Dr Jas Kalra
Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer) of Operations & Project Management
My profile
Biography
Dr. Jas Kalra joined the Faculty of Business and Law at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2023, where he currently serves as an Associate Professor in Operations & Project Management. Prior to this, he has worked with Newcastle University, University College London, City University London, University of Bath, and the University of Manchester.
Dr. Kalra’s research examines the contractual, relational, behavioural, and digital mechanisms influencing the orchestration and coordination of supply chains and networks to achieve complex outcomes. His research particularly focuses on the context of major infrastructure projects and inter-organisational service delivery systems.
He currently serves on the Editorial Review Board of International Journal of Operations & Production Management (IJOPM). In the past, he set up and executed the Social Media Strategy for IJOPM and initially drove its wider engagement. He reviews regularly for IJOPM, Supply Chain Management, Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, and Industrial Marketing Management; and has received awards for his reviewing services by IJOPM and Academy of Management (Operations and Supply Chain Management Division).
He has industrial, consulting and executive development experience with a range of public and private sector organisations such as Arcadis, National Highways, Lower Thames Crossing, EDF Energy, Hinkley Point C, Mace, Sellafield Limited, Citibank, Manchester Airport Group, PZ Cussons, Koovs, and Exicom Power Systems.
Dr. Kalra has extensive teaching experience; having taught Operations Management, Strategic Supply Chain Management, Project Management, and Advanced Qualitative Methods at Undergraduate, MSc, and MBA levels. Furthermore, he is passionate about writing and delivering case studies and has produced well-received cases from his research.
He also holds visiting positions at University College London and City University of London where he works with colleagues on aspects of Supply Chain Management, Professional Service Quality, and Infrastructure Projects.
For more information about my work, thought pieces, op-eds, interests, and other activities, follow my newsletter and check out my blog.
PhD Supervision:
I welcome enquiries from potential PhD students in the areas of Supply Chain Strategy, Supply Chain Collaboration, and Supply Chain Innovation.
Impact
I engage with practitioner audience and have written for practitioner-facing outlets such as The Conversation, APM Project Journal, and Retail Gazette. For more information about this, please check out my website, and subscribe to my newsletter.
Projects
A large part of my work examines how the interactions and relationships between professionals and organisations influence the achievement of complex outcomes. I have pursued this research agenda across a number of streams.
Orchestration of infrastructure and service networks
My co-authors and I have examined how a focal firm designs, governs, and coordinates inter-organisational networks to drive complex performance. This stream of work is particularly focused on inter-organisational project networks and has examined the contexts of major infrastructure projects and professional services.
Supply chain relationships, interactions, and behaviours
A second stream of research examines the ‘softer’ aspects of supply chain relationships; where my co-authors and I examine how positive (such as social capital, trust, and reciprocity), and negative (such as power abuse, opportunism, and unethical behaviour) behavioural mechanisms influence and impede inter-professional and inter-organisational collaboration.
Digital supply chain strategy
A third stream of research emphasises the digital turn in supply chain management. With my co-authors, I examine how innovative technologies are reshaping our understanding of the management of inter-organisational operations and projects.
Teaching
I am experienced in teaching Strategic Supply Chain Management, Strategic Procurement and Contracting, Supply Chain Relationships, Service Operations Management, Digital Supply Chain Management, and Advanced Qualitative Methods.
To read my cases, please click on the following links:
Global vs. Local? Making location decisions in supply chain design: https://www.thecasecentre.org/products/view?id=157448
Supplier Development: Developing and scaling the capabilities of local SMEs: https://www.thecasecentre.org/products/view?id=157484
Supervision
I welcome inquiries from prospective candidates interested in pursuing a PhD or DBA in the broad area of Supply Chain Strategy, Professional Service Operations, and Projects.
Research outputs
-
Chapters in books
Saqib, S.I., Kalra, J. (2024) 'Coronavirus in Pakistan: The hidden narrative behind the (not so bad) numbers.' COVID-19 in South Asia: Society, Economics and Politics. pp. 21-32.
Roehrich, J.K., Tyler, B.B., Kalra, J., Squire, B. (2020) 'The Decision Process of Contracting in Supply Chain Management.' The Oxford Handbook of Supply Chain Management. Oxford University Press, pp. 562-586.
-
Internet publications
Kalra, J. (2024) Red Sea crisis: with fears of a UK tea shortage, worries are brewing over other crucial commodities. https://theconversation.com/red-sea-crisis-with-fears-of-a-uk-tea-shortage-worries-are-brewing-over-other-crucial-commodities-223758.
-
Journal articles
Tannir, M., Mills, G., Krystallis, I., Kalra, J. (2024) 'Governance, cooperation and coordination in large inter-organisational project networks: a viable system perspective.' International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 44(3) pp. 617-642.
Roehrich, J.K., Kalra, J., Squire, B., Davies, A. (2023) 'Network orchestration in a large inter-organizational project.' Journal of Operations Management, 69(7) pp. 1078-1099.
Roehrich, J.K., Selviaridis, K., Kalra, J., Van der Valk, W., Fang, F. (2020) 'Inter-organizational governance: a review, conceptualisation and extension.' Production Planning and Control, 31(6) pp. 453-469.
Kalra, J., Lewis, M., Roehrich, J.K. (2020) 'The manifestation of coordination failures in service triads.' Supply Chain Management, 26(3) pp. 341-358.
-
Other
Lim, S., Kalra, J., Vainas, A. (2024) Lifely Wellness Ltd: Micro Business Operations Strategy and Supplier Management.
Kalra, T., Roehrich, J., Squire, B. (2018) Supplier Development: Developing and Scaling the Capabilities of Local SMEs.
Kalra, J., Roehrich, J., Squire, B. (2018) Global or Local? Making Location Decisions in Supply Chain Design.
Press and media
I have been invited for interviews, panel discussions, and keynote talks by Al Jazeera, UCL Grenfell Inquiry Panel Discussion, Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Tata Steel, and Innovation Zero. Please click here to view some of these interviews and discussions.