![Person wearing eye tracking glasses](https://www.mmu.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/page_header_half/public/2024-01/4113BAP0348_Digital%20Degree%20Apprentice.jpg?h=e5aec6c8&itok=pNrcROh8)
Knowledge platform: operations and digital transformation
Contributing to a more efficient, sustainable and human-centric future.
Research overview
About our research
Digitisation can alter social and business processes. It brings many opportunities, but also new challenges.
Our diverse research areas highlight our dedication to understanding and addressing critical challenges. We work across various disciplines and sectors, including:
- management – focusing on conflict resolution, leadership styles, and team performance in temporary organisations
- technology – exploring the impact of augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), blockchain, and artifical intelligence (AI) on business and society
- data analytics – developing models for decision-making in various fields
- engineering – investigating sustainable supply chains, data-driven decision analysis, and sociotechnical decision-making
- built environment – examining sustainable systems, infrastructure value, and human-centered design
- business – researching agile methods, knowledge hiding, innovation implementation, and the use of AI in higher education
Our research objectives
Transforming experiences with emerging technologies
- To explore the organisational and social implications of digital technologies such as AR/VR, blockchain, and AI, analysing their impact on business models, societal structures, and user experiences.
Data-driven insights for sustainable systems
- To develop and validate data-driven decision analysis models across diverse fields such as transport, engineering, energy, and supply chains, promoting sustainable operations, efficient resource management, and informed decision-making.
Human-centered design for built environments
- To investigate the integration of intersectional thinking and human-centered engineering principles into the design and management of built environment systems, aiming for sustainable, regenerative, and equitable infrastructure with tangible benefits for communities.
Optimising performance in dynamic teams
- To empirically assess the effectiveness of conflict management and relational leadership styles in enhancing team performance within temporary organisations, considering the unique challenges and opportunities of these dynamic environments.
Unlocking innovation potential
- To examine the challenges and opportunities surrounding knowledge hiding in the global supply chain
- To analyse the impact of general-purpose technology innovation and strategy as practice approaches on SME innovation implementation
- To explore the potential of AI to enhance and transform higher education learning experiences.
Knowledge transfer partnerships
Our partners
We recognise the challenges disruptive technologies can bring.
Through knowledge transfer partnerships (KTPs), we connect public and private sector organisations with our digitisation experts. Our collaborations help organisations find solutions and adopt innovative technology.
We're always happy to discuss new opportunities.
Here are just two of the many firms, we've been able to help.
![Vivo Barefoot](/sites/default/files/styles/logo_scalable/public/2023-11/Vivobarefoot_Logo.jpg?itok=sXinlIg0)
Vivobarefoot
Sustainable footwear sector to be revolutionised in new industrial partnership
![The Rail and Station Innovation Company](/sites/default/files/styles/logo_scalable/public/2024-02/RASIC.png?itok=q_LBb8DD)
RASIC
Creating more sustainable power for steam railways
![Deluxe Beds logo](/sites/default/files/styles/logo_scalable/public/2024-03/Deluxe-Beds-Logo.jpg?itok=EurmFJqq)
Deluxe Beds
Improved operational agility through the use of SCRUM project management.
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Examples of our collaborations
- Dunster Farm Services: developing discrete simulation models for a new cold supply chain distribution centre
- Northcoders:
- using immersive technology to teach programming
- providing a gamification module for the intervention
- Mogul Video: developing a production platform, AI Validation
- Leti Arts: developing an offline virtual learning environment for underprivileged children in Ghana
- Vivobarefoot: driving the shift to a localised and sustainable UK-based 3D printing manufacturing model
- Rasic Ltd:
- predicting rail demand to improve operational responses to train delays
- long-term timetable planning to better meet passenger needs
- creating more sustainable power for steam railways through the Bio Coal project
- Coolkit: enabling the creation of a first-in-industry mass customisation business model to improve operational performance
- Russell IPM: adopting industry 4.0 thinking to design a transformed manufacturing system
- Deluxe Beds: improving operational agility
- Manufax: developing new forms of expertise in operational management
- Laker Vent: developing a digital transformation approach to improve organisational transparency, productivity and growth
- National Board of Medical Examination (NBME): automating the examination processes
- Atheon:
- developing and embedding a novel digital operationalisation and growth framework
- supporting the exploration and exploitation of lucrative growth opportunities in related sectors and markets
- F-Parkinson: creating an ambidextrous organisation that can adapt and generate more value for itself, its stakeholders, and the construction industry profession in the UK
- Turing-Manchester Project: data-driven control design for multi-energy systems
- Turing-Manchester Feasibility Project: understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and acceptance in Greater Manchester
- AI Foundry Project: helping small and medium-sized businesses in Greater Manchester to use AI, so they can innovate and enhance products and services
We’re also working on projects that explore:
- using virtual reality for surgical training and rehabilitating patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- improving visitor experiences at places like the People’s History Museum, the Manchester Jewish Museum, and the Lake District National Park
Our research outputs
We make impactful contributions to academic research. Our work has been published in these prestigious peer-reviewed journals – and more:
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IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management
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Information & Management
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Information Technology & People
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International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
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International Journal of Management Reviews
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International Journal of Operations and Production Management
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International Journal of Production Research
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Internet Research
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Journal of Business Research
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Journal of Cleaner Production
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Journal of Travel Research
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Omega
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Production Planning and Control
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Supply Chain Management
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Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Journal of Technology Transfer
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Tourism Management
Our research team
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View our staff
Our team of researchers includes some world-renowned academics.
For example, Prof Timothy Jung featured in Clarivate Analytics’ list of the most highly cited researchers 2023, recognising him as one of the most influential academics in the world. He was also named in Stanford University and Elsevier Publishers list of the top 2% most highly cited researchers in 2022 and 2023.
- David Bamford
- Timothy Jung
- Roula Michaelides
- Iain Reid
- Zenon Michaelides
- Mandy tom Dieck
- Louise Platt
- Leo Liu
- Salihu Dasuki
- Maksym Koghut
- Ella Cranmer
- Yuhua Wang
- Mahmoud Abdelrahman
- Raheem Sarwar
- Richard Dron
- Opeoluwa Aiyenitaju
- Amin Tabassi
- Marina Papalexi
- Hadi Karami
- Muhammad Fayyaz
- Fangyuan Shen
- Martial Pfouga
- Tejasav Kalra
- Ata Babaei
- Ram Deepak Asokan
- Ting Wu
- Cara Mulholland
Contact
Contact us
You can contact individual members of the team through their staff profiles.
For general enquiries, you can contact our knowledge platform lead Timothy Jung.