Cranfield leads the publishing pack

Which universities have the most prolific authors on supply chain topics? Cranfield University does, according to a recent examination of logistics, supply chain management, and transportation journals from 2005 and 2007.

The study assessed submissions to eight journals: International Journal of Logistics Management, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, Journal of Business Logistics, Journal of Supply Chain Management, Journal of the Transportation Research Forum, Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, Transportation Research Part E, and Transportation Journal. The research was conducted by Craig R. Carter and Liane Easton, University of Nevada-Reno; Benjamin Allen, University of Northern Iowa; and David B. Vellenga, LCC International University.

The rankings were established using a weighting method, which gave partial credit for papers with multiple authors. For example, if a paper listed three authors from different schools, then each institution received one-third of a point.

U.S. schools dominated previous surveys; now European universities have broken into the top ranks. This suggests not just increased contributions from universities outside the traditionally dominant logistics and supply chain management programs but also "a lessening of a U.S.-based viewpoint" in the discipline, the authors wrote.

Top 10 most published schools

1. 1) Cranfield University (UK)
2. 2) Cardiff University (UK)
3. 3) Michigan State University (USA)
4. 4) University of Tennessee (USA)
5. 5) University of Maryland (USA)
6. 6) Arizona State University (USA)
7. 7) Imperial College London (UK)
8. 8) Lund University (Sweden)
9. 9) University of Alabama (USA)
10. 10) Iowa State University (USA)
11. 10) University of Nevada-Reno (USA)

(Note: Weighted rank for 2005?2007; publications in eight refereed academic journals.)

Source: "Affiliation of Authors In Transportation and Logistics Academic Journals: A Re-Evaluation," Transportation Journal, Winter 2009.