Dr. María Jesús Sáenz

Research Affiliate, MIT CTL

Maria Jesus Saenz is Research Affiliate at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics and Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of Zaragoza, where she teaches Project Management and Logistics. Previously, she was the Executive Director of the Zaragoza Logistics Center and Professor at the MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, where she taught different courses on Supply Chain Management, Warehousing Logistics and Project Management. Additionally, she was the Director of the Behavioral SCM research group and the Director of the Spanish National Center of Excellence in Logistics.

Regarding education, she is certified in Participant Centered Learning by Harvard Business School. She received Cum Laude and the Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award for her PhD in Manufacturing and Design Engineering from the University of Zaragoza, where she previously obtained her Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering. While studying Industrial Engineering she also studied Mathematic Sciences for three years at the same university. Dr. Saenz’s research interests centre on Inter-organizational Learning in Supply Chain Innovations and Global Supply Chain Risks. She has acted as head coordinator in several national and international research projects. She has also conducted various research and development projects for companies on Supply Chain Management innovation, like Carrefour, Clariant, DHL, Leroy Merlin, Ralph Laurent or Caterpillar, among others. Dr. Saenz is the co-author of several books on these subjects and has published a number of articles in leading international journals, such us MIT Sloan Management Review, Journal of Supply Chain Management, Journal of Business Research or International Journal of Production Research, among others. Her research has been cited in the media including Forbes, Financial Times Press, America Economia, Supply Chain Management Review, Expansion or MIT Supply Chain Frontiers. Maria Jesus was recently awarded in 2017 by the IEOM Teaching Excellence Award (Industrial Engineering and Operations Management Profession) and in 2007 for her innovation in University education. She received the Case Writing Award 2013 by EFMD; the 2013 International Decision Science Institute Best Paper Award; the 2013 Outstanding Reviewer Awards for Excellence by Emerald and the 2011 Shan Han Best Paper Finalist Award by the Academy of Management.

