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Robert Mason

Professor Robert Mason

Professor in Logistics

Cardiff Business School

Email
MasonRJ@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 29208 75511
Campuses
Aberconway Building, Floor Second Floor, Room C46, Colum Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 3EU
Users
Available for postgraduate supervision

Overview

I am a Professor of Logistics in the Logistics and Operations Manegement section. In an academic career spanning over 20 years I have developed a strong reputation for my research and teaching as well as my leadership ability.

My research focusses on the de-carbonisation of logistics, how developments in technology are impacting on the provision of logistics, the optimisation of supply chain system processes, the management of inter-organisational relationships (vertical and horizontal) and the organisation of enterprise to deliver customer value. I have a particular focus on the retail logistics sector. I have published over 100 papers and co-authored three books, one of which, The Lean Supply Chain (First Edition), being awarded the prestigious Les Plumes des Achats - Prix des Associations (Paris - 2016) prize. 

My teaching focuses on logistics and supply chain management modules at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and I supervise a number of PhD and dissertation students. My students have won the Chartered Institue of Logistics (Wales) best logistics based assignment on numerous occasions and a former PhD student, Dong-Wook Kwak, won The James Cooper Cup from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport for best PhD in 2015. 

I regularly act as an Internal and External PhD Examiner, and have considerable experience in External Examining for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Logistics and Management Programmes and Course Validation and Assessment for Universities in the UK and internationally.

I have held numerous leadership positions. I was a member of the School's Management Board and Head of the Logistics and Operations Management (LOM) section (around 35 academics) from 2019-2023 and Chair of the School's Shadow Management Board (2018-19). Previously I have been Programme Director of the MSc Logistics and Operations Management and MSc Sustainable Supply Chain Management programmes as well as being the Deputy Head of LOM.   

Publication

2024

2023

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Research

Research interests

  • the optimisation of supply chain system processes including:
    • the de-carbonisation of logistics;
    • the integration of transport/logistics into national and international supply networks;
    • the management of inter-organisational relationships (vertical and horizontal);
    • the organisation of enterprise to deliver customer value.

    I cover many industries but has a particular focus on the retail logistics sector.

PhD supervision research interests

  • Applications of lean principles
  • De-carbonisation of logistics
  • E-commerce and logistics
  • Freight transport
  • Lean logistics
  • Logistics and transport management
  • Logistics business relationships
  • Supply chain collaboration
  • Supply chain management

Teaching

Teaching commitments

  • Undergarduate - Year 2 Logistics Networks
  • Postgraduate - Logistics and it's Provision
  • Supervising MSc dissertation students and MBA Business project students
  • Supervising several doctoral students

Biography

Qualifications

  • 2009 PhD (Cardiff University) Title: 'Collaborative Logistics Triads in Supply Chain Management'
  • 2000 MBA (Distinction), Cardiff Business School. Dissertation title: 'The Impact of E-commerce on the UK Grocery Industry'
  • 2000 Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing, Chartered Institute of Marketing

Editorial work

  • International Journal of Production Economics - special issue editor

Honours and awards

  • Best Cardiff Business School Dissertation Supervisor (2012)
  • Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK) Wales - National Transport Award Winner (2008, 2009, 2011, 2013)

Professional memberships

  • British Academy of Management (BAM)
  • Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT)

Supervisions

Current supervision

Yingkai Wang

Yingkai Wang

Research student

Seungmin Lee

Seungmin Lee

Research student

Zhuowu Zhang

Zhuowu Zhang

Research student