CAPS Research studies are bias-free, disciplined, and executable.
Led by notable professors in the supply management space from top universities worldwide in collaboration with supply management executives, reports are designed to give you a head start on the topics that shape the profession.
A future-looking agenda with practical application today
The CAPS research schedule
CAPS research studies are member-driven and future-focused, ensuring that the actions you take today give your organization the upper hand for the future of the profession. Through our research pipeline meetings, members guide our agenda and it is carried out by researchers over the following year.
Engaging Employees and Customers in Sustainability
Researchers: Lisa Ellram and Wendy Tate
This report explores the idea that “every job is a climate job,” highlighting how each employee can contribute to sustainability through their daily decisions. It provides practical strategies for fostering a sustainability mindset among employees and reviews the essential knowledge they should embrace regarding sustainable practices. Key focus areas include appropriate metrics, voluntary participation vs job integration, and engagement strategies for employees and customers.
Negotiation Bots: An AI-supported Framework for Procurement Contract Negotiations
Researchers: Rui Yin, Scott Webster, Yalin Wang
This white paper explores the potential of AI-driven negotiation tools to improve the efficiency of the negotiation process and enhance the likelihood of reaching an agreement. It proposes an AI-powered negotiation framework, referred to as negotiation bots or negotiation clones, to investigate whether AI can minimize or eliminate common human biases and pitfalls, ultimately leading to improved negotiation outcomes and process efficiency.
AI Cybersecurity Forecast
Researcher: Robert Handfield
The study aims to document the current state of technologies in the AI cybersecurity space and to explore potential future technologies that are either under development or projected to become dominant in the industry. Based on this information, a roadmap will be created for supply management executives to navigate this changing environment. A survey to identify the major benefits and challenges associated with AI for cybersecurity, and explore which technologies are likely to emerge as important for cybersecurity in large organizations.
Designing Antifragile Supply Chains in a Geopolitically Uncertain World
Researchers: Mahyar Eftekhar, Andres Jola-Sanchez, Adegoke Oke
Geopolitical risks, including trade wars, conflicts, sanctions, political instability, and resource scarcity, pose significant challenges that can disrupt global supply chains and affect markets, currencies, and commodity prices. These risks can also impact employee safety and labor availability. To address these challenges, organizations need to develop resilience strategies that enable them to thrive amidst geopolitical disruptions. The study focuses on exploring the current and future impacts of geopolitical factors on supply strategies and identifying innovations firms use to succeed in volatile environments.
Business Continuity in Times of Turbulence: Relationship Management Across the Supply Network
Researchers: Robert Wiedmer, Adegoke Oke
Disruptions are unexpected events that interrupt normal business operations and supply chain processes, occurring at any stage and varying in severity from minor delays to major crises. They can arise from internal or external factors and challenge a firm's ability to meet customer demands and maintain efficiency. Recent years have seen an increase in disruptions due to natural disasters, geopolitical issues, and cybersecurity threats, impacting access to critical resources and affecting operations, sales, and relationships within the supply chain. To mitigate these impacts, firms must build resilience into their supply chains to ensure business continuity and procurement supply assurance. In this study, we will look at the type and reach of relationships implemented by companies to build resilience to ensure business continuity and supply assurance.
CAPS research reports
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Sign up for our newsletter or subscribe to our YouTube channel for short preview videos. Each report consists of the full study, a brief with report highlights, and illustrative examples and use cases. Our newest research reports are available to members immediately upon release with login. Non-members with an account in the CAPS Library may access research published more than 7 years ago.
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Post-Merger Trajectories and Readiness for Supply Chain Savings - Bending the Curve
Published May 2025 by CAPS Research
Researchers: Yousef Abdulsalam, Mikaella Polyviou, Eugene Schneller
This study investigates the impact of hospital mergers on supply chain performance, with a specific focus on operating and supply chain costs. While extensive research has been conducted on the motivations behind hospital mergers, their effects on supply chain performance remain relatively unexplored. By analyzing trends in hospital operating costs before and after mergers, this research aims to determine whether the anticipated cost savings, particularly in supply expenses, are achieved and maintained over time. Utilizing a dataset of U.S. hospitals with seven years of financial data, the study seeks to uncover the timeline and longevity of cost reductions following mergers.
CAPS Research members: Register for an account or login to access all reports in the CAPS Library now.
CAPS Research members: Register for an account or login to access all reports in the CAPS Library now.
Complex Adaptive Supply Networks and Resilience: Global Adaptation and Regionalization
Published March 2025 by CAPS Research
Researchers: Thomas Choi, Christopher Tang, Alexandra Brintrup, Liming Xu, Jean Paul Destarac
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply networks are undergoing profound structural transformations, commonly referred to as the regionalization of supply chains. As companies adapt to these changes, many are opting to relocate their supplier operations to geographically closer locations. This report explores two primary areas of focus: first, it presents a framework that elucidates the mechanisms driving these significant shifts in supply networks, grounded in the concept of complex adaptive systems. Second, it highlights key trends in regionalization and examines how these trends enhance the resilience of supply chains.
Using Circular Economy and Circular Supply Chain Principles in Packaging
Published October 2024 by CAPS Research
Researchers: Lisa Ellram and Wendy Tate
This report explores the concepts and implications of circular packaging. Researchers examine the 10 Rs of the circular economy, illustrating how these principles can be applied across various industries and packaging types. The report also includes a review of the potential benefits and challenges of circular packaging, along with suggestions on how to get started.
Differences in Sourcing, Contracting, and Managing Different Types of Technology
Published September 2024 by CAPS Research
Researchers: Srimathy Mohan, Mohan Gopalakrishnan, Brett Duarte
This research study focuses on the evolving technologies for sourcing and contracting, as well as the ecosystems in which these technologies function effectively. A detailed playbook comparing various advanced software tools is included in the report.
CAPS research reports are practitioner-focused, practically-applicable, and relevant to the evolving supply management landscape. We leverage our powerful network of supply management executives at leading companies worldwide and the expertise and discipline of notable supply management academics from top institutions.
Our researchers' higher education institutions:
- Arizona State University
- Colorado State University
- ESADE Business School (Spain)
- Miami University
- Michigan State University
- North Carolina State University
- Northeastern University
- Ohio State University
- Portland State University
- Rutgers The State University of New Jersey
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) (Switzerland)
- Texas A&M University
- University of Houston
- University of Minnesota
- University of Notre Dame
- University of North Texas
- University of Tennessee
- Wake Forest University
- Wayne State University
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