Does Banking Turbulence Threaten Supply Chains?
Recent bank failures threaten to plunge the economy into recession. Bank runs also threaten supply chain finance, resulting in supply chain disruptions.
05/11/2023 | By Andrew Balthrop, Jason Miller
Research and Publications: Supply Chain Management Research Center
U of A Walton College Initiatives Supply Chain Management Research Center Research Serving as a connector between industry, faculty, and students, the Supply Chain Management Research Center is a hub for exchanging ideas, advancing supply chain knowledge, and cultivating the success of Supply Chain Management students.
Research Archive
White Paper: Inflation and Healthcare Supply Chains
Inflation poses a particular challenge in the healthcare industry. Supply chain costs for the industry have risen faster than revenues, resulting in a squeeze for industry. Furthermore, disruptions in healthcare supply chains have resulted in higher cost increases than reported. JB Hunt Department of Supply Chain Management faculty discuss strategies for healthcare providers in the latest SCMRC white paper.
Monday, November 14, 2022 8:51:19 AM PST
Getting Online Shoppers to Choose No-Rush Shipping Is Easier Than You Think
As e-commerce sites try to cut costs and reduce their carbon footprint by incentivizing customers to choose no-rush shipping, new research shows that the solution may be as simple as giving shoppers information on carbon emissions.
09/29/2022 | By Ron Gordon
States May Receive Millions To Improve Truck Parking Infrastructure. How Should They Spend the Money?
Researchers from New Zealand's EROAD and the U of A's Freight Transportation Data Research Lab have created a system that can help show policymakers where funding is most needed.
08/24/2022 | By Ron Gordon
Low Interest Rates, Price Controls, and Home Gardens: A Cautionary Tale of Inflation Psychology
When policymakers failed to tame inflation in the late 60s and early to mid 70s, Americans came to expect prices to keep rising. That mindset helped fuel a “Great Inflation” that lasted until 1982.
07/27/2022 | By Ron Gordon, Andrew Balthrop
Fighting Scalping Bots May Be a Losing Battle for Retailers
It is not clear that retailers can stop scalpers from buying up high-demand products — or that they are especially incentivized to do so.
06/22/2022 | By Ron Gordon
Is Price Gouging Causing Pain at the Pump? Not According to Federal Economic Data
While gas prices are up, gas station profits are down. And though oil refineries have had several strong quarters, they do not appear to be profiteering.
Friday, June 17, 2022 7:23:48 AM PDT | By Jason Miller, Ron Gordon
Are Gas Stations and Oil Refineries Price Gouging? Not According to Federal Economic Data
Gas prices are up, but gas station profits are down. And though oil refineries have had several strong quarters, they do not appear to be profiteering.
06/17/2022 | By Jason Miller, Ron Gordon
Single-Sourcing, Market Concentration, and an Overkill Recall: A Losing Formula for Infant Milk
The infant formula shortage shows a need to diversify the market and improve the industry's capacity for product recalls.
06/14/2022 | By Dave Ketchen, Andrew Balthrop, Ron Gordon
Raccoons, Scientologists, and Extended Turnaround Times
Record manufacturer Gold Rush Vinyl has faced many of the same supply chain issues firms in other industries have grappled with during the pandemic — and some that are very unique.
06/02/2022 | By Ron Gordon
Many Truckers Will Stay Home During This Week’s Inspection Blitz
When inspection events are announced in advance, carriers often park their trucks instead of paying for maintenance. But announced inspections still serve a purpose.
05/17/2022 | By Ron Gordon
Record High Food Prices May Get Worse
Food prices were already soaring before Russia's invasion of Ukraine raised prices for wheat, soybeans, and cooking oils. Rising commodity prices mean we will likely pay even more for food in the coming months.
04/15/2022 | By Jason Miller, Ron Gordon
Conflict in Ukraine Fuels Worldwide Energy Price Increases
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has further inflated prices for oil, natural gas, coal, and fertilizer.
04/11/2022 | By Jason Miller, Ron Gordon
High Inventory Levels and Declining Sales Could Spell Bad News for Retailers
Supply chain disruptions and record consumer demand kept inventory levels low through most of 2020 and 2021. Retailers have finally been able to replenish their inventories — but cooling demand could make them wish they hadn't.
04/07/2022 | By Jason Miller, Ron Gordon
How Should "Free" Goods Be Distributed? Lessons From COVID-19 Tests and Masks
In January, the U.S. government began mailing at-home COVID-19 tests directly to consumers and indirectly providing N95 masks through retailers. While each distribution method has its pros and cons, indirect distribution seems to be the best option for similar programs in the future.
