Each year our Division bestows a Distinguished Scholar Award to a leading global scholar in our community. This award is intended to serve a dual purpose. The first is to honor distinguished leaders in the field of operations and supply chain management scholarship. Second, the award helps define the unique position of the OSCM division at the Academy of Management within the larger field of OSCM scholars. The award has two primary criteria:
1. to recognize commitment to serve the operations and supply chain field, both as a whole and within the Academy of Management, and
2. to honor scholarly excellence which has helped to shape both the field’s body of knowledge and practice.
The OSCM division promotes research on important and broad problems, with a focus on empirical research that is often cross-disciplinary. The Distinguished Scholar award offers an opportunity to highlight, define and honor scholars that emphasize this focus.
2024 OSCM Distinguished Scholar Award
Wendy Tate (University of Tennessee)
Award Winner Interview
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Wendy Tate
Wendy Tate is the McCormick Professor of Supply Chain Management and Ray & Joan Myatt Faculty Fellow. She teaches strategic sourcing and sustainability to undergraduate, MBA, executive and doctoral students. She is interested in the financial impacts of business decisions across the supply chain.
Tate specializes in translating academic work into classroom learning activities and disseminating her work globally. Her research can be broadly classified under purchasing but focuses primarily on two types of business problems. The first is in services purchasing, including outsourcing, offshoring and reshoring. The second area is on environmental business practices and understanding how these initiatives can be diffused across a supply chain and a supply network. She presents at many different venues, including both academic and practitioner-oriented conferences and has published research in several top-tier academic journals.
Tate serves as co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Supply Chain Management. Before receiving her doctorate, she spent 17 years in corporate planning, supply chain management, purchasing and operations management within the furniture industry.
l supply chains He is a member of the Pandemic
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Our warmest congratulations, Wendy, on winning our division’s Distinguished Scholar Award! What made you take a job in academia?
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Wendy Tate: After I completed my MBA at Arizona State University, I wasn’t quite sure what my next step would be. One of my first professors, Sue Seifert, played a significant role in shaping my career direction. We stayed in touch after I graduated, and she became my mentor. One day, out of the blue, she called and suggested that I apply to a PhD program. At the time, I didn’t even know what pursuing a PhD truly meant—I wasn’t aware of what being a professor involved beyond teaching. However, Sue saw something in me and encouraged me to take that step. I ended up applying to just one university, and thankfully, I was accepted. It was a strange and exciting turn of events that brought me back into academia, where I found myself enjoying the research aspect of the role. It was challenging to transition from industry back to being a student, but the intellectual stimulation and the opportunity to contribute to new knowledge were what really drew me in. m
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What were the defining moments in your career?
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Wendy Tate: There have been several defining moments that have significantly impacted my career trajectory. One of the earliest was during my PhD program when I attended a summer school for PhD students in Austria. It was part of an international initiative, and the course was a week-long immersion into academic research and networking. I was surrounded by some of the most esteemed professors and fellow PhD students from around the world. The friendships and professional relationships I formed during that week have endured over the years. Many of those peers have gone on to become editors, influential researchers, and close colleagues, and we still keep in touch.
Another defining moment was when I was on the academic job market. Although my background at Arizona State had prepared me for a traditional job search within certain academic circles, it was a conference hosted by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) in San Diego that truly changed my career path. There, I met representatives from the University of Tennessee, and it just clicked for me—I knew that was where I wanted to be. It was a unique hiring process; I only went on one campus visit, and it was to the University of Tennessee. I was so certain that I wanted to work there that I didn’t even consider other offers. The interview process was intense but exhilarating. I met so many incredible faculty members, and I felt an immediate connection with the team. That conference and the decision to pursue the opportunity at Tennessee have been foundational in my career.
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What was your most important lesson that you would like to share with younger faculty?
There are so many lessons I’ve learned over the years, but one that stands out is the importance of making yourself visible in the academic community. It’s essential to get your name out there, whether it’s through attending conferences, publishing research, or participating in service activities. Visibility not only helps in building your reputation but also opens doors to collaborations and career opportunities. For instance, during job searches, it’s common to see applications from individuals who are completely unknown to the faculty they’re applying to work with. That’s a missed opportunity. When your name is recognized because of your active participation in the community, it makes a significant difference.
Another key lesson is the value of collegiality. Being part of an academic community means contributing to its development and helping to build a supportive environment. This can be through service roles, mentoring students, or simply being a good collaborator. It’s important to choose your research partners wisely and to always deliver on your commitments—if not exceed them. Building a reputation as someone who is reliable and who adds value to any project is crucial for long-term success in academia.
Any fun facts about yourself?
| Wendy Tate: Absolutely! I’m an avid traveler, and I try to explore new places whenever I get the chance. You can often find me on the road, heading towards the mountains for some hiking and adventure. There’s something incredibly refreshing about being in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. I also love the challenge and thrill of exploring new terrains, whether it’s a tough hike or discovering a hidden gem of a location. My love for travel and adventure keeps life exciting and provides a wonderful balance to my academic career. There’s never a dull moment, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!While I do not have any particularly wild or unique fun facts (laughing), my wife and I adopted two children, aged 23 and 20 now. I played amateur baseball until the age of 30, and now play tennis, run, and do yoga. I enjoy outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, and backpacking. I love college football, which I know is not unique but certainly is another reason Ohio State has been such a great place for me. One of my fun accomplishments is completing the Columbus Ale Trail four of the last five years; this entails visiting and enjoying a drink at each of the city's 40ish breweries and getting a stamp. My wife humorously refers to this as my "adult sticker chart"; for all that effort, for the last one I earned a poster. This year the prize is a tee shirt. It’s definitely about the journey!
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Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Wendy!
Past OSCM Distinguished Scholar Awards
2023 1. John Gray (Ohio State University) / 2. Stephan Wagner (ETH Zurich)
2022 1. Dave Ketchen (Auburn University) / 2. Kevin Dooley (Arizona State University)
2021 Lutz Kaufmann, WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management
2020 Mark Pagell, University College Dublin
2019 Lisa Ellram, Miami University
2018 1. Craig Carter (Arizona State U.) / 2. Daniel R. Guide, Jr. (The Penn State U)
2017 Steven Melnyk (Michigan State U.)
2016 Kevin Lindermann (U. of Minnesota)
2015 Elliot Bendoly (Ohio State U.)
2014 Janet Hartley (Bowling Green State U.)
2013 Robert D. Klassen (Ivey School of Business)
2012 1. Tom Choi (Arizona State U.) / 2. Keong Leong (California State U.)
2011 Morgan Swink (Texas Christian U.)
2010 Ken Boyer (Ohio State U.)
2009 Ram Narasimhan (Michigan State U.)
2008 Chris Voss (London Business School)
2007 Peter Ward (Ohio State U.)
2006 Aleda Roth (Clemson U.)
2005 Barbara Flynn (Wake Forest U.)
2004 1. Richard Chase (U. Southern California) / 2. Roger Schroeder (U. Minnesota)
2003 1. Chan Hahn (Bowling Green U.) / 2. Jack Meredith (Wake Forest U.) / 3. Linda Sprague (China Europe International)