Publications

Knoppen, D., Sáenz, M. Interorganizational Teams in Low – Versus High – Dependence Contexts. International Journal of Production Economics. Vol. 191, September 2017, pp. 15–25.
Saenz M.J., Knoppen, D. and Mendonca E., Manufacturing Flexibility: Upstream Antecedents, Downstream Outcomes, and Contingent Effect of Product Dynamism. Forthcoming in International Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management.
Knoppen, D. and Sáenz M.J., Interorganizational teams in low versus high dependence contexts. Forthcoming in International Journal of Production Economics.
Revilla, E. and Saenz, M.J. The impact of risk management on the frequency of supply chain disruptions. A configurational approach. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 2017, 37(5).
Saenz, M.J., Vorausschauend Planen, Resilienz. Verkehr Magazine (Austria). March 2017.
Saenz, M.J., Gupta, R. and Makowski, C. 2017. Finding Profit in Horizontal Collaboration. Supply Chain Management Review. January 2017 issue.
Sáenz, M.J. Ominicanalidad en el Comercio Electrónico. Mundo y Expansión, June 2016.
Saenz, M.J. The Physical Internet: Logistics Reimagined?. Supply Chain Management Review. 23 March 2016.
Sáenz, M.J., Revilla, E. Desigual’s multi-stranded approach to omni-channel. Transitioning to an omni-channel supply chain undoubtedly brings many challenges for retailers. Supply Chain Management Review, May 2016.
Mark Ismael Boyonas, Luis Olavarría, and María Jesús Sáenz. Scenario Planning: Preparing the Future of Global Supply Chains. Designing and Implementing Global Supply Chain Management. IGI Global Book. Book Chapter number 4. (Editors: Sudhanshu Joshi & Rohit Joshi).
Chen, W., Kucukyazici, B, Verter, V. and Saenz, M.J. Supply Chain Design for Unlocking the Value of Remanufacturing Under Uncertainty. European Journal of Operational Research, 2015, 247, 804-819.
Knoppen, D., Johnston, D. and Saenz M.J., Supply Chain Relationships as a Context for Learning: Connecting Inter- and Intra-organizational Learning Processes. International Journal of Logistics Management, 2015, 26 (3), 543-567.
Sáenz, M.J. and Koufteros, X. (Guest editors). Special Issue on Literature Reviews in Supply Chain Management and Logistics. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 2015, 45 (1-2), 2-11.
Knoppen, D. and Saenz M.J., Purchasing: Can we bridge the gap between strategy and daily reality?. Business Horizons, 2015, 58(1), 123-133.
Sáenz, M.J., Ubaghs, E. and Cuevas, A.. Enabling horizontal collaboration through continuous relational learning. Ed. Springer, 2014.
Sáenz, M.J. and Revilla E., Creating More Resilient Supply Chains. MIT Sloan Management Review, Summer issue, 2014
Revilla E. and Sáenz, M.J., Supply Chain Disruption Management: Global Convergence vs. National Specificity. Journal of Business Research Vol 67 (2014) pp 1123-1135. June 2014
Sáenz, M.J. and Herrero, L.. Do You Have the Right Partners in Innovation?. Supply Chain Management Review, marzo-abril 2014
Sáenz, M.J., Revilla, E., and Knoppen, D., Absorptive capacity in buyer-supplier relationships; empirical evidence of its mediating role. Journal of Supply Chain Management. Volume 50 (2), pp 18–40, April 2014
Saenz, M.J. and Revilla, E., A Case Study in Proactive Risk Management. MIT Supply Chain Frontiers, 49, May 2013
Revilla E. and Sáenz, M.J., A taxonomy of Supply Chain Risk Management Strategies: Antecedents and Performance. Mejor Paper 2013, International Decision Science Institute Conference 2013
Revilla, E., Sáenz, M.J. and Knoppen, D., Towards an empirical typology of buyer-supplier relationships based on absorptive capacity. International Journal of Production Research, 2013, 51(10), 2935-2951
Sáenz, M.J. and Revilla E., Case Study: Cisco Systems, inc., Supply Chain Risk Management. In Chuck Munson (Ed.), The Supply Chain Management Casebook: Comprehensive Coverage and Best Practices in SCM. Financial Times Press. Ganador del Case Writing Award, 2013 by EFMD
Sáenz, M.J.. Removing the Roadblocks to Horizontal Collaboration. MIT Supply Chain Frontiers, noviembre de 2012
Sáenz, M.J.. The Elements of Success, Part II. Driving More Efficient Logistics Networks through Horizontal Collaboration. Supply Chain Management Review, octubre de 2012
Sáenz, M.J.. Driving More Efficient Logistics Networks through Horizontal Collaboration. Supply Chain Management Review, octubre de 2012
Sáenz, M.J.. Threats and Opportunities, Part III. Driving More Efficient Logistics Networks through Horizontal Collaboration. Supply Chain Management Review, octubre de 2012
Revilla, E. and Sáenz, M.J., Internationalization of the supply chain. Alternatives in front of risks (in Spanish). Revista ICEX Internacionalización, 2012
Sáenz, M.J.. CO3 – Collaboration Concepts for Co-modality. ZLC Participating in Cutting Edge European Research. MIT Supply Chain Frontiers. diciembre de 2011
Sáenz, M.J. and Knoppen, D.. Putting Supply Chain Innovation to Work. MIT Supply Chain Frontiers, diciembre de 2011
Sáenz, M.J.. Share means cost reduction (in Spanish). Expansión, 16 de noviembre de 2011
Sáenz, M.J. and Revilla E.. Supply chain disruptions: threats in Spain facing a global context (in Spanish). Revista LOGICEL (Centro Español de Logística), noviembre de 2011
Revilla, E. and Sáenz, M.J.. How do you manage supply chain disruptions?(in Spanish). America Economía, octubre de 2011
Revilla, E. and Sáenz, M.J.. What Is The Right Disruption Management For Your Supply Chain?. Forbes, octubre de 2011
Knoppen D., Sáenz, M.J., Johnston, D., Innovations in a Relational Context: Mechanisms to connect Learning Processes of Absorptive Capacity. Management Learning Journal (JCR: 1.2), Volume 42 Issue 4, septiembre de 2011
Sáenz M.J., Revilla E. y Knoppen D., Supply Chain Innovation through Organizational Compatibility: Mediating Role of Absorptive Capacity, finalista del 2011 Chan Hahn Best Paper Award, Academy of Management Conference 2011. Best Paper Proceedings, agosto de 2011
Revilla, E. and Sáenz, M.J.. Challenges in supply chain disruptions (en español). Estrategia, N. 6, 2011.
Sáenz M.J., Lamban M.P., y Navarro E., Flexible Supply Chains: A Boost for Risk Mitigation?.In S.T. Ponis (Ed.), Managing Risk in Virtual Enterprise Networks: Implementing Supply Chain Principles, IGI Global, 2010
Knoppen D., Sáenz M.J., Collaboration Stimulation through Supply Chain Simulation. International Journal of Procurement Management, 2(4): 403-414, 2009
Sáenz M.J., Cano M.J., Experiential learning through simulation games: an empirical study. International Journal of Engineering Education, 25(2): 296-307, 2009
Sáenz M.J., Supply chain management: strategic factor for competitiveness. International Journal of Procurement Management, 2009 (ed.), 2(4): 339-345, 2009
Sáenz M.J., Hernandez M. y García C., Logística y competitividad de las PYME. Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio, 2007

Research Topics