Centre for Applied Research and Innovation in Supply Chain - Africa

Continuing Professional Development - Introduction to Supply Chain Analytics
2025-11-20 14:00 - 17:00 UTC
CARISCA CPDs Are Back!
CARISCA is excited to announce the return of our Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses!
To kick things off, we’re introducing two free introductory sessions open to all our stakeholders and the public. These sessions are designed to build foundational knowledge in key areas of supply chain management and prepare participants for future in-depth CPD offerings.
Introduction to Supply Chain Analytics
Date: November 20, 2025Time: 2–5 p.m. GMTMode: Online via ZoomRegister: bit.ly/CARISCACPDs
As supply chains become more data-driven, analytics skills are essential for informed decision-making. This course introduces participants to the fundamentals of Supply Chain Analytics from data collection to analysis for operational and strategic improvement.
Facilitator
Dr. John Serbe MarfoSenior Lecturer, KNUST School of Business
Dr John Serbe Marfo is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Supply Chain and Information Systems at the KNUST School of Business. He has a PhD in Information Systems. He is a researcher and a consultant in supply chain digitalization, information systems, health informatics, big data analytics and eLearning. His recent research work in supply chain digitalization focuses on the use of drone technology as a logistics tool to improve health care delivery and supply chains.
Learn more about our other CPD course, Introduction to Reverse Logistics

Supply Chain Design, Digital Twins and Stress Testing for Resilience
2025-11-24 17:00 - 18:30
Supply chains move materials and goods from origin to consumption. They deliver products that feed us, keep us healthy, and support our daily lives. Efficient supply chains are vital for strong economies and stable communities.
However, designing and managing supply chains is challenging. Today’s world faces frequent disruptions such as extreme weather, pandemics, and geopolitical tensions. These events test how well supply chains can adapt and recover.
On November 24, Professor Chelsea C. White III (Chip) will discuss “Supply Chain Design, Digital Twins, & Stress Testing for Resilience.” He will explain how to design supply chains that deliver quality products efficiently and remain resilient during disruptions.
The presentation will begin with an overview of how supply chains are structured and operated. It will then explore how to manage risks and recover from disruptions effectively. Professor White will use the semiconductor industry as a key example, highlighting its complexity and global challenges.
He will introduce digital twins, virtual models that represent real supply chains. These models help organizations test different scenarios and identify weak points before real disruptions occur. Participants will learn the steps to create digital twins of supply chains, facilities, and manufacturing processes.
The session will also explain the Bullwhip Effect, showing how small changes in demand can cause large fluctuations upstream. Attendees will discover how this effect impacts suppliers and overall performance.
By the end of the presentation, participants will understand how digital tools can strengthen resilience, improve decision-making, and reduce risk in supply chain operations.
About the Speaker
Professor Chelsea C. White III (Chip) is the Schneider National Chair of Transportation & Logistics at Georgia Institute of Technology. He is also a Professor in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering.
He has received multiple IEEE Lifetime Achievement Awards and is a Fellow of IEEE and INFORMS. He has served on several global boards, including Con-way, Inc., the ITS World Congress, and the World Economic Forum Trade Facilitation Council.
His current research focuses on Next-Generation digital twin platforms that improve supply chain performance and resilience. Professor White combines academic insight with industry experience to help build smarter, stronger supply chains.

