Join Prof. Trevor Cadden for his inaugural lecture on how organisational culture, people, & capabilities transform business & supply chains

What enables organisations to improve productivity, harness digital technologies and build more sustainable supply chains? And why do some businesses successfully translate ambition and investment into lasting improvements, while others struggle?

In this engaging and thought-provoking inaugural lecture, Professor Trevor Cadden, Professor of Operations Management at Ulster University Business School, will explore these questions through a journey spanning more than 30 years of industry experience, academic research and collaboration with businesses.

Drawing on three interconnected themes — cultures of continuous improvement, data-driven and digital operations, and sustainable supply chains, Professor Cadden will take the audience on a journey from understanding the importance of organisational culture and continuous improvement to harnessing digital technologies and building more sustainable supply chains to improve performance and growth.

Through real-world examples, Professor Cadden will reveal how transforming organisational culture and building capabilities can unlock innovation, improve productivity and drive sustainable growth.

Along the way, he will reflect on the successes, challenges and unexpected lessons that have shaped his research journey, revealing how partnerships between academia and industry can create lasting economic, environmental and societal value.

At the heart of the lecture lies one fundamental question:

How can organisational culture unlock the capabilities needed to transform businesses and supply chains?

Expect research, real-world stories and a few unexpected connections along the way.

The event will appeal to business leaders, industry professionals, policymakers, academics, students and anyone interested in how people, knowledge and innovation can transform organisations and supply chains.

Agenda

6:00pm – Registration and refreshments

6:30pm – Formal proceedings and Professorial Lecture

7:30pm – Close

About Professor Trevor Cadden

Trevor Cadden is Professor of Operations Management at Ulster University Business School. He joined Ulster University in 2004 following nine years in industry and has developed an internationally recognised research profile in organisational culture, operational excellence, digital capabilities and supply chain management.

His research explores how people, processes and technologies interact to influence organisational performance, innovation and sustainability, with a particular focus on translating academic research into practical improvements for businesses and wider society.

Throughout his academic career, Professor Cadden has taught more than 10,000 students, served as MBA Course Director for 15 years and published over 50 international research articles. He has collaborated with more than 60 international researchers across multiple continents, contributed to research projects valued at over £15 million, and participated in more than 30 innovation projects and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs).

His research has appeared in internationally recognised journals, including the International Journal of Operations & Production Management, International Journal of Production Economics, International Journal of Production Research, Journal of Business Research, International Journal of Information Management and Supply Chain Management: An International Journal.

Working closely with businesses, industry organisations and policymakers, he has helped translate research into improvements in operational performance, organisational capabilities, digital transformation and sustainability.

Professor Cadden is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Centre for Higher Education Research and Practice, and a Certified Management & Business Educator (CMBE) with the Chartered Association of Business Schools. His contributions to teaching, research and industry collaboration have been recognised through a number of local and national awards.

Description supplied by the event organiser.