Dr Steve New

Associate Professor in Operations Management, Said Business School; Fellow of Hertford College

About

Dr New is a leading authority on supply chain management. He is particularly interested in how individuals and organisations construct and interpret their environment and the systems in which they operate, how ethical and environmental issues are reflected in the supply chain, and in the impact of the internet and rise of B2B commerce. He is one of the leading scholars investigating the enigma of the Toyota Production System (TPS) and the West’s growing interest in the application of Japanese techniques to manufacturing. His research looks at the nuance and complexity of the so called ‘lean production’ or ‘just-in-time’ manufacturing process, its application to different sectors and how few have managed to emulate Toyota’s model. He has recently been investigating the application of the TPS to medical care, working with the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Surgery to explore the process and outcome of TPS-style interventions on patient quality and safety in an acute surgical ward.

His research work is informed by extensive consulting and training work for organisations in a wide range of sectors.