03/16/2022 | By Dave Ketchen, Jessica Darby, Ron Gordon
Closing the Loop on a Cracking Whip: Viewing Port Congestion Through the Lens of System Dynamics
From the outside, supply chains can seem simple and straightforward. Find out how recent events have affected them and why they can be so hard to safeguard.
02/23/2022 | By Travis Tokar, Andrew Balthrop, and Ron Gordon
What Does Wall Street Volatility Mean for Freight Markets?
Uncertainty is causing a historically bad month on Wall Street. That could affect freight markets, but transportation firms should not panic yet.
01/26/2022 | By Andrew Balthrop, Ron Gordon
Food Manufacturers Are Not Price Gouging
A handful of food manufacturers dominate certain sectors of the industry, so it is tempting to blame them for rising prices. However, publicly available economic data does not support charges of profiteering.
01/19/2022 | By Jason Miller, Ron Gordon
Why Are Supermarket Shelves Empty?
Elevated sales, low inventories, and Omicron-induced staffing woes help explain why supermarkets are experiencing stockouts.
01/18/2022 | By Jason Miller, Andrew Balthrop
Drug Testing Procedures in Trucking: An Overview
As trucking regulators consider changes to the mandatory drug testing program, we examine the merits of urine, hair, and oral fluid testing; the debate over hair testing; and possible outcomes of policymakers’ recent proposals.
01/11/2022 | By Ron Gordon, Doug Voss, Andrew Balthrop, Joe Cangelosi
Supermarket Chains Are Not Price Gouging
Federal economic data does not support Elizabeth Warren’s claim that major grocers are using inflation as an excuse to unnecessarily raise prices.
01/03/2022 | By Jason Miller, Ron Gordon
International Shipping Prices Don’t Explain Why Seafood Costs More This Holiday Season
Recent supply chain disruptions make it tempting to explain inflation by scapegoating high transportation costs. But the data does not support that argument. To better understand the forces at play, we examine the cost of a heavily imported staple of many holiday dinners: seafood.
12/20/2021 | By Jason Miller, Ron Gordon
Supply Chain Resilience vs. Efficiency: A False Dichotomy?
Technology has come a long way since the “efficiency versus resilience” narrative was written. Firms can now use automation, visibility tools, and data analytics to improve resilience while cutting long term costs.
12/16/2021 | By Jennifer Blackhurst, Ron Gordon
Port Backlogs Will Play Little Role in the Holiday Season’s Empty Shelves
If ports were running smoothly, we would still be experiencing shortages because uncertain demand has flummoxed many supply chain forecasting systems.
12/08/2021 | By Matthew A. Waller, Jason Miller
Women and Collaboration in the Supply Chain
Firms in the supply chain seek to further their own interests but also collaborate with their partner firms in order to reap the benefits of an efficient supply chain.
11/01/2021 | By John Aloysius
Supply Chain Professors on Policy: Uncertainty, Buffers, and Trade-Offs
While adding safety stock or capacity may allow companies to meet unexpected spikes in demand due to disruptions, there are trade-offs to consider.
08/27/2021
Women, Supply Chain, and Governor Hutchinson’s Task Force for Economic Recovery
Examining women’s current participation in supply chain jobs, the benefits of bringing more women into the supply chain workforce, and suggesting ways to achieve that goal.
08/15/2021
It's Easier Being Green: How Sustainability Influences Carrier Choice
As manufacturers, retailers, and consumers demand sustainability throughout supply chains, shipping managers are scrutinizing current and potential trucking partners’ sustainability as never before…
08/10/2021
Supply Chain Stress Testing: To Mandate, or Not to Mandate?
On March 17, 2000, lightning struck an Albuquerque, New Mexico, powerline. The resulting surge overloaded the power grid and started a fire in a nearby factory. The blaze destroyed millions of microchips.
06/28/2021
Building Bridges to the Future: The Recent Development of Northwest Arkansas’ Supply Chain Cluster
Northwest Arkansas is a very different place than it was 90 years ago.
05/13/2021
‘Those People Bought Walmart Stock Early’: The Development of Northwest Arkansas’ Supply Chain Cluster, 1975-2010
Many of the developments that boosted Arkansas’ national profile were inseparable from the growth of its northwestern corner’s supply chain cluster: a concentrated set of supply chain-related business activities.
04/16/2021
The Land of Opportunity: The Beginnings of Northwest Arkansas’ Supply Chain Cluster
Between 1930 and 1975, the seeds were sown for Northwest Arkansas to emerge as a global business powerhouse.
04/05/2021
What Percentage of Truck Drivers Are Female?