Continuing Professional Development - Introduction to Reverse Logistics
2025-12-04 14:00 - 17:00
CARISCA CPDs Are Back!
CARISCA is excited to announce the return of our Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses!To kick things off, we’re introducing two free introductory sessions open to all our stakeholders and the public. These sessions are designed to build foundational knowledge in key areas of supply chain management and prepare participants for future in-depth CPD offerings.
Introduction to Reverse Logistics
Date: December 4, 2025Time: 2–5 p.m. GMTMode: Online via ZoomRegister: bit.ly/CARISCACPDs
Reverse logistics is gaining importance as organizations pursue sustainability and circular supply chain strategies. This course introduces participants to the concepts and processes involved in managing the flow of products and materials back through the supply chain.
Facilitator
Dr. Simon Peter NadeemSenior Program Manager, LEARN Logistics by the Kühne Foundation
He oversees the PhD program across several countries in Africa, supports CARSICA, and leads the development of academic research activities across the region.
Dr Nadeem is an established academic with extensive teaching and research experience. His last academic role was as a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) at the University of Derby, United Kingdom.
Dr Nadeem’s academic expertise and research interests span Operations Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Circular Economy, Sustainability, and Business Process Reengineering. Dr Nadeem is an active researcher with international collaborations and has published in high-ranking peer-reviewed journals. He is also frequently invited as a Keynote Speaker at international conferences and academic institutions.
Learn more about our othe CPD course, Introduction to Supply Chain Analytics

Research Capacity-Building Workshop with guest editors from IJLM
2026-02-11 14:00 - 16:00
On February 11, 2026, CARISCA will host a Research Capacity-Building Workshop featuring guest editors from The International Journal of Logistics Management (IJLM). The workshop is designed to strengthen the research skills and publication readiness of faculty and graduate students across Africa.
In this context, the upcoming workshop will introduce participants to the role and importance of paper development workshops for scholarly publishing. The session will feature key statistics on submissions to IJLM, including acceptance and rejection rates and will highlight the most common reasons for desk rejections.
The workshop will then examine the techniques and methodologies valued by leading supply chain journals. Special attention will be given to IJLM’s requirements, supported by examples of published papers featuring African contexts. These examples illustrate how rigorous empirical research can generate original insights that advance the field.
Participants will also explore how to position contributions that address local, practical supply chain challenges while advancing theory in operations and supply chain management. Aligning context-specific relevance with theoretical contribution remains a core expectation across top journals.
Finally, the session will conclude with guidance on formatting and submission standards. Using examples from the current IJLM special issue, editors will outline key structural and stylistic elements required of successful manuscripts.
About the Speakers
Prof. MJ Naude is a full professor in the School of Commerce, specializing in Supply Chain Management across undergraduate, postgraduate, master’s and PhD levels. Her expertise spans purchasing, operations and logistics management. She is an NRF-rated researcher with publications and conference presentations in South Africa and abroad. Prof. Naude has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Contemporary Management and the Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management.
Célestin ELOCK SON is associate professor of logistics and supply chain management at the Institute of Technology (IUT) of Moselle-Est, Université de Lorraine, France. He is a member of CEREFIGE, and his research focuses on food supply chains and emerging distribution models driven by digitalization and Industry 4.0. He is currently a Guest Editor for The International Journal of Logistics Management.

Dealing with Desk Rejections and Addressing Reviewer Comments
2026-03-25 12:00 - 13:30
Publishing in reputable journals remains one of the most important and often most challenging aspects of an academic career. For many African researchers, especially early-career scholars, navigating desk rejections and responding effectively to reviewer feedback can feel daunting. Yet these experiences are a normal part of the scholarly journey and, when approached strategically, can become powerful learning opportunities.
Recognizing this need, we are organizing a capacity-building training session designed to equip African faculty and emerging researchers with practical tools to improve their chances of publication success. This session will focus on understanding why manuscripts are desk-rejected, how to interpret and respond constructively to reviewer comments, and how to revise and resubmit papers in ways that strengthen their contribution and clarity.
During the session, participants will gain insights into:

Understanding common reasons for desk rejections
Strategies for responding constructively to reviewer comments
Best practices for revising and resubmitting manuscripts
Practical tips to improve publication success in reputable journals

This training is particularly valuable for researchers seeking to publish in high-quality journals and for those looking to build confidence in engaging with the peer review process. By learning directly from an experienced editor and scholar, participants will gain actionable guidance to navigate the publication journey more effectively.
About Speaker:
We are honoured to have Lilac Nachum, Professor of International Business at Leeds University Business School, as the facilitator. With more than three decades of teaching, publishing, and consulting experience, she brings deep insight into the academic publishing process. She is a Fellow of the Academy of International Business and serves in editorial roles across leading journals, including the Journal of International Business Studies, the Journal of International Business Policy, and the Africa Journal of Management. Her work on globalization and global supply chains has earned multiple awards and has been widely cited in both academic and policy circles.
Join us as we support African researchers in turning feedback into opportunity and advancing their scholarly impact.

