Undertaking Supply Chain Management Research: Philosophy and Practice

This chapter addresses both philosophical and practical issues when undertaking research in Supply Chain Management (SCM). Key issues in all research phases (design, plan, and execution) prior to publication of a PhD thesis are discussed and illustrative examples are given. While the examples should not be seen as an endorsement of research findings, nor as research advice; they give an idea of how doctoral researchers who successfully completed their degree have described how they designed, planned, and implemented their research project. In its final sections, the chapter also reflects on what counts as a contribution to theory and how SCM research can benefit from philosophical assumptions despite being a very practical discipline.