A classification scheme for representing the variation in business and supply chain performance in Indian manufacturing industry

Gunjan Soni received his BE Degree (Mechanical Engineering) from the University of Rajasthan (India), MTech Degree (Industrial Engineering) from the Indian Institute of Technology – Delhi (IIT, Delhi) (India) and PhD Degree from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS-Pilani) (India). He is presently working as an Assistant Professor with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur (NIT-Jaipur), Rajasthan, India. He has over ten years of teaching experience at under graduate and graduate levels. He has published papers in journals of international repute such as Production Planning and Control, Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, Business Process Management Journal, Benchmarking: An International Journal, etc. His areas of research interest are supply chain management, quality in supply chain and humanitarian aid supply chain.

Rambabu Kodali prior to taking charge of the post of the Director of NIT – Jamshedpur, India on August 3, 2012, was a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of BITS-Pilani, Pilani Campus, India and also “Shri SK Birla Chair Professor” from April 2, 2012 to August 2, 2012. He was a “Group Leader” (HOD) of Mechanical Engineering Group from 1994 to 2010 and also a “Group Leader” (HOD) of Engineering Technology Group from 2004 to 2010. Kodali received his BE and MTech Degrees from MANIT Bhopal in 1980, 1984 and a PhD Degree from IIT, Kharagpur in the year 1991. After submission of his PhD Thesis (Knowledge-based System for Real-time Control of FMS), he joined as a Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT, Delhi in 1990. Later, Kodali joined BITS, Pilani in 1992 as an Assistant Professor. He was promoted as an Associated Professor on February 1, 1995 and also as a Professor on February 1, 2000. Till date, he has 28 years of teaching/research experience, out of which 12 years at the level of Professor, 16 years of administrative experience as a Group Leader (HOD). His teaching and research areas are: Toyota production system, lean manufacturing, world-class manufacturing/manufacturing excellence, flexible manufacturing systems, manufacturing management. He has supervised ten PhDs and is currently supervising three. Kodali has published around 200 papers in various international and national journals. During the period 2003-2012, he has published 56 peer reviewed research papers in international journals and nine peer-reviewed research papers in national journals, 20 peer reviewed research papers in international conferences and 13 peer reviewed research papers in national conferences. He has also received three best paper awards. He has completed ten research projects in the areas of FMS, Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems, World-Class Manufacturing, Manufacturing Excellence and Innovative Product Design. He has conducted two UGC Seminars on FMS/manufacturing, one UGC Refresher Course on World-class Manufacturing in 2003 and another UGC Refresher Course on “Manufacturing Excellence” was planned and designed in 2005. Under his able leadership, the Mechanical Engineering Group achieved the distinction of being a DST-FIST supported Group (2002-2007) and UGC-SAP supported Group (2007-2012). He has developed six on-campus degree programs and 14 off-campus degree programs at BITS, Pilani. Apart from modernizing various Mechanical Engineering laboratories at BITS-Pilani, Pilani Campus, Kodali has developed and established the state-of-the-art FMS laboratory. Over 28 years of intense teaching and research, Kodali demonstrated academic leadership through first thing/innovative in India.