The gender composition of the U.S. trucking work force has received a lot of attention recently. Trucking has historically been male-dominated, and with the widespread driver shortage, some have su…
03/17/2021
Farm to Fork: How a Supply Chain Orientation is Helping Improve Food Safety in China
Though China’s poultry industry has quickly become one of the world’s largest, its food safety standards have not kept pace. Certain widespread practices risk exposing consumers
03/16/2021
Scott and Davis-Sramek Analyze Trucking’s Gender Imbalance
Researchers have largely overlooked the topic of women in trucking, even though recruiting and retaining more female drivers could help the industry address its long-standing driver shortage. Numer…
02/17/2021
Researchers Assess Pros and Cons of Mandating Female Board Representation
A recent study finds that firms whose boards of directors include multiple women recall defective, highly dangerous products more quickly. While the authors find that firms with one female director…
02/10/2021
Researchers Examine Food Safety Law’s Unintended Consequences
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) of 2011 marked the most comprehensive change in government oversight of food production and processing in over 70 years, shifting toward preventing foodborn…
02/10/2021
Phares and Richey Examine Beer Regulations’ Unintended Consequences
Time postponement is a common supply chain strategy wherein fully manufactured and labeled inventory is stored in a distribution center until a nearby retailer places an order. While time postponem…
02/10/2021
New Research Shows Unintended Consequences of the Crash Preventability Program
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) recently-implemented Crash Preventability Program allows trucking carriers to dispute their fault after they are involved in certain types …
11/30/2020
New Study Shows Why Truck Drivers Quit and How Firms Can Fight Turnover
A better understanding of why drivers quit can help firms address trucking’s long-standing driver retention problem. A new study by Stephanie P. Thomas, Sara Liao-Troth, and Donnie F. Williams anal…
11/18/2020
Researchers Examine How Policy Affects Retail Medical Clinics
Retail medical clinics (RMCs) like Walmart Health, Kroger’s The Little Clinic, and Amazon have the potential to revolutionize American healthcare with innovative delivery models informed by the ret…
10/29/2020
Has the ELD Mandate Affected Trucking Prices?
Researchers have long recognized that trucking spot market prices affect contract prices. The typical one-year contract between a shipper and carrier is based on spot prices. Though one-time spot m…
10/20/2020
Research Shows How High Driver Turnover Rates Affect Freight Pricing
Driver turnover forces carriers to spend large sums recruiting and training new drivers. One industry source estimates carriers spend roughly $15,000 to recruit, train, and seat each new driver. Wi…
10/20/2020
Truck Driver Burnout: Ways Carriers Can Fight Stress-Related Turnover
Trucking firms have spent decades trying to address the industry’s driver retention problem. Past attempts have not solved the problem, so we are taking a different approach
10/14/2020
Researchers Examine Disaster Relief Collaboration
After a natural disaster various types of organizations work together to help those affected. Local nongovernmental organizations work alongside national nongovernmental organizations and governmen…
08/05/2020
New Research Questions Benefits of Federally Mandated Truck Monitoring Devices
On December 18, 2017 the U.S. Department of Transportation began requiring carriers to equip nearly all semi-trucks with electronic logging devices (ELDs) that monitor drivers’ working hours
07/31/2020
How Sustainability Affects Carrier Selection
As trucking carriers face public and governmental pressure to adopt sustainable practices, the decision to do so is made easier by a growing body of studies showing sustainability’s benefits
05/01/2020
Do Policy Risk and Uncertainty Lead Companies to Stockpile Inventory?
Supply chain managers must try to anticipate future developments and adjust their operations accordingly. One factor managers must attempt to forecast is the likelihood of policy intervention. Pred…
04/26/2020
Researchers Outline Key Components of Effective Older Adult Care
The world’s population is aging rapidly. This is largely due to a combination of increased life expectancy, lowered fertility rates, and the aging of the large “baby boom” generation. The United Na…
03/18/2020
Analyzing Trucking Firm Size
As a multibillion-dollar industry with a relatively low barrier of entry, the trucking industry consists of both giant firms and single-truck operations. A handful of large carriers each own thousa…
03/14/2020
Will Online Shoppers Pay for Upgraded Delivery?
