“Navigating the Landscape” of Overused ChatGPT Buzzwords
Everyone seems to be “thrilled” these days. Many people write that “X plays a pivotal role in enhancing Y, promoting Z” or that we should “navigate the landscape of” something; that something “will not only do A, but also B”; or that research findings “underscore” or “highlight” something. I now read “foster”, “navigate,” and “leverage” in many documents. And a lot of things seem to be a “testament” to something. People ask us to “join them as they explore” something when they want to “share a milestone” with us or highlight their “New Paper Alert!” with lots of emoticons. They demonstrate that “by embracing A, they are doing B” and they share a lot of “significant insights” after they “dive deep” into something. All of these words, phrases, and sentence structures make sense, but I don’t think it makes sense that we all use the same writing style. Many of us have IKEA furniture in our homes – and try to make sure that other people do not immediately know that it is IKEA. Maybe the same should apply to ChatGPT. Shortly after this tool was released, I fell into some of these traps myself. However, ChatGPT has been around for more than two years now. We should have learned how to use it by now, shouldn’t we?
What is Preregistration?
One practice that I feel is not discussed enough in SCM research is preregistration, which is the practice of writing a detailed research plan before starting a study and making that plan publicly available. This practice clearly separates when researchers are testing a specific hypothesis (prediction) from when they are examining data to find new patterns (exploration). By deciding on hypotheses, methods, and analysis strategies in advance, researchers minimize the bias that can occur when they adjust their approach after seeing the data. This helps prevent the issue of unintentionally presenting after-the-fact explanations as if they were predicted from the start. Therefore, preregistration increases the credibility and transparency of research results. It also makes it easier for others to understand the work and, if necessary, replicate the study. While there may be practical challenges (e.g., unexpected changes during data collection) preregistration is becoming more common. Many academic institutions and journals now encourage or require it. For more information, visit the Center for Open Science.
A Brief Introduction to Grammarly and Deepl Write
As the recent debate about ChatGPT has shown, artificial intelligence tools are advancing rapidly. Today, I would like to introduce two AI tools that can be used to improve the language of academic texts. The first tool, Grammarly, can be integrated into programs like Word and suggests improvements, both in terms of errors and style. Grammarly has already found a large following among academic writers. The second tool is called Deepl Write and is currently in beta. It allows users to type text into an input field and get an improved text back. I tested this tool today by using it to improve the text of this blog post. While such tools may not be perfect, I believe they can help increase participation in SCM research by non-native speakers and those who cannot afford expensive proofreading services. The development is moving fast and I am excited to see what comes next.
Personal Predictions for Supply Chain Management in 2023
As in previous years, I am making a prediction about what could be important topics in supply chain management research. Here are three predictions: (1) OpenAI has demonstrated the incredible potential of machine learning, and this will have numerous implications for the management of supply chains. It is important for our discipline to consider the potential and drawbacks of this technology at an early stage. (2) Supply chain resilience remains a critical issue. For example, the recent resurgence of Covid-19 cases in China could lead to the closure of ports and factories, which would disrupt global supply chains. This topic will continue to be relevant in the future. (3) The climate and biodiversity crises continue to worsen, and their solutions are closely tied to supply chains. Human-caused emissions and the destruction of rainforests are directly related to supply chains, and new laws, such as those in Germany and the EU, reflect this. I wish you all a Happy New Year 2023.
OpenAI and Its Impact on Supply Chain Management
OpenAI has attracted a lot of attention in recent weeks, and for good reason. The research institute, which focuses on developing artificial intelligence technologies and promoting their safe and responsible use, has made significant strides in advancing the field of AI. One area where OpenAI could have a significant impact is in the field of supply chain management. The ability to analyze large amounts of data quickly and accurately could be useful for optimizing supply chain processes, identifying inefficiencies, and making more informed decisions. However, there are also potential drawbacks to the use of AI in supply chain management. There is a risk that the technology could be used to automate jobs and potentially displace human workers. There are also concerns about the ethical implications of using AI in decision-making, such as the potential for bias in the algorithms that drive the technology. Overall, the use of AI in supply chain management has the potential to be both beneficial and detrimental. It is important for researchers and educators in this field to carefully consider the potential impacts of this technology and to develop strategies for addressing the challenges it presents. This blog post was generated using ChatGPT, a chatbot platform developed by OpenAI.
Connected Papers
The following tool was brought to my attention the other day: Connected Papers, “a visual tool to help researchers and applied scientists find and explore papers relevant to their field of work”. It analyzes thousands of papers, selects the ones with the strongest connections to an entered paper, and generates a graph. In this graph, the tool arranges papers according to their similarity in terms of co-citation and bibliographic coupling. Unlike in a citation tree (e.g., Web of Science), “even papers that do not directly cite each other can be strongly connected and very closely positioned”, which I believe is a very useful alternative to other search strategies. “According to this measure, two papers that have highly overlapping citations and references are presumed to have a higher chance of treating a related subject matter.” With the help of the tool, I was able to identify very exciting papers that I would certainly not have found with other search engines. Connected Papers is self-funded and free.
Telling the World about Your Reviewing Efforts
Putting efforts into high-quality reviews for academic journals has been a task of idealists so far. Unfortunately, these efforts are mostly invisible for appointment committees. That is a pity for two reasons: First, if researchers frequently receive review requests from good journals this indicates that they are respected by their research community. Second, if researchers accept such requests they demonstrate a willingness to develop and serve the research community. However, a relatively new tool, Publons, has the potential to make a change. Publons provides “a platform that allows researchers to track, verify and be recognised for their peer review and editorial work”. The good thing: “A researcher’s peer review and editorial contributions can be displayed on their public Publons profile to show the world the impact they have on their research field and enhance their career.” Publons often even tracks the length of submitted review documents and can even be used to create a verified review report, which can be included in job and funding applications.
How Many Slaves Work For You?
When we buy our new shirt, phone or coffee, we rarely think about slavery in the global supply chains of these products. Slavery? In the 21st century? Isn’t slavery a thing of the past? Well, it might surprise us, but slavery still exists and it exists in almost every global supply chain. It has been estimated that 200,000 child slaves work in Ivory Coast alone, that a large proportion of coltan that is used for the capacitors of our phones is mined by slaves, and that the cotton we need for our clothes is often picked by children. The Slavery Footprint online tool answers the following question: “How many slaves work for you?” Based on research data and the data you enter in a short survey, the tool estimates the answer for you. After having taken the survey, you will most likely be quite surprised about how many slaves are involved in the supply chains of your products.
Supply Chain Process Modeling
Are you planning to integrate process modeling in your supply chain curricula? I am currently teaching a new course about supply chain process re-engineering at Copenhagen Business School. As part of a group work, the task of the students is to model processes between supply chain partners using the standard Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN). Initially, I thought about letting the students model the processes using PowerPoint or Visio, but then I realized that this isn’t the most appropriate way for such a group task. Then, I found a web-based process modeling platform that turns out to be ideal for my course. It is part of the BPM Academic Initiative of Signavio. I use the BPMN teaching packages in my course and offer my students the possibility of practical training with Signavio’s Process Editor. I have opened up a collaborative workspace and invited my students by sending an invitation link. No installation is required, it is free of charge.
A Keypad Extension for “Gardeners” and “Gatekeepers”
As highlighted in a previous post, a reviewer should identify a manuscript’s deficiencies (“gatekeeper”), but a reviewer should also provide suggestions for how these deficiencies can be addressed (“gardener”). In addition, the review process should also be fast. The depicted keypad extension, invented for reviewers and editors, may accelerate the process. (I am just not sure whether such a tool could lead to premature decisions.)
