International Journal of Production Research

Celebrating the 75th Birthday of Professor Kathryn E. Stecke

Professor Kathryn E. Stecke is an internationally renowned scholar whose pioneering work has profoundly shaped the fields of flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs), supply chain management, and production planning. Prof. Stecke has dedicated her career to advancing research on manufacturing efficiencies, supply chain resilience, and innovative production systems, while also bridging the academic discussion between operations and marketing. She is the founding Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Flexible Manufacturing Systems and Operations Management Education Review.  Her contributions have earned her prestigious recognitions, including being elected a Fellow of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) in 2009, of the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) in 2017, of the Decision Sciences Institute (DSI) in 2019, and of the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (AAIA). She has also been the recipient of the 2013 WORMS Award for the advancement of women in operations research, and the 2008 George E. Kimball medal for recognition of her service to the profession of operations research and the management sciences, and was recognized also by her alma mater, Purdue University, with the Distinguished Woman Scholar Award (2014) and the Outstanding Industrial Engineer Award (2017).

Prof. Stecke's early work laid foundational methodologies for FMS, addressing critical challenges in machine grouping, loading, and production ratios to optimize utilization and flexibility. To cite some examples, Stecke (1983), a seminal paper, developed nonlinear integer programming models and hierarchical solution approaches for part type selection, machine grouping, and resource allocation in FMS, providing a framework that has influenced subsequent optimization techniques in automated manufacturing. This article was recognized by INFORMS as one of 50 papers that "represented the most significant research published in Management Science in the last half century" in February 2004.  Berrada and Stecke (1986) introduced algorithmic solutions for balancing workloads in FMS, influencing subsequent research on system efficiency. Stecke and Solberg (1981) explored routing and sequencing strategies to enhance throughput in dynamic manufacturing environments.

Over the decades, her research evolved to encompass supply chain disruptions and adaptive strategies. In Schmitt et al. (2017), winner of the Best Paper Award given by Omega in 2018, she examined resilient ordering policies to counter volatility, providing practical insights for multi-tier networks. Stecke and Kumar (2009) has been the most cited paper in the Journal of Marketing Channels for over a decade. More recently, Prof. Stecke has contributed to understanding innovative production paradigms like the Seru system, a cellular manufacturing approach originating from Japan that emphasizes reconfigurability and responsiveness. Her collaborations with Yin et al. (2017), winner of the Jack Meredith Best Paper Award given by the Journal of Operations Management in 2018, Yin et al. (2018), given a Best Paper Award by IJPR in 2019 and Web of Science notes “As of October 2025, this highly cited paper received enough citations to place it in the top 1% of the academic field of Engineering based on a highly cited threshold for the field and publication year” (since January 2020 to present), and Li et al. (2025) (POM) demonstrate how Seru improves rapid response capabilities compared to traditional systems, such as the Toyota Production System, highlighting its potential for flexible manufacturing.

Prof. Stecke has also made significant contributions at the interface between production research and marketing, exploring how operational decisions interact with consumer behavior and market dynamics. Notable works include Zhao et al. (2016), which analyzes conditions under which advance selling strategies enhance profitability across supply chain partners; Zhao et al. (2012) examined optimal quotation modes for customizing lead times and prices; Prasad et al. (2011) investigated advance selling tactics for retailers facing demand uncertainty; Zhao and Stecke (2010) incorporated behavioral economics into pre-order strategies; and Stecke and Zhao (2017) integrated production and logistics for commit-to-delivery models.

This special issue celebrates Prof. Stecke's 75th birthday by inviting contributions that build upon, extend, or reflect on her legacy in production research. It aims to curate cutting-edge articles in active and emerging areas, serving as a focal point for discourse on flexible, resilient, and efficient production systems, as well as the intersection of production research with marketing. By honoring her trailblazing efforts, the issue seeks to inspire future directions in manufacturing and supply chain innovation, ensuring her influence continues to guide the field.

We welcome high-quality submissions, including empirical studies, analytical models, simulation-based research, case analyses, and conceptual papers that offer novel insights. All manuscripts should align with the journal's emphasis on rigorous, impactful research and incorporate key elements such as an exhaustive literature analysis, novel decision-aid models explained for a broad audience, comparisons with state-of-the-art methods, discussions on real-life applications, managerial insights, and research perspectives.