Online shoppers value fast shipping, accurate tracking information, and undamaged deliveries. They perceive certain delivery carriers to be superior to others. If highly regarded carriers like FedEx…
03/02/2020
Miller Examines Trucking Safety Compliance
Numerous studies have shown that larger trucking carriers are more compliant with safety regulations than their smaller counterparts. However, there is no consensus on why that is the case. Some ha…
02/01/2020
How Government Contract Dependence Affects Market Performance
Government contracts are highly coveted because they offer many benefits. Governments tend to be reliable customers who sign long-term contracts in which cost is not always a criterion. Moreover, g…
01/30/2020
Researchers Show How Companies Respond to Politician Misconduct
Much research has examined the way firms react to misconduct by exchange partners: buyers, suppliers, employees, etc. The revelation of misconduct forces partnering firms to decide whether the bene…
11/06/2019
Dobrzykowski and McFadden Examine Hospital Governance
American hospitals house a unique power dynamic. Nowhere else do you find such important figures who influence organizational performance, but may not necessarily be employees of the facilities in …
10/07/2019
Study Shows Green Technology’s Influence on Carrier Selection
The demand for environmental sustainability is high enough that shippers will choose carriers who use green weigh station and tollbooth bypass technology in their trucks, even when those carriers …"
09/10/2019
Optimizing Delivery Management in Large Cities
As retailers compete to offer faster delivery, companies like FedEx and UPS strive to maximize driver efficiency. With drivers making more than 100 stops per day, delivery management is key to opti…
06/20/2019
Researchers Show How Regulatory Compliance Fluctuates
Decoupling involves formally announcing a company’s adoption of practices that comply with new governmental regulations, while continuing many daily routines which violate the regulations. It usual…
04/29/2019
How Investors React to Congressional Testimony
Congressional committees often invite companies to testify on the “possible impact proposed legislation may have on the environment, business, and society at large.” Such invitations are difficult …
04/22/2019
Tokar and Swink Encourage SCM Researchers to Consider Policy Implications
The Supply Chain Management Research Center at the Walton College of Business leads a multi-university research initiative aimed at advancing our understanding of the way public policy affects
03/18/2019
Dobrzykowski Outlines Healthcare Supply Chain Characteristics
With healthcare supply chain management research still in its relative infancy, David Dobrzykowski – Associate Professor in the Department of Supply Chain Management in the University of Arkansas’s…
03/18/2019
2019 China Insights Logistics Report
The primary purpose of the 2019 China Logistics Insights Reports is to provide research with findings formatted to allow a direct comparison of detailed logistics costs as a percentage of GDP for t…
02/02/2019
How Do Shippers Choose A Carrier?
While many have suggested that shippers should factor environmental and social sustainability into their trucking carrier selection process, little is known about how they actually make that decisi…
06/18/2018
Miller, Golicic, and Fugate Analyze Trucking Safety
Are trucking carriers who utilize more owner-operators more compliant with safety rules than those with more employee drivers? SCM researchers have debated that question since the 1980s. Some have …
06/01/2018
Russia's Invasion of Ukraine May Worsen U.S. Inflation
Though Russia is a relatively minor U.S. trading partner, the disruption of Russian fertilizer, wheat, and aluminum exports will likely worsen U.S. inflation.
Intermodal Provides a Greener Option for Freight, but Barriers Remain
Intermodal freight transportation is a way to lower carbon footprints, but regulation, railroad concentration, and too little investment in infrastructure limit wider use.
In The Media
- "Crash Diets Don't Work: Supply Chain Lessons for Transitioning from Fossil Fuels" (Arkansas Money & Politics, 5/4/2023)
- 5 things supply chain managers can do to contribute to humanitarian relief” (Supply Chain Management Review, 3/28/2023)
- Why ocean shipping is less anti-competitive than lawmakers think” (Supply Chain Dive, 3/17/2023)
- Robots Can Improve the Pharmacy Business and Patient Safety” (Arkansas Money & Politics, 3/9/2023)
- “Managing 5 unintended consequences of autonomous trucks" (Supply Chain Management Review, 3/6/2023)
- “It’s time to move beyond just-in-time and just-in-case” (Supply Chain Management Review, 1/3/2022)
- “Entrepreneurs Must Lead the Charge in Carbon Reduction” (Entrepreneur and Innovation Exchange, 11/9/2022)
- “Course correction needed in wake of OSRA-22” (Journal of Commerce, 10/22/2022)
- “Inflation is a lot worse than it seems as companies do not always pass on the costs” (Supply Chain Dive, 9/12/2022)
- “To Improve the Supply Chain, Put Women in Charge of Logistics, a Study Says” (Wall Street Journal : Journal Reports, 7/23/2022)
- “Ocean shipping reform: A quick ‘fix” hides unintended consequences”(Journal of Commerce, 5/24/2022)
- The ‘ingenious strategy’ behind most truckers’ least favorite week of the year: International Roadcheck
FreightWavesNOW Appearances
- “Are we in a growth spurt in manufacturing and distribution?” (1/26/2023)
- “How should you manage your supply chain in tougher economic times?” (9/29/2022)
- Russia-Ukraine - how it affects the world” (7/25/2022)
- Risks of Globalization (6/22/2022, begins 27:50)
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