Supply Chain Analytics for Decision-Making: From Data to Outcomes (Level 2)
2026-03-26 - 2026-03-27 | CARISCA Accra Office
Given the importance of the supply chain to organizations across the globe, businesses are looking for opportunities to make processes faster, cheaper, and easier as materials move from the point of origin to the point of consumption. Supply chains involve many different activities, people and organizations, which produce a vast amount of information. This overwhelming amount of data has to be processed and converted into forms that influence key decisions and lead to better results. Supply chain analytics uses data analytical tools to manage and improve supply chain functions such as demand planning, order processing and inventory control, and risk management. This workshop will build the capacity of supply chain practitioners and service providers in both the public and private sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa to use big data to support supply chain management decisions.This two-day workshop is for procurement and supply chain practitioners and professionals working for governmental and non-governmental entities, supply chain faculty, and students.

Workshop DetailsDates: 26–27 March 2026
Registration Deadline: 23 March 2026
Delivery Mode: In-person (Accra) & Online (Zoom)

Why Attend?
Supply chains generate massive amounts of data across procurement, inventory, logistics, warehousing and risk management. This workshop equips participants with practical, hands-on skills to convert data into insights that drive operational and strategic decisions.

For full details, please click here

Distinguished Lecture Series - Theorising About the African Context in Business and Management
2026-04-28 17:00 - 18:30
Existing business and management theories have largely been developed to fit Western market environment conditions. While these theories are often treated as universal, they do not always reflect the realities of African economies and societies. Africa, despite its size, diversity, and growing economic importance, remains underrepresented in global business and management theory.
“Theorising About the African Context in Business and Management” focuses on addressing this gap. It emphasizes the need to build theories that are grounded in African realities. This topic is important because:

Many existing theories do not fully work in African contexts, leading to poor business decisions and policy failures
Africa’s rapid growth, innovation, and integration (e.g., AfCFTA) demand context-relevant knowledge
Indigenous systems and philosophies (such as Ubuntu) offer valuable insights that are often overlooked

It is also timely because:

There is a growing call to rethink and decolonize knowledge production
African scholars and practitioners are increasingly contributing to global research output and it is important their voices are shared with the rest of the world
Businesses and policymakers need solutions that reflect local realities

Presentation Outline
The presentation will:

Highlight the limitations of Western-centric theories when applied in African settings
Explain the unique features of African business environments
Introduce indigenous frameworks such as Ubuntu and other African knowledge systems
Present practical pathways for theory development from an African context
Discuss research approaches and methods suitable for African contexts

What Participants Will Gain
By the end of the session, participants will:

Explain why many global business theories do not fully apply in African contexts
Gain insight into the unique characteristics shaping business in Africa
Learn about how to critically assess and adapt existing theories
Develop the ability to build or contribute to African-centered theories
Be exposed to practical research methods suited for African environments
Appreciate the value of indigenous knowledge systems in management practice

About Speaker
Professor Nathaniel Boso is a professor of international business and entrepreneurship at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana) and the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (South Africa). He is also the O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chair of Entrepreneurship and Employability, and the founding director of the Centre for Applied Research and Innovation in Supply Chains – Africa (CARISCA). He was previously Dean at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology School of Business, and an associate professor at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Prof. Boso is a consulting editor at Journal of International Business Studies, a senior editor at International Business Review, and an associate editor at International Marketing Review and African Journal of Management. His research has published in some of the most elite international academic journals in the world including Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of World Business, Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Journal of International Marketing, and International Journal of Production Economics. He received his Ph.D. in Entrepreneurship and Industrial Marketing from Loughborough University in the UK.

