Post Doc stipend in MIA – Measures for Improved Availability of medicines and vaccines at BI Norwegian Business School

Case studies and modelling of medicine and vaccine supply systems.

BI Norwegian Business School

BI Norwegian Business School is ranked among the top business schools in Europe combining internationally recognized research and a wide range of educational offerings from bachelor to master and doctoral degree programmes as well as executive programmes. BI’s mission is to build the knowledge economy by empowering people and improving business. BI has 20 000 students, more than 300 000 alumni, and a number of academic and business partnerships and networks both nationally and internationally. BI holds the three most prestigious international quality accreditations – AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA. BI is organised as an independent foundation whose purpose is teaching and research. All profits are used to strengthen BI's academic- and learning environment.

The MIA research project is funded by the Research Council of Norway’s HELSEVEL-program for a period of four years from 1 March 2020. Together with partners from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, INSEAD Business School in France (Prof. Luk Van Wassenhove), Lancaster University in the United Kingdom (Assoc. Prof. Kostas Selviaridis) and Erasmus (Rotterdam School of Management) in The Netherlands (Ass. Prof. Harwin de Vries), BI Norwegian Business School (Profs. Kim van Oorschot, Dag Morten Dalen, Marianne Jahre) will systematically study the supply and distribution of vaccines and medicines. The aim is to advance knowledge and understanding of medicine/vaccine supply chain security, to ensure supply both in normal situations and in crises. To achieve this, MIA shall adopt a cross-disciplinary approach consisting of diverse perspectives, including patients and governments, to gain a better understanding of market dynamics between manufacturers and the effects of digitalized supply chains. By developing and applying holistic supply system models, we aim to identify robust systems, which work well in a variety of situations, through analysis and comparison of different outcome measures.

The purpose of MIA is to help key stakeholders make evidence-based decisions that sustainably reduce shortages to limit disruptions to health and care services. We will provide rigorous (cost benefit) analyses of identified measures that will form a basis for comparative studies in other countries, by developing: baseline data, research design, analytical and pedagogical models and tools. Our findings will inform ongoing strategy work and collaboration initiatives within Norway, the UK and Europe more broadly. We will draw policy implications and put forth recommendations for supply chain design, procurement strategies and alignment of economic incentives. We will develop training resources and tool kits and embed these into higher education curricula in pharmaceutical education, risk management and operations/supply chain management, thus increasing cooperation in educational programs across sectors, stakeholders, and disciplines including health, social science and economics.

BI Norwegian Business School is seeking a post-doctoral candidate within MIA for a period of three years. The work entails in-depth, iterative and long-term engagements with selected case studies. The research team will work with multiple local stakeholders to develop and embed integrated thinking about various aspects of medicine and vaccine shortages. The successful candidate will apply qualitative research and systems thinking techniques, collaboratively with other program partners, to develop innovative solutions and insights for practitioners and academics working in this field. The project will focus on the interactions between the physical, social, management and decision-making system elicited from multiple stakeholder perspectives.

Duties and responsibilities

• Work with the existing team to develop, design and deliver high quality research into the complex system of medicine and vaccine supply chains

• Conduct excellent qualitative research

• Support the team members responsible for quantitative system dynamics, optimisation and other modelling.

• Organise and execute the case study work with interviews, observations, workshops, etc.

• Gather and analyse quantitative and qualitative data

• Lead and contribute to academic research publications

• Prepare and present findings of research activity to colleagues for review purposes• Submit papers to appropriate journals and present findings at appropriate conferences

• Prepare progress reports on research for funding body

We expect the candidate to work closely with MIA researchers, both at BI and the other partners. We also expect the candidate to interact with the stakeholders in the Norwegian medical supply system.

Candidates must have a PhD degree, preferably within operations research/logistics/operations - /supply chain management. However, candidates will be evaluated based on an overall assessment of their skills, and suitability for the position. Candidates defending their PhD during the spring or early autumn of 2020 can be assessed. The successful candidate must hold a doctoral degree when the post begins.

In compliance with BI’s ambition of becoming one of the leading business schools in Europe, we seek a candidate who can produce high-level research and publications at both national and international levels. The candidate should preferably speak one of the Scandinavian languages, but this is not an absolute requirement. BI will place emphasis on candidates who have cooperated with relevant business and public sectors. The candidate will have a leading role in framing the post-doctoral project within the auspices of MIA. Candidates may be called for an interview or seminar presentation.

The salary is approximately 600 000 NOK per year, and connected to Statens Pensjonskasse. The candidate will be hired from 1 May 2020. The position will only be filled if qualified candidates are identified.

The following documents must be submitted electronically:

• An updated CV (including a complete list of publications and doctoral course work),

• Formal documentation of highest obtained academic degree and other particularly relevant education.

• Any additional information and/or documentation of other activities that may be of significance for evaluating the candidate’s qualifications can also be submitted.

• Up to 10 academic publications, including the doctoral thesis should also be submitted electronically. Work and/or documentation may not be submitted after the deadline.

Additional information about the position can be obtained by contacting:

• Project leader and professor Marianne Jahre, Department of Accounting, Auditing and Business Analytics, BI Norwegian Business School, phone +47 46410475, e-mail: marianne.jahre@bi.no

Application deadline: 15th March 2020.

Send application

CONTACTS:

• Marianne Jahre, Mobile: +47 46410475
  

COMPANY HOMEPAGE: www.bi.no