Roger W. Schmenner
Professor of Operations Management, Randall L. Tobias Chair, Chief of Staff, Office of the Chancellor
"Good research contributes significantly to good teaching. I would argue with those who say if you're an exceptional research institution then you aren't a good teaching school. I reject that notion. One strengthens the other. A business school can be both – and at Kelley, we are."
Roger Schmenner has spent 33 years investigating manufacturing strategy and operational issues. As the author of four books on related subjects, Schmenner is a nationally recognized authority on several areas of operations management, including industry location and productivity. More than a decade ago, his work on the theory of Swift, Even Flow – an explanation of productivity gain – greatly enhanced understanding of industrial productivity. He has even written about the theory's influence historically – examining its implications and impact in the Industrial Revolution and in global economic and industrial development.
Schmenner's most recent research project is a comprehensive study of performance disparities in manufacturing plants in the same company division. Throughout his career, Schmenner has relied on survey work, interviews and site visits to develop and substantiate his findings.
A frequently published author since the early 1970s, Schmenner has contributed scores of articles to top business journals, including Harvard Business Review, Journal of Operations Management, Production and Operations Management, Decision Sciences and Sloan Management Review.
He is a strong proponent of Kelley Indianapolis' integrated faculty, which promotes inclusiveness and contributes to the cross-disciplinary research endeavors that have become a hallmark of the school.
Our reputation for research is built on the fact that we have good researchers; we're rigorous in our pursuit of quality research and we target the best journals for publication," says Schmenner. "The very best research is derived from professors looking at the business world, coming across issues that have yet to be addressed and problems yet to be solved.
