Barbara Flynn

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https://hdl.handle.net/1805/11675

Barbara Flynn has a global outlook. Her large-scale research project collects data from manufacturers in 12 countries. It allows plant managers to compare the practices and performance of their plants with other plants in their industry, both in their country and with their global competitors. The data includes practices and performance related to accounting, quality management, technology management, human resource management, strategy, shop floor control and a variety of other areas. Data has been collected from some of the best plants in the U.S., Japan, China, Germany and other countries. It has been used as the foundation for many individual studies that address topics of interest to managers.

Through the provision of detailed feedback reports, participating managers are able to benchmark their practices and performance with that of other plants in their industry, both in their country and in the world. Dr. Flynn believes the best research is based on solving real world problems. Her translational research combines a rigorous methodology and strong theoretical foundation with examination of practical problems that are important to the U.S. economy.

Professor Flynn's global research efforts have a positive impact on the U.S. manufacturing practices and performance and is another example of how IUPUI's faculty members are TRANSLATING their RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE.

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Browsing Barbara Flynn by Author "Awaysheh, Amrou"

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    The best of times and the worst of times: empirical operations and supply chain management research
    (Taylor & Francis, 2017) Melnyk, Steven A.; Flynn, Barbara B.; Awaysheh, Amrou; Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
    We assess the current state of empirical research in operations and supply chain management (OSM), using Dickens’ contrast between the best of times and the worst of times as a frame. The best of times refers to the future that empirical OSM research is now entering, with exciting opportunities available using big data and other new data sources, new empirical approaches and analytical techniques and innovative tools for developing theory. These are well aligned with new research questions related to the digital economy, Industry 4.0, the impact of the millennial generation as consumers, social media, 3D printing, etc. However, we also explore how it is the worst of times, focusing on the challenges and problems that plague empirical OSM research. Our goal is to show how OSM researchers can learn from the worst of times, in order to be poised to take advantage of the best of times. We introduce the research diamond as a vehicle for emphasising the importance of a balanced research perspective that treats the research problem, theory, data collection and data analysis as equally important, requiring alignment between them. By learning and addressing the issues in this period of the best of times and the worst of times, we can take advantage of the opportunities facing our field to generate research that is balanced, insightful, rigorous, relevant, impactful and interesting.