Topics of Interest

We invite contributions that explore, but are not limited to, the following topics inspired by Prof. Stecke's body of work:

• Advances in flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs), including machine grouping, loading policies, and production ratio optimization for enhanced utilization.
• Interfaces between production and marketing, including focal points such as advance selling strategies, pre-order mechanisms considering consumer behavior (e.g., loss aversion), lead time and price quotation modes, production-transportation integration in make-to-order systems, and competition/coordination in online marketplaces.
• Reconfigurable production systems, such as Seru, for improving responsiveness and adaptability in volatile environments.
• Supply chain resilience strategies, including adaptive ordering, disruption mitigation, and multi-echelon network design amid geopolitical and operational uncertainties.
• Production planning and scheduling in capital-intensive systems with machine flexibility, focusing on hierarchical approaches and real-time control.
• Integration of digital technologies (e.g., AI, digital twins, and data analytics) in manufacturing and supply chains to boost efficiency and cost control.
• Empirical analyses of manufacturing efficiencies in sectors like semiconductors, automotive, and electronics, drawing on case studies of disruption responses.
• Comparative studies of traditional vs. innovative production methods, such as Toyota Production System vs. Seru, with emphasis on performance metrics.
• Managerial insights for decision-makers on implementing flexible routing, robot scheduling, and state-dependent sequencing in production environments.
• Future perspectives on sustainable manufacturing, addressing global supply chain vulnerabilities and policy implications.

References

1. Berrada, M., & Stecke, K. E. (1986). A branch and bound approach for machine load balancing in flexible manufacturing systems. Management Science, 32(10), 1316–1335. doi:10.1287/mnsc.32.10.1316
2. Dolgui, A., Gusikhin, O., Ivanov, D., Li, X., & Stecke, K. (2023). A network-of-networks adaptation for cross-industry manufacturing repurposing. IISE Transactions, 1–24. doi:10.1080/24725854.2023.2253881
3. Gray, A. E., Seidmann, A., & Stecke, K. E. (1993). A synthesis of decision models for tool management in automated manufacturing. Management Science, 39(5), 549–567. doi:10.1287/mnsc.39.5.549
4. Li, D., Stecke, K. E., Yin, Y., Fang, K., Jin, H., & Kaku, I. (2025). Why and how seruproduction systems are responsive and efficient in volatile markets. Production and Operations Management, (10591478251352632). doi:10.1177/10591478251352632
5. Prasad, A., Stecke, K. E., & Zhao, X. (2011). Advance selling by a newsvendor retailer. Production and Operations Management, 20(1), 129–142. doi:10.1111/j.1937-5956.2010.01133.x
6. Schmitt, T. G., Kumar, S., Stecke, K. E., Glover, F. W., & Ehlen, M. A. (2017). Mitigating disruptions in a multi-echelon supply chain using adaptive ordering. Omega, 68, 185–198. doi:10.1016/j.omega.2016.07.004
7. Stecke, K. E. (1983). Formulation and solution of nonlinear integer production planning problems for flexible manufacturing systems. Management Science, 29(3), 273–288. doi:10.1287/mnsc.29.3.273
8. Stecke, K. E., & Kumar, S. (2009). Sources of supply chain disruptions, factors that breed vulnerability, and mitigating strategies. Journal of Marketing Channels, 16(3), 193–226. doi:10.1080/10466690902932551
9. Stecke, K. E., & Solberg, J. J. (1981). Loading and control policies for a flexible manufacturing system. International Journal of Production Research, 19(5), 481–490. doi:10.1080/00207548108956679
10. Stecke, K. E., & Zhao, X. (2007). Production and transportation integration for a make-to-order manufacturing company with a commit-to-delivery business mode. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 9(2), 206–224. doi:10.1287/msom.1060.0138
11. Yin, Y., Stecke, K. E., & Li, D. (2018). The evolution of production systems from Industry 2.0 through Industry 4.0. International Journal of Production Research, 56(1–2), 848–861. doi:10.1080/00207543.2017.1403664
12. Yin, Y., Stecke, K. E., Swink, M., & Kaku, I. (2017). Lessons from seru production on manufacturing competitively in a high cost environment. Journal of Operations Management, 49–51(1), 67–76. doi:10.1016/j.jom.2017.01.003
13. Zhao, X., Pang, Z., & Stecke, K. E. (2016). When does a retailer’s advance selling capability benefit manufacturer, retailer, or both?  Production and Operations Management,  25(6), 1073–1087. doi:10.1111/poms.12535
14. Zhao, X., & Stecke, K. E. (2010). Pre‐orders for new to‐be‐released products considering consumer loss aversion. Productionand Operations Management, 19(2), 198–215. doi:10.1111/j.1937-5956.2009.01092.x
15. Zhao, X., Stecke, K. E., & Prasad, A. (2012). Lead time and price quotation mode selection: Uniform or differentiated?  Productionand Operations Management,  21(1),  177–193. doi:10.1111/j.1937-5956.2011.01248.x