【Title】Nanostore distribution: high-density logistics in megacities

【Speaker】Prof. Jan C. Fransoo, Professor, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Netherlands

【Host】Dr. Lei Zhao

【Time】December 6, 2016, 14:00 – 15:00

【Location】Room N412, Shunde Building

【Abstract】In most developing economies, the major consumer goods retail channel consists of thousands of small traditional retail stores. We denote these stores as nanostores. Management of this channel is generally not understood: management practices tend to be local, and academic research is very sparse. In this talk, I will characterize this channel from a retail operations and from a logistics perspective, based on extensive qualitative fieldwork. Moreover, I will give an overview of recent more formal model-based studies that we are conducting in this channel. Our research addresses issues such as formal models that optimize channel selection by manufacturers and structural estimation models to understand nanostore channel evolution.

【Brief bio】Jan C. Fransoo is a professor of Operations Management and Logistics in the School of Industrial Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. He holds an MSc in Industrial Engineering and a PhD in Operations Management & Logistics from Eindhoven University of Technology. He also serves as Dean of the Graduate School of Eindhoven University of Technology. He is co-founder and member of the supervisory board of TKI Dinalog (Dutch Institute for Advanced Logistics), the Netherlands network of excellence in the area of supply chain management, and a member of the Netherlands national Topteam for Logistics that leads the Netherlands public-private national strategy for research and innovation in logistics and supply chain management. Professor Fransoo held visiting appointments at Clemson University, Stanford University, UCLA, the University of Ljubljana, and MIT. He holds senior or advisory editorial positions at nine academic journals in the fields of operations and supply chain management, including Associate Editor at Operations Research and Senior Editor at Production and Operations Management. He has published over 100 papers in academic journals and books and presented at many academic and industry conferences, on topics such as production planning, supply chain and inventory management, and transportation planning. His most recent work is addressing issues such as synchromodal transportation, distribution in megacities, and carbon-efficient supply chain management. As part from his academic activities, Professor Fransoo has conducted dozens of projects with industry, and has consulted with the World Bank and various national governments in developed and developing countries.

All interested are welcome!