Prof. Desiree Van Dun
Polytechnic University of Milan
Biography
Prof. Dr. Desirée H. van Dun
Position: Professor / Researcher in Operations and Supply Chain Management
Institution: Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Areas of Expertise: Organizational Behavior, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Lean Management, Industry 4.0, Industry 5.0, Digital Transformation, Green Transformation, Leadership, Innovation Management, and Human Behavioral Dynamics.
Education
| Year | Education |
|---|---|
| Ph.D. | Organizational Behavior and Operations Management, University of Twente, The Netherlands |
| M.Sc. | Business Administration, University of Twente, The Netherlands |
Academic and Professional Career
- 2000s–2010s – Management Consultant (approximately 10 years of professional consulting experience).
- 2017–2025 – Assistant Professor and later Associate Professor, University of Twente, The Netherlands.
- Visiting Researcher – Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, United Kingdom.
- 2025–Present – Professor and Researcher, Politecnico di Milano, Italy.
- 2025–Present – Managing Co-Editor, International Journal of Operations & Production Management (IJOPM).
- 2023–Present – Associate Editor, Creativity and Innovation Management.
- 2024–Present – Elected Board Member, Academy of Management (AOM), Operations & Supply Chain Management (OSCM) Division.
- 2026 – Division Chair-Elect, Academy of Management OSCM Division.
Research Interests
Prof. van Dun’s research focuses on:
- Human behavioral dynamics in organizations
- Digital and green organizational transformation (Industry 5.0)
- Leadership and organizational change
- Lean management and continuous improvement
- Industry 4.0 technology adoption
- Innovation management
- Team performance and collaboration
- Operations and supply chain management
- Organizational learning and absorptive capacity
- Sustainable organizational development
Academic Achievements
- Recipient of the prestigious Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Award in Operations and Production Management (2015).
- Winner of the University of Twente Best PhD Dissertation Award (2016).
- Recipient of multiple Shingo Research Awards and Shingo Publication Awards for contributions to Lean Management research.
- Recognized internationally for pioneering field-research methodologies that combine video observation and physiological arousal data collection during real organizational meetings.
- Published extensively in leading international journals, including:
- International Journal of Operations & Production Management
- European Management Journal
- Production Planning & Control
- Creativity and Innovation Management
- IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management
- International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology
- International Journal of Qualitative Methods
- Frequently invited as a keynote speaker, researcher, and academic leader in the fields of operations management, organizational behavior, and Industry 5.0 transformation.
Awards and Recognitions
- 2025 – Shingo Publication Award for contributions to A Research Agenda for Lean Management.
- 2024 – Shingo Research Award for the article Values and Behaviors of Effective Lean Managers.
- 2020 – EurOMA Best Student Paper Award Runner-Up.
- 2019 – Best Developmental Paper Award, British Academy of Management.
- 2017 – Shingo Research Award for contributions to The Routledge Companion to Lean Management.
- 2016 – University of Twente Best PhD Dissertation Award (Overijssel PhD Award).
- 2015 – Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Award.
- 2015 – Best Student Paper Award, Academy of Management Annual Meeting.
- 2010 – Runner-Up Best Student Paper Award, Academy of Management Annual Meeting.
Professional and Community Service
- 2025–Present – Managing Co-Editor, International Journal of Operations & Production Management.
- 2023–Present – Associate Editor, Creativity and Innovation Management.
- 2023–Present – Editorial Review Board Member, Journal of Supply Chain Management.
- 2024–Present – Board Member, Academy of Management OSCM Division.
- 2020–2021 – Co-Coordinator of the Academy of Management OSCM Joint Junior Faculty & Doctoral Student Consortium.
- 2017–2023 – Board Member of the Academy of Management OSCM Division, serving in communications, membership, and newsletter leadership roles.
International Contribution
Prof. Desirée H. van Dun is internationally recognized for her work on the human side of digital and sustainable transformation. Her research bridges organizational behavior and operations management, helping organizations successfully adopt Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 technologies through effective leadership, collaboration, and innovation. Through her academic leadership, editorial roles, and international collaborations, she continues to influence both research and practice in operations and supply chain management worldwide.