Courses taught

MBA Operations Management
EMBA and MBA Corporate Turnaround and Business Transformation

Expertise

Supply chain management;
Operations management; Process improvement; Healthcare management.

Overview

Steve New began his career as an engineer, working for Rolls Royce plc while completing a degree in physics at Southampton University. In 1988, after working in management consultancy for Collinson Grant, he went to Manchester Business School (MBS) where he completed his doctorate in 1993 on the use of visual interactive modelling for decision support in manufacturing. This work was sponsored by the Eaton Corporation, for whom Steve worked while studying. He taught at the Manchester School of Management, UMIST (now merged with MBS) before joining Saïd Business School in 1996.

Steve was formerly Vice-Dean of Degree Programmes in the School, overseeing the running of the MBA, EMBA, MFE and undergraduate progammes. He has also served as Investment Bursar of Hertford College, where he is a Fellow in Management Studies. He is a programme director in the School's Centre for Corporate Reputation.

Steve works extensively with a range of organisations in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. His research work focuses on supply chain management and process improvement; current projects are focusing on the concept of provenance in supply chains, and in the application of the Toyota Production System to medical care.

Steve serves on the Editorial Review Board for the Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, and the Editorial Advisory Board for Supply Chain Management: An International Journal.

Research

My research focuses on process improvement and supply chain management. Within these areas, the focus of my recent work has been the application of the Toyota Production System in medical care, and in the development of an underlying theory of provenance, the foundation for understanding reputation and ethics within supply chains.

My broader interests include the effectiveness of public sector services, and the social construction of value. A further strand of work relates to the methodology of operations management, and, in particular, the construction of a critique of the use of structural equation modelling in operations management research. My research work is informed by extensive consulting and training work for organisations in a wide range of sectors.

Understanding Process Improvement

It is arguable that the Toyota Production System (TPS) represents one of the major managerial innovations of the twentieth century. However, aside from the major challenge of understanding the internal logic and human dynamics, there remains the daunting question of why it so difficult to apply outside of Toyota itself; even firms in the car industry have struggled to match Toyota's success.

My recent work in this area has included the editing of a special issue of the International Journal of Production Research which celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the first english language paper describing the TPS. This special issue contained papers from a wide range of leading scholars who have attempted to get to grips with the approach. My introduction to the special issue is here.

The other major strand of this work has been to explore the impact of the TPS in medical settings; for this I have worked with colleagues in Oxford University's Nuffield Department of Surgery, and in particular with Mr Peter McCulloch and Dr Ken Catchpole of the Quality, Reliability, Safety and Teamwork Unit. Our work has explored the impact of TPS-style interventions on patient safety, and the initial substantial publication from this work has been published in the top-rated surgical journal, the Annals of Surgery and is forthcoming in the British Medical Journal.

Other organisations with whom I have worked on themes of TPS/lean-style process improvement include Clifford Chance (one of the world's largest law firms), the Wellcome Trust (one of the world's largest charities), and Oxfordshire County Council.

Supply Chains: Reputation, Ethics and CSR

I have worked extensively in the area of suppy chain management (SCM), and am the editor (and contributor to) two books in the field: Understanding Supply Chains (Oxford University Press, 2004, with Roy Westbrook) brought together leading authorities to provide a general survey of the state of research in the field, and to lay a foundation for general theoretical development; Supply Chain Management: Critical Perspectives in Business and Management (Routledge, 2008, Four Volumes) collated major works in SCM and cognate disciplines, framing the collection in a theoretical framework of operational, relational and functional integration.

My recent work in this area has been associated with two initiatives in the School: in 2006, working with Dr Dana Brown, I helped set up the Oxford-Achilles Working Group on Corporate Social Responsibility, which has a particular focus on supply chain-related issues; I am also a programme director in the Centre for Corporate Reputation, where I work with Tamar Yogev and Rowena Oligario on projects related to the concept of 'provenance and reputation'. An article stemming from this work ("The Transparent Supply Chain") is shortly to be published in the Harvard Business Review.

Books:

New, S.J. (ed) Supply Chain Management: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management. London: Routledge. (Four Volumes). 2008.

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

Hollier, R, Boaden, R & New, S (eds.), International Operations: Crossing borders in manufacturing and service, Amsterdam: Elsevier Science, 1992.

Journal Articles:

McCulloch, P., Kreckler, S., New S., Sheena, Y., Handa, A. and Catchpole, K. (2011 forthcoming) “Effect of a “lean” intervention to improve safety processes and outcomes on a surgical ward” British Medical Journal.

New, S.J. (2010 forthcoming) “The Transparent Supply Chain.” Harvard Business Review. October.

