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 Roy Westbrook 

Courses taught

MBA Operations Management
MBA Service Management

Expertise

Supply chain management.
Operational flexibility and mass customisation in manufacturing.
Quality and productivity in service operations (including telephone call centre operations).

Overview

Professor Roy Westbrook is Dean of Development and External Relations, and was formerly MBA Director and Deputy Dean. 

Professor Westbrook’s research interests are wide-ranging and include supply chain management; operational flexibility and mass customisation in manufacturing; and quality and productivity in service operations. He is also the joint author of a history of opera.  Roy Westbrook in addition is a Tutorial Fellow in Management Studies at St Hugh's College, Oxford.

After graduating in History from Leicester University in 1971, Roy Westbrook was recruited by the Civil Service as a fast track entrant, leaving nine years later to become a specialist research officer and consultant. From 1984 he worked full-time at LBS in the area of Operations Management, completing his doctorate there in 1992 and serving as Associate Dean of the Sloan Programme from 1995. 

Research interests

Professor Westbrook’s research interests are wide-ranging and include supply chain management; operational flexibility and mass customisation in manufacturing; and quality and productivity in service operations.

Books:


New, S.J. and Westbrook, R. (eds), Understanding Supply Chains: Concepts, Critiques and Futures Understanding Supply Chains: Concepts, Critiques and Futures, Oxford University Press, 2004.

Book chapters:


Westbrook, R., Hill, T., & Nicholson, T., 'Manufacturing Strategy: Providing Support for Agreed', in: Buckley, P, Burton, F. & Mirza, H. (Ed.), The Strategy and Organization of International Business, MacMillan, 1998.

Westbrook, R., & Hill, T., 'SWOT analysis: time for a product recall', in: Fleidman, K. (Ed.), Innovation and Management: Recent Research on Generating New Ideas, EFMD, 1997.

Westbrook, R., 'Business Process Re-engineering', in: Nicholson, N. (Ed.), Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Organizational Behaviour, Blackwell, 1995.

Westbrook, R., 'Operations Design for International Telephone-base Service - a Longitudinal Case Study', in: Tear, R. & Armistead, C. (Ed.), Services Management: New Directions, New Perspectives, Cassell, 1995.

Westbrook, R., 'Operations Management', in: Nicholson, N. (Ed.), Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Organizational Behaviour, Blackwell, 1995.

Journal articles:


Frohlich, M.T., & Westbrook, R., 'Demand chain management in manufacturing and services: Web-based integration, drivers and performance', Journal of Operations Management, Vol.20:6, 2002, pp.729-745 (Shortlisted for best paper award 2002).

Frohlich, M.T., & Westbrook, R., 'Arcs of integration: an international study of supply chain strategies', Journal of Operations Management, Vol.9:2, 2001, pp.185-200 (Winner of best paper award 2001).

Westbrook, R., 'Closing the Gap: Plant-based research in Operations Management', International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Vol.19:2, 1999, pp.139-156.

Åhlström P.,Westbrook R., 'Implications of Mass Customisation for Operations Management: An Exploratory Survey', International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Vol.19:3, 1999, pp.262-274.

Adam E.E.,Corbett L.M.,Flores B.E.,Harrison N.J.,Lee T.S.,Rho B-H.,Ribera J.,Samson D.,Westbrook R., 'An International Study of Quality Improvement Approach and Firm Performance', International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Vol.17:9, 1997, pp.842-873.

Hill, T. & Westbrook, R., 'Linking Technological Innovations to Strategic Needs', Technovation, Vol.17:3, 1997, pp.109-118.

Hill, T. & Westbrook, R., 'Strategic Development of Manufacturing Market Analysis for Investment Priorities', European Management Journal, Vol.15:3, 1997, pp.297-302.

Hill, T. & Westbrook, R., 'SWOT Analysis: Time for a Product Recall', Long Range Planning, Vol.30:1, 1997, pp.46-52.

'Technical Innovation and Competitive Advantage in Retail Financial Services: A Case Study of Change and Industry Response', British Journal of Management, Vol.7:1, 1996, pp.45-61.

Westbrook, R., 'Action Research: New Paradigm in Production/Operations Management Research', International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Vol.15:12, 1995, pp.6-20.

'Designing Effective Service Operations: Comparative Case Research from the Netherlands', New Technology, Work and Employment, Vol.10:1, 1995, pp.32-46.

Westbrook, R., 'Organising for Total Quality: Case Research from Japan', Internation Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, Vol.12:4, 1995, pp.8-25.

Westbrook, R., & Barwise, P., 'Total Quality Management in Leading Fast-Moving Consumer Goods Companies', Total Quality Management, Vol.6:4, 1995, pp.365-382.

Contact Details

Saïd Business School
University of Oxford
Park End Street
Oxford
OX1 1HP
UK

Roy.Westbrook@sbs.ox.ac.uk 

+44 (0)1865 288930