CARISCA Training Series - Geospatial and location analytics for Africa-based supply chain research
2026-05-13 14:00 - 16:00
In today’s data-driven world, understanding where things happen is just as important as understanding what is happening. From tracking supply chain networks to optimizing service delivery, geospatial data is becoming an essential tool for researchers and practitioners alike.
Join us on May 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. GMT for an engaging and practical session in CARISCA’s Training Series designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of geospatial modeling using accessible tools.
So much of the data we encounter today has a geospatial identifier—a variable indicating where on the map the datapoint is tagged. Being able to work with this type of data unlocks a range of friendly and helpful analytics techniques — making maps, calculating distances between two facilities, checking to see what facilities are in what regions, and so on.
With this workshop, using only free and open-access software (R programming language), we will cover the basics of geospatial modeling: reading in geospatial datasets, cleaning geospatial datasets, and parsing them. The outcome of the workshop is being able to work with geospatial data in R, including making maps.
About the Speaker
Mark Brennan is an Assistant Professor in the Rutgers School of Business. Mark works on the operational dimensions of inequality: showing how supply chains reproduce inequality, and strengthening operations through applied projects, field research, and nationwide econometric studies. Focusing on the essential operations that keep people fed, housed, and healthy, he is working to broaden operation management’s empirical evidence base, link ideas in supply chain and urban planning, and share this thinking in popular media including New Jersey newspapers. Before Rutgers, Mark led the UN’s food stamps retail operation in Somalia, did analytics for Boston’s public ambulance service, and ran studies for USAID and FEMA. Mark was born and raised in Central Jersey. He got his PhD from MIT, and before that, he studied applied math on a Mitchell Scholarship and earned a BA at Johns Hopkins University.
This session is ideal for anyone looking to build practical, hands-on skills in data analysis and visualization, particularly within supply chain and development contexts.

Continuous Professional Development Workshop - Sustaining cost‑effective, resilient supply chains
2026-06-03 09:00 - 15:00
Supply chain disruptions are inevitable and can threaten organizational performance and continuity. Building resilience is essential, but doing so inefficiently can create unnecessary costs. This workshop provides practical frameworks to help organizations design resilient supply chains while maintaining operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

What You Will Learn

Supply chain resilience options and their trade-offs
Supply chain disruption and response profiling and matching
Cost–benefit analysis of resources and strategies that enable supply chain resilience
Roadmap for orchestrating supply chain resilience in a cost-effective manner

Programme Fee

Virtual Participation: GH¢1,000
Follow the link for full programme details: bit.ly/CARISCACPD-2

Facilitator

Dr. Dominic Essuman, PhD, MBA, CBCI
Dr. Essuman is a supply chain resilience expert with extensive research experience on supply chain disruptions and operational resilience. He is a Lecturer in Sustainable Management at the University of Sheffield, UK, and his work focuses on helping organizations build resilient and efficient supply chains.

2026 Supply Chain Research Summit
2026-07-06 - 2026-07-08 | Cedi Conference Center, University of Ghana, Ghana
CARISCA’s annual Supply Chain Research Summit is central to our goal of strengthening African supply chain capacity and advancing Africa’s supply chain research globally.
On July 6-8, 2026, CARISCA will host the sixth Annual Supply Chain Research Summit in Ghana. The 2025 summit, held in Lagos, Nigeria, attracted approximately 350 participants from 17 countries, 87 institutions, and 38 higher education institutions worldwide, featuring more than 81 presentations.
In 2026, we are moving the summit back to Ghana, to welcome and accommodate even more supply chain scholars, students, professionals and decision makers to one of Africa’s emerging economies. As in previous summits, the 2026 Summit will be a hybrid event, to be held in person, and virtually via Zoom.
The 2026 summit is envisioned to take a deeper look at how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are transforming supply chains and organizations across the continent.
Visit the Summit website: summit2026.carisca.org
