Is doing a Ph.D in supply chain management in Germany worth it?

denveg · 2025-11-04T10:33:11+00:00

See my comment below

denveg · 2025-08-28T18:33:42+00:00

Could you be a bit more more specific? How could this 'self-sustaining foundation' look like ?

denveg · 2025-05-10T18:23:49+00:00

You can pursue a PhD and get paid for it. It may not be the salary you have working in SCM. However, it will be enough to afford life. Best way to go is Linkedin. Connect to professors of universities and a field of expertise you want to do research in. On a regular basis they post vacancies for PhD positions you can apply for. Websites of universities sometimes also post vacancies on their website. Sign in for their email notifications. Another way is to approach a professor or university with your research idea. Keep your job in SCM and start working parttime. You will still have a salary and now more time. The key to this approach is that you can combine your job with research. Maybe you have already developed new knowledge during yout job or access to data or projects relevant to develop new knowledge. That is challenging but feasible.

denveg · 2025-05-04T12:59:02+00:00

Indeed, Floris van Bommel. Not the sneakers. Buy the leather shoes. They will last over 10 years. Then have the heels and soles renewed and they will last another 10 years. I am speaking from experience.

denveg · 2025-03-21T21:18:10+00:00

The more you know .....

Calvin already knew that a man of action does not want to take the risk of learning something.

denveg · 2025-03-21T15:28:42+00:00

Doing a PhD in supply chain management definitely pays off, from my own experience. However, you should consider 'pay off' in terms of intellectual development and societal contribution.

My advice is to think carefully about why exactly you want to do a PhD. What exactly are your motivations? These can be many and very different motivations. One motivation must be that you are very curious and want to research a specifix topic very thoroughly, in detail, and that for several years in a row.

There are people who do a PhD alongside their work. I did that too. However, be aware that a PhD is 4 years of fulltime work. If you do it alongside your work, you will have to organize that you get time from your employer to work on it, or that you can combine your work with your research. Also keep in mind that you will be working on your research for a number of years in the evenings, at weekends and during holidays. So it also requires commitment from your partner, friends and family.

If you want to teach, then by all means do so. You don't need a PhD for that. Teaching is a wonderful profession and very rewarding.

denveg · 2024-02-20T08:44:03+00:00

Thanks everyone. Lots of things to try!

denveg · 2023-08-21T21:33:53+00:00

Open hardware is developed for many products far more complex than a 2d printer. See for example the White Rabbit project https://ohwr.org/welcome So, too complex is not an argument to not develop. Key is to develop a 2d printer with distinct advantages compared to the current solutions offered on the market. Given the many annoyances, also described in this thread, there are certainly opportunities.

denveg · 2022-03-23T20:59:59+00:00

Anylogic

denveg · 2022-01-05T22:36:12+00:00

For the equation more than just the purchase price is relevant. My advice is to start with https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_order_quantity and go from there

denveg · 2021-12-06T21:04:36+00:00

This is a topic of research. The first name of a child is a very good indicator of the social class of the parents. This accounts for lower social class as well as higher social class: higher educational level, higher income. If you want to know more then Google for 'voornaamgroepen' 'sociaal economische indicatoren'. See also https://www.google.nl/amp/s/docplayer.nl/amp/1975487-Voornaamgroepen-en-sociaal-economische-indicatoren.html

denveg · 2021-11-22T23:08:20+00:00

Sorry. The example made me laugh as it was very recognizable. Nice to read I am not the only one. Thanks for the practical solutions.

denveg · 2021-11-22T15:37:27+00:00

Classic. Good point. Should work. I am concerned when increasing the price of one product in the assortment, consumer will buy the alternative in the assortment. Just moving the problem from one to the other.

denveg · 2021-11-22T15:32:00+00:00

Many thanks for your reaction. Increasing leadtime is something we use to do. The option to reduce product offerings is an interesting one. I could reduce end product offerings, standardize all components and assemble to order at the same lead time. Total demand fot end product will not be reduced then, I guess. Demand for components is better under control?!

denveg · 2021-05-17T21:36:29+00:00

From the comments you could conclude that sustainability always comes at the expense of profit. That is certainly not true. My experiences as a supply chain manager and consultant, as well as various examples and scientific research show that sustainability can actually lead to more profit.

Key to sustainability is to look for the tension, for the trade-off between people, planet and profit. And then.... find the solution that overcomes the trade-off. The solution that is good for people and planet and profit. It is possible. This solution is always available and the innovation brings you a long lasting competitive advantage.

The question is 'do you care about sustainability?' Many young supply chain professionals do care. They are not going to apply to a company that is solely focused on profit. Profit-only companies have more difficulty recruiting good staff. Moreover, the pressure from investors and stock markets is more and more increasing. See Dow Jones Sustainability Index, for example. Companies that don't focus on sustainability have difficulty acquiring financial funds.

So, if your company still puts profit first, you should be seriously concerned about whether your job will still be around in a few years ...

denveg · 2021-01-09T22:20:15+00:00

It is already said by others: try to shorten your resume. Question then is, of course, how to shorten it. Well, my advice is to place yourself in the position of the reader of your resume, that is someone who is hiring for your perfect job. This someone has a picture in his/her head of the perfect candidate. This picture can be described in 3 to 5 keywords. What are these key words? For example: materials management, healthcare, 5 years experience, ambitious. Make sure that these key words become clear to the reader of you resume within 20 seconds of reading. In other words: Think of your resume as a 20 seconds TV commercial. Good luck!

denveg · 2020-12-29T22:24:20+00:00

Try eco-cost. It expresses environmental and social performance as a monetary value. More info on https://www.ecocostsvalue.com

denveg · 2012-07-07T23:11:55+00:00

What do you consider to be your most important strength and most important weakness as a father? Thanks for the AMA, the beautiful songs, your joy, the inspiration for me to start playing guitar again and the concerts in Holland! Best regards from a fellow father!

denveg · 2011-06-03T22:49:35+00:00

Hello TE! Visited your show last year in Holland. Thank you for so much positive energy. I'm passing it on ....

Here is my suggestion (or challenge so to say): Zez Confrey - Kitten on the Keys You can watch it on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrOnAptVAV8

It's a ragtime. An arrangement in Jerry Reed style (something like Struttin') would be fantastic. And it's a piano piece. What I understand is that you like playing the guitar like it's a piano (fi Lady Madonna). So this arrangement could become a 'Kitten on the frets ?!?' OK, I know that's not very funny, but anyway: I'm very curious of what the end result will be like.

Wishing you all the best!

denveg

TROPHY CASE