effect of competitive intensity." Business Process Management Journal, vol. 20, no. 2, 2014, pp. 335-358
Zhang D., Linderman K., Schroeder R. G., "Customizing quality management practices: A conceptual and measurement framework." Decision Sciences, vol. 45, no. 1, 2014, pp. 81-114
Azadegan A., Patel P. C., Zangoueinezhad A., Linderman K. W., "The effect of environmental complexity and environmental dynamism on lean practices." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 31, no. 4, 2013, pp. 193-212
Chandrasekaran A., Linderman K., Schroeder R., "Antecedents to ambidexterity competency in high technology organizations." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 30, 2012, pp. 134-151
Zhang D., Linderman K. W., Schroeder R. G., "The moderating role of contextual factors on quality management practices." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 30, 2012, pp. 12-23
Linderman K., Schroeder R. G., Sanders Jones J., "A Knowledge Framework Underlying Process Management." Decision Sciences, vol. 41, no. 4, 2010, pp. 689-719
Love T. E., Linderman K., "A weibull process failure mechanism for the economic design of MEWMA control charts." Journal of Statistical Computation and Simulation, vol. 73, no. 3, 2010, pp. 195-202
Linderman K. W., Chandrasekaran A., "The scholarly exchange of knowledge in Operations Management." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 28, no. 4, 2010, pp. 357-366
Liedtke C. A., Schroeder R. G., Linderman K. W., Rickard J., "Top this." Quality Progress, vol. 43, no. 7, 2010, pp. 24-29
Naor M., Linderman K. W., Schroeder R. G., "The globalization of operations in Eastern and Western countries: Unpacking the relationship between national and organizational culture and its impact on manufacturing performance." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 28, no. 3, 2010, pp. 194-205
Naor M., Goldstein S. M., Linderman K. W., Schroeder R. G., "The role of culture as driver of quality management and performance: Infrastructure versus core quality practices." Decision Sciences, vol. 39, no. 4, 2008, pp. 671-702
Shah R., Chandrasekaran A., Linderman K. W., "In pursuit of implementation patterns: The context of Lean and Six Sigma." International Journal of Production Research, vol. 46, no. 23, 2008, pp. 6679-6699
Schroeder R. G., Linderman K. W., Liedtke C., Choo A. S., "Six Sigma: Definition and underlying theory." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 26, no. 4, 2008, pp. 536-554
Zhang W., Hill A. V., Schroeder R. G., Linderman K. W., "Project Management Infrastructure: The key to operational performance improvement." Operations Management Research, vol. 1, 2008, pp. 40-52
Hill A. V., Schroeder R. G., Linderman K., "Disciplined project management: The key to process improvement program success." Academy of Management Proceedings, vol. 2008, no. 1, 2008
Published Online: 30 Nov 2017
Choo A. S., Linderman K. W., Schroeder R. G., "Method and context perspectives on learning and knowledge creation in quality management." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 25, no. 4, 2007, pp. 918-931
Choo A. S., Linderman K. W., Schroeder R. G., "Method and psychological effects on learning behaviors and knowledge creation in quality improvement projects." Management Science, vol. 53, no. 3, 2007, pp. 437-450
Linderman K. W., Schroeder R. G., Choo A. S., "Six Sigma: The role of goals in improvement teams." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 24, no. 6, 2005, pp. 779-790
Schroeder R. G., Linderman K. W., Zhang D., "Evolution of quality: First fifty issues of production and operations management." Production and Operations Management, vol. 14, no. 4, 2005, pp. 468-481
Linderman K., McKone-Sweet K. E., Anderson J. C., "An integrated systems approach to process control and maintenance." European Journal of Operational Research, vol. 164, no. 2, 2005, pp. 324-340
Linderman K. W., Schroeder R. G., Zaheer S., Liedtke C., Choo A. S., "Integrating quality management practices with knowledge creation processes." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 22, no. 6, 2004, pp. 589-607
Flowers A. D., Linderman K. W., "Hazardous waste disposal: A waste-fuel blending approach." Production and Operations Management, vol. 12, no. 3, 2003, pp. 307-319
Linderman K. W., Schroeder R. G., Zaheer S., Choo A. S., "Six Sigma: A goal-theoretic perspective." Journal of Operations Management, vol. 21, no. 2, 2003, pp. 193-203
Linderman K. W., "Environmental management: A management theory and modeling approach." Proceedings of the 34th Annual Meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute, 2003, pp. 1405-1410
Linderman K. W., Choo A. S., "Robust economic control chart design." IIE Transactions, vol. 34, no. 12, 2002, pp. 1069-1078
Published online: 17 Apr 2007
Linderman K. W., Love T. E., "Economic and economic statistical designs for MEWMA control charts." Journal of Quality Technology, vol. 32, no. 4, 2000, pp. 410-417
Published online: 20 Feb 2018
Linderman K. W., Love T. E., "Implementing economic and economic statistical designs for MEWMA charts." Journal of Quality Technology, vol. 32, no. 4, 2000, pp. 457-463
Published online: 20 Feb 2018

Editorships

International Journal of Operations Management, Editor, January 2017 - Present
Journal of Operations Management, Editor, May 2016 - Present
Special Issue Editor for Quality Management Journal, Editor, March 2016 - November 2017
Journal of Operations Management Speicial Issue Editor, Editor, February 2016 - December 2018
Journal of Operations Management, Editor, January 2014 - December 2015
Decision Science Journal, Editor, January 2013 - Present
Journal of Supply Chain Management, Editor, January 2013 - Present
Quality Management Journal, Editor, January 2012 - Present
Decision Science Journal, Editor, January 2011 - Present

Honors and Awards