Dr James Aitken

Subject Group Leader and Lecturer in Operations Management

Qualifications: BSc, MBA, PhD

Email: james.aitken@surrey.ac.uk
Phone: Work: 01483 68 9231
Room no: 57 AP 02

Office hours

For Semester 2

Every Wednesday 10.00 - 12.00 and Thursday 11.00-13.00 . Please email for appointments outside of these times

Biography
Research
Publications
Teaching
Duties

Biography

Dr James Aitken is a lecturer in Operations Management. He has over twenty years of experience in production, operations, supply chain and sales management within the electrical and building industries. He has been the managing director and partners in four MNE and SME firms in the UK.

Dr Aitken has research interests in sustainable supply chains and reverse logistics. He is currently researching the reverse logistics flows of car parts in the repair of automobiles.

Research Interests

Reverse Logistics

Supply Chain Management within the automotive after market

Application of Lean Thinking within the automotive sector

Agile supply chains

Research Collaborations

Sustainable supply chain research with Cardiff University in Wales and Aarhus University in Denmark.

Visiting fellow at Cranfield University

Publications

Journal articles

Aitken J, Harrison A. (2013) 'SUPPLY GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES FOR REVERSE LOGISTICS SYSTEMS'. International Journal of Operations and Production Management,
[ Status: Accepted ]
Aitken J, Murray A. (2010) 'Crash repair in the UK: reusing salvaged parts in car repair centres'. Taylor and Francis International Journal of Logistics Research and Application, 13 (5), pp. 359-372.
doi: 10.1080/13675567.2010.512558
Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/110183/

Abstract

The reuse of salvaged parts from vehicles deemed to be at the end of their life is viewed as an opportunity by insurers and crash repair firms to reduce rectification costs and improve service to policy holders. This research investigates the opportunities and challenges that confront an important but under-researched part of the automotive supply chain in establishing a reverse logistics flow of salvaged parts. The aim of this paper is to explore why the development of a reverse logistics system for the reuse of salvaged parts has not been successful in the UK yet flourishes in North America and Europe. Through answering this question, the paper seeks to provide a framework for managing the development of a partial closed-loop reverse logistics system for salvaged parts. Economic and ecological benefits are identified as potential outcomes. The implications for practice and further research are discussed.
Aitken J, Childerhouse P, Towill DR. (2009) 'Value Stream Classification'. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 20 (4), pp. 460-474.
doi: 10.1108/17410380910953720
Aitken J, Childerhouse P, Christopher M, Towill DR. (2005) 'Designing and Managing Multiple Pipelines'. Journal of Business Logistics, 26, pp. 73-96.
Aitken J, Childerhouse P, Towill D. (2003) 'The impact of product life cycle on supply chain strategy'. International Journal of Production Economics, 85, pp. 127-140.
doi: 10.1016/s0925-5273(03)00105-1
Childerhouse P, Aitken J, Towill DR. (2002) 'Analysis and design of focused demand chains'. ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV JOURNAL OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT, 20 (6) Article number PII S0272-6963(02)00034-7 , pp. 675-689.
doi: 10.1016/S0272-6963(02)00034-7
Aitken J, Christopher M, Towill DR. (2002) 'Understanding, implementing and exploiting agility and leanness'. International Journal of Logistics, Research & Applications, 5 (3), pp. 59-74.

Conference papers

Aitken J, Garn W. 'Process variance: Competing Against Customer Demand'. 5TH EUROPEAN FORUM ON MARKET DRIVEN SUPPLY CHAINS
Aitken J, Childerhouse P, Deakins E, Towill D. 'A Comparative Study of Manufacturing and Service Sector Supply Chain Uncertainty'. Amsterdam: 4th World conference Production & Operations Management (Abstr. no.: 262)
Aitken J, Cole R. (2011) 'Service Company Led Reverse Logistics Systems'. Southampton, UK: Logistics Research Network
Aitken J, Wong H. (2011) 'The automotive repair reverse logistics operations: An analysis from the inventory management perspective'. Cambridge, UK: 18th International Annual EurOMA Conference
Aitken J. (2011) 'Applying CSR in the service supply chain'. Maastricht: IPSERA 2011
Aitken J, Todeva E. (2011) 'Co-Alignment of Supply Chain Strategies and the Knowledge Outcomes for Buyer-Supplier Network Relationships'. 44th Annual (HICCS) Hawaii International Conference on System Science, Kauai, Hawaii: 44th Annual (HICCS) Hawaii International Conference on System Science, pp. 1-12.
doi: 10.1109/HICSS.2011.106
Aitken J. (2010) 'SUPPLY GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES FOR REVERSE LOGISTICS SYSTEMS'. Sheffield: BAM conference 2010
Aitken J. (2010) 'Dynamics of Supply Chain Network Relationships'. Wageningen: 9th Wageningen International Conference on Chain and Network Management (
Aitken J, Murray A. (2009) 'Crash Repair: reusing salvaged parts in car repair centres'. Cardiff: Logistics Research Network Conference
Aitken J, Aitken J. (2009) 'NETWORKS AN OPPOTUNITY TO ADDRESS SUPPLY CHAIN INTEGRATION RESEARCH LIMITATIONS'. Brighton: BAM conference 2009
Aitken J, Harrison A. (2009) 'Accident Repair: missing link in automotive lean supply chain research'. Cardiff: Logistics Research Network 2000 Conference
Aitken J, Hines P. (2006) 'Lean Purchasing – the next winning step on the lean journey'. Kolding, Denmark: Danish Purchase and Logistics Forum
Aitken J, Childerhouse P, Towill D. (2003) 'The impact of product life cycle on supply chain strategy'. ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION ECONOMICS, CZECH TECH UNIV, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC: 16th International Conference on Production Research (ICPR) 85 (2), pp. 127-140.
doi: 10.1016/S0925-5273(03)00105-1
Aitken J. (2000) 'Agility and Leanness – a successful and complimentary partnership in the lighting industry, Cardiff, pp 1-'. Proceedings of the Logistics Research Network 2000 Conference, Cardiff, UK: Logistics Research Network 2000 Conference, pp. 1-7.
Aitken J. (1999) 'Supplier Associations, a Methodological Opportunity in Supply Chain Research'. Proceedings of the 8th International IPSERA Conference, 8th International IPSERA Conference, pp. 13-21.
Aitken J, Gullander S. (1998) 'Proceedings of the 7th International IPSERA Conference'. Proceedings of the 7th International IPSERA Conference, 7th International IPSERA Conference, pp. 1-8.
Aitken J. (1997) 'Knowledge Transfer within a Supplier Association Network'. Proceedings of the Logistics Network Conference, University of Huddersfield, UK: Logistics Network Conference, pp. 16-17.
Aitken J. (1996) 'Supplier Associations Networks: Vehicles for Improving Supply Chain Performance'. University of Strathclyde, UK: 3rd International Workshop on Multi-Organizational Partnerships: Working Together Across Organizational Boundaries

Theses and dissertations

Aitken J. (1998) Supply Chain Integration within the Context of a Supplier Association. Cranfield University

Teaching

Supply Chain Management

Project Management

Operations Management

Departmental Duties

Since April 2012 Dr Aitken has become the subject group leader for International Business and Sustainable Systems