Kreckler, S; Catchpole, K; New, S.J; Handa, A; Mcculloch, P. (2009). "Quality and Safety on an Acute Surgical Ward: An Exploratory Study of Process and Outcome." Annals of Surgery. 250/6: 1035-1040.

New, S. J., (2007). "Celebrating the Enigma: The Continuing Puzzle of the Toyota Production System", International Journal of Production Research, 45 (16) 3545-3554.

Clarke, S, Lindsay, K, McKenna, C, New, SJ, 'INQUIRE: A Case Study in Evaluating the Potential of Online NCQ Tests in a Discursive Subject', The Journal of the Association for Learning Technology, Vol 12:3, 2004, pp 249-260.

Brunet, AP & New, SJ, 'Kaizen in Japan: An Empirical Study', International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Vol 23:12, 2003, pp 1426-1446.

New, S, 'Multimedia for international operations: a case study', International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Vol 23:1, 2003, pp 125-137.

New, S, Green, K & Morton, B, 'An analysis of private versus public sector responses to the environmental challenges of the supply chain', Journal of Public Procurement, Vol 2:1, 2002, pp 93-105.

Green, K, Morton, B & New, S, 'Greening Organisations: Purchasing, Consumption and Innovation', Organization and Environment, Vol 13:2, 2000, pp 206-225.

New, S, Morton, B & Green, K, 'Deconstructing Green Supply and Demand: PVC, Healthcare and the Environment', Risk Decision and Policy, Vol 4:3, 1999, pp 221-254.

New, S & Burnes, B, 'Developing effective customer-supplier relationships: more than one way to skin a cat', International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, Vol 15:4, 1998, pp 377-388.

Green K, Morton B & New S, 'Green purchasing and supply policies: do they improve companies' environmental performance?', Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Vol 3:2, 1998, pp 89-95.

New, S & Ramsay, J, 'A critical appraisal of aspects of the lean chain approach', European Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, Vol 3:2, 1997, pp 93-102.

New, S, 'The scope of supply chain management research', Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Vol 2:1, 1997, pp 15-22.

New, SJ, 'A framework for analyzing supply chain improvement', International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Vol 16:4, 1996, pp 19-34.

Green, K, Morton, B & New, S, 'Purchasing and environmental management: interactions, policies and opportunities', Business Strategy and the Environment, Vol 5:1, 1996, pp188-197.

Burnes, B & New, S, 'Understanding supply chain improvement', European Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, Vol 2:1, 1996, pp 21-30.

New, S.J. and Mitropoulos, I. (1995). "Strategic networks: Morphology, epistemology and praxis". International Journal of Operations and Production Management 15/11: 53-61.

New, S.J., Boaden, R. and Lockett, A.G. (1991). "Using simulation in capacity planning" Journal of the Operational Research Society. 42/4: 271-279.

Book Chapters:

New, S.J. (2009). "Supply Chain Traceability and Product Provenance: Challenges for Theory and Practice". In: Supply Chain Management and Logistics in a Volatile Global Environment. (Sweeney, E. ed.). Dublin: Blackhall Press.

Burnes, B. and New, S.J. (2008). "Collaboration in Customer-Supplier Relationships: Strategy, Operations and the Function of Rhetoric". In: Supply Chain Management: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management (Volume Two). (S.New, ed.) Routledge: London. 401-413. [Originally published in International Journal of Purchasing and Materials Management. 33/4: 10-17, 1997].

New, S.J. (2008). "Understanding Supplier Resistance: Overcoming Obstacles to Supplier Innovation" In: Supply Chain Management: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management (Volume Two). (S.New, ed.) Routledge: London. 463-470. [Originally previously In: TQM and Innovation: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on ISO9000 and TQM., Ho, S., (ed.), 1999].

New, S.J. (2008). "Designing High-Technology Services, Or Not: A Bittersweet Tale of Love and Loss". In Designing for Services - Multidisciplinary Perspectives: Proceedings from the Exploratory Project on Designing for Services in Science and Technology-based Enterprises, (L. Kimbell and V. Seidel, eds.) SBS: Oxford. 15-16.

New, S.J. (2008). "Supply Chain Impacts" In: Supply Chain Management: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management (Volume Four). (S.New, ed.) Routledge: London. 1-4.

New, S.J. (2008). "Frameworks for Explaining Supply Chains" In: Supply Chain Management: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management (Volume Three). (S.New, ed.) Routledge: London. 1-5.

New, S.J. (2008). "Relational and Functional Interpretations of Supply Chain Integration" In: Supply Chain Management: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management (Volume Two). (S.New, ed.) Routledge: London. 1-6.

New, S.J. (2008). "Operational Interpretations of Supply Chain Integration" In: Supply Chain Management: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management (Volume One). (S.J. New, ed.) Routledge: London. 1-6.

