Supply and Operations Management

The division of Supply & Operations Management (SOM) conducts research, education and outreach activities related to logistics, operations management, and industrial marketing and purchasing. All these fields, in turn, relate to supply chain management.

Our research is problem-oriented and empirical, with strong emphasis on industry and societal relevance. Digitalization and information technology developments, automation, as well as sustainability needs and circular material flows, are focused drivers and enablers in our work. The research is part of Chalmers’ Production, Transport, Energy and Health Engineering Areas of Advance; and is conducted in close collaboration with other faculty groups at Chalmers.

The division staff teaches courses at the BSc level in the educational programmes Industrial Management & Engineering (in Swedish), Industrial Management & Production Engineering (in Swedish) and, the MSc level in the Supply Chain Management, Quality and Operations Management, and Production Engineering masters programmes, as well as in the PhD education at Technology Management and Economics and in courses for professionals. About 30 different courses and about 40 BSc/MSc theses are examined at the division every year.

The division focuses on three broad areas:

Within industrial marketing and purchasing our studies address inter-organisational aspects of current industrial challenges such as efforts to reduce carbon emissions. We take a starting point in business relationships and how these are connected in industrial networks. Interdependence, interaction and adjustments made in collaboration between firms are key concepts in these endeavours.

Within logistics we address challenges of industrial companies and supply chains related to material handling, warehousing, operations and supply chain planning and control, material supply, procurement and circular supply chains. Automation, visibility, resilience and circularity are common themes in our projects and studies.

Within operations management our focus is on internal operations in different settings such as manufacturing or healthcare. The research topics include manufacturing strategy, healthcare management, performance management, remanufacturing, maintenance management, work organization, production management, time data management and work studies.

Research projects and publications

On Chalmers Research you will find the division's projects and publications.