Undertaking supply chain management research: philosophy and practice

Nunes, Breno; Bennett, David; Weaver, Miles

Abstract

This chapter addresses both philosophical and practical issues when undertaking research in Supply Chain Management (SCM). Key issues in all research phases (design, plan, and execution) prior to publication of a PhD thesis are discussed and illustrative examples are given. While the examples should not be seen as an endorsement of research findings, nor as research advice; they give an idea of how doctoral researchers who successfully completed their degree have described how they designed, planned, and implemented their research project. In its final sections, the chapter also reflects on what counts as a contribution to theory and how SCM research can benefit from philosophical assumptions despite being a very practical discipline.

Citation

Nunes, B., Bennett, D., & Weaver, M. (2022). Undertaking supply chain management research: philosophy and practice. In S. Childe, & A. Soares (Eds.), Handbook of Research Methods for Supply Chain Management (71-85). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781788975865.00010

• Acceptance Date: Nov 1, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Nov 23, 2022
• Publication Date: Oct 18, 2022
• Deposit Date: Nov 7, 2022
• Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
• Pages: 71-85
• Series Title: Handbooks of Research Methods in Management series
• Book Title: Handbook of Research Methods for Supply Chain Management
• ISBN: 978 1 78897 585 8
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781788975865.00010
• Keywords: Supply chain methods; Supply chain methodology; Supply chain research; Supply chain philosophical assumptions
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2950930