New, S.J. (2006). "The B2B revolution: Explaining what didn‘t happen". In Entrepreneurship and Innovation in E-Business: An Integrative Perspective. (Zhao, F., ed). Hershey, PA: The Idea Group.

New, S.J. and Westbrook, R. (2004). "Postscript: Supply chain futures" In: Understanding Supply Chains: Concepts, Critiques and Futures. (New, S.J. and Westbrook, R., eds.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. 281-286.

New, S.J. and Westbrook, R. (2004). "Preface" In: Understanding Supply Chains: Concepts, Critiques and Futures. (New, S.J. and Westbrook, R., eds.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. v-vii.

New, S.J. (2004). "The ethical supply chain", In: Understanding Supply Chains: Concepts, Critiques and Futures. ( New, S.J. and Westbrook, R., eds.) Oxford: Oxford University Press. 253-280.

New, S.J. (2004). "Supply chains: Construction and legitimation", In: Understanding Supply Chains: Concepts, Critiques and Futures. ( New, S.J. and Westbrook, R., eds.) Oxford: Oxford University Press. 69-108.

New, S, 'E-enablement and B2B e-commerce: findings from an empirical investigation', in: Spina, G & Vinelli, A (Ed), One World, One View of OM?, 2003.

Schaefer, A, Coulson, A, Green, K, New, S & Skea, J, (2003) 'Sustainable Business Organisations?', in: Berkhout, F, Leech, M & Scoones, I (Ed), 'Negotiating Environmental Change', Edward Elgar.

New, S, Oh, Y & Siddall, M, 'Understanding B2B e-commerce: Explaining the histories of B2B initiatives', in: Spina, G & Vinelli, A (Ed), One World, One View of OM?, 2003.

Green, K, Morton, B & New, S, 'Greening Organisations: Purchasing, Consumption and Innovation', in: Green, K, McMeekin, A, Tomkinson, M, & Walsh, V (Ed), 'Innovation by Demand', Manchester University Press, 2002.

New, S.J., 'Quality Management and Public Discourse: Beyond Blame', in: Ho, S. and Donnelly, M. Paisley, Integrated Management: Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on ISO 9000 and TQM, University of Paisley and Hong Kong Baptist University, 2001.

Brunet, P. and New S.J., 'Kaizen in Japan: An Empirical Study' in: Blackmon, K. et al ( Eds), What Really Matters in Operations Management: Proceedings of the 8th International Conference of the European Operations Managment Association, University of Bath, 2001.

New, S., Green, K., & Morton, B., 'Buying the Environment: the Multiple Meanings of Green Supply' in: Fineman, S (Ed) The Business of Greening, Routledge, 2000.

New, S, 'Making Multimedia Work: How Avis Europe Succeeded with Innovative Training in Systems and Service', in: Machuca, JAD & Mandakovic, T (Ed), POM Facing the New Millennium, DEFDO/Production and Operations Management Society and the University of Sevilla, 2000.

'Mastering Strategy: The Complete MBA Companion in Strategy', FT Prentice-Hall, 2000.

'Quality and Performance in Call Centres: A Conceptual Model', in: Van Dierdonck, R & Vereecke, A (Ed), Operations Management - Crossing Borders and Boundaries: The Changing Role of Operations, Academia Press Scientific Publishers, 2000.

Global Purchasing and Supply Chain Strategies', World Markets Research Reports, 2000.

New, S, 'The Pulse of the Heart: Challenging and Defending the Humanistic Centre of Total Quality', in: Ho, S & Leong, CC (Ed), Action 2000: Imperatives for Improvement, Hong Kong Baptist University/National University of Singapore, 2000.

New, S, 'Understanding Supplier Resistance: Overcoming Obstacles to Supply Innovation', in: Ho, S (Ed), TQM and Innovation: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on ISO9000 and TQM, Hong Kong Baptist University, 1999.

New, S., 'The Implications and Reality of Partnership', in Brunes, B and B.G. Dale, Working in Partnership: Best Practice in Customer-Supplier Relationships, Gower, 1998.

Brunes, B. & New, S., 'Developing the Partnership Concept for the Future', in Brunes, B and B.G. Dale, Working in Partnership: Best Practice in Customer-Supplier Relationships, Gower, 1998.

'Issues in supply chain performance management: a retailing case study', Performance Measurement - Theory and Practice: Papers from the First International Conference on Performance, Centre for Business Performance, University of Cambridge, 1998.

New, S, 'Simple Systems - Simple Models?', in: Bititchi, US & Carrie, AS (Ed), Strategic Management of the Manufacturing Value Chain, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1998.