Prof. Dr.
Tri Mikael Tran

Professor
Associate Professor of Logistics and Management

Research Director of KLU Asia

Networks

Prof. Dr. Tri Mikael Tran is Associate Professor of Logistics and Management and Research Director of KLU Asia at Kühne Logistics University (KLU). Before joining KLU, he was a tenured Assistant Professor of Operations Management at the University of Groningen (Netherlands). He earned his Doctor of Science (Economics) in Logistics from Aalto University. Beyond academia, he has professional experience in management consulting and defense research.

His research focuses on supply chain management, with particular interests in buyer-supplier relationships, supply security, supply chain resilience, and sustainability. His recent work examines how firms navigate supply disruptions, supplier dominance, and sustainability-related risks. His research has been published in journals including the Journal of Supply Chain Management, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Higher Education, Journal of Medical Internet Research, and Studies in Higher Education.

At KLU, he contributes to the university’s research activities in Asia, with a particular interest in logistics and supply chain challenges in emerging economies. He has secured competitive research funding from organizations including the British Academy and the ENLIGHT Alliance.
Prof. Tran teaches Business Logistics and Supply Chain Management and Strategic Issues in Supply Chains. His teaching emphasizes active learning through simulations, role-playing exercises, site visits, and debate. He has received multiple teaching distinctions, including recognition as one of the most highly valued lecturers at the University of Groningen.

Teaching

  • Business Logistics and Supply Chain Management
  • Strategic Issues in Supply Chain Management

Research Areas

  • Buyer-Supplier Relationships and Supply Chain Governance
  • Supply Security and Supply Chain Resilience
  • Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Selected Publications

Abstract

The popularity of ChatGPT raises concerns about the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on higher education. While past research explored how ChatGPT, a widely recognized text-based generative AI, can improve productivity and efficiency in education, little is yet known about its impact on course design. Utilizing Bloom’s taxonomy and Biggs’ constructive alignment, this research examined the potential influence of ChatGPT on course design. We conducted 19 interviews with lecturers from seven universities located in different countries, who teach a range of business school courses with course objectives at various Bloom’s levels. Additionally, we interviewed three educational specialists with expertise in educational technology and pedagogy. Respondents had mixed opinions about ChatGPT's influence on learning and course design. Our findings suggest that the effectiveness of ChatGPT may be influenced by the complexity of learning outcomes as defined by Bloom’s taxonomy. The researchers propose a framework that teachers can use to mitigate its negative impacts.

Abstract

Background: Over the past 2 years, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed enormous pressure on the health care industry. There has been an increase in demand and, at the same time, a shortage of supplies. This has shown that supply chain management in the health care industry cannot be taken for granted. Furthermore, the health care industry is also facing other major challenges, such as the current labor market shortage. In the literature, the Internet of Things (IoT) is highlighted as an effective tool to build a more resilient and efficient supply chain that can manage these challenges. Although using IoT in supply chain management has been extensively examined in other types of supply chains, its use in the health care supply chain has largely been overlooked. Given that the health care supply chain, compared to others, is more complex and is under growing pressure, a more in-depth understanding of the opportunities brought by IoT is necessary.
Objective: This study aims to address this research gap by identifying and ranking the drivers of and barriers to implementing IoT in the health care supply chain.
Methods: We conducted a 2-stage study. In the first, exploratory stage, a total of 12 semistructured interviews were conducted to identify drivers and barriers. In the second, confirmatory stage, a total of 26 health care supply chain professionals were asked in a survey to rank the drivers and barriers.
Results: The results show that there are multiple financial, operational, strategy-related, and supply chain-related drivers for implementing IoT. Similarly, there are various financial, strategy-related, supply chain-related, technology-related, and user-related barriers. The findings also show that supply chain-related drivers (eg, increased transparency, traceability, and collaboration with suppliers) are the strongest drivers, while financial barriers (eg, high implementation costs and difficulties in building a business case) are the biggest barriers to overcome.
Conclusions: The findings of this study add to the limited literature regarding IoT in the health care supply chain by empirically identifying the most important drivers and barriers to IoT implementation. The ranking of drivers and barriers provides guidance for practitioners and health care provider leaders intending to implement IoT in the health care supply chain.

Abstract

Higher education (HE) is a challenging area for quality professionals because of its highly complex operational nature. While neither quality management (QM) in HE nor applications of analytics in QM is a new research discipline, few studies have examined the applications of analytics in the context of QM in HE. This study calls for more attention to bridge the gap between these two established research disciplines by conducting a systematic literature review and an in-depth single-case study. A systematic literature review illustrates the missing link of analytics in quality management in HE in the literature; however, in practice, highly ranked universities worldwide demonstrate various ways in which an HE institution can embed analytics and business intelligence into their QM practices. The first Nordic triple-crowned business school was selected as a single-case study to illustrate how analytics can be a powerful tool for QM in HE. This study found that analytics and business intelligence, enabled by a centralised information system, offer great tools for quality professionals at HE institutions to manage by fact and consequently allow them to make more fact-based, data-based operational, tactical, and strategic decisions. The centralised information system also alleviates the challenges associated with applying for multiple accreditations. As this is a highly contextual phenomenon, this study also calls for future research in other contexts, such as in other disciplines or in other regions where HE has significantly different operational characteristics.


Academic Positions and Professional Experience

since 09/2026Associate Professor of Logistics and Management and Research Director of KLU Asia at Kühne Logistics University, Hamburg, Germany
2026Visiting Researcher at Esade (hybrid), Sant Cugat del Vallès, Cataluña, Spain
2021-2026Assistant Professor at University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
2025-2026External and Visiting Lecturer at WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business), Vienna, Austria
2023-2026Community of Practice Leader: AI in Education at Teaching Academy Groningen (TAG) - RUG (part-time), Groninen, The Netherlands
2023-2024Visiting Assistant Professor at Aalto University, Espoo, Finland 
2016-2021Affiliate Researcher, Researcher and Lecturer, Teaching and Faculty Assistant at Aalto University,Espoo, Finland
2021Operations Consultant at Flovio, Espoo, Uusimaa, Finland
2019-2020Researcher at Puolustusvoimat - Försvarsmakten - Finnish Defence Forces, Finland
2015-2019IELTS clerical marker and invigilator at FINNBRIT , Helsinki, Finland
2017Data Analyst/Scientist (project-based) at CGI Business Consulting, Helsinki, Finland
2008-2011Assistant Director at CET Academic Programs, Washington D.C., United States

Education

2020-2022Master of Science in Mathematics and Statistics at University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
2017-2020Doctor of Science (D.Sc.), Logistics at Aalto University,Espoo, Finland
2016-2017CEMS Master’s in International Management, International Management at CEMS - The Global Alliance in Management Education,  Jouy-en-Josas, France
2016-2017CEMS Master's in International Management, International Business at Ivey Business School at Western University, Toronto, Canada
2015-2017Master of Science (M.Sc.) with Distinction, Information and Service Management (Operations Research) at Aalto University,Espoo, Finland
2012-2015Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), Business Administration and Economics at Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
2014Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Accounting and Finance, Haskayne School of Business at University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada

2026 - Seeds of Change Award (Runner-up), EurOMA (European Operations Management Association) Sustainable Operations and Supply Chains Forum 

2024 - Research Fellowship, FEB Research Institute, University of Groningen

2023 - Associate Research Fellowship, FEB Research Institute, University of Groningen

2023 - Top 5 Most Valued Lecturers, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen 

2023 - Top 5 Best Courses, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen 

2017 - Dean’s List Scholarship (Valedictorian), Aalto University School of Business

Media Appearences

Personalmagazin

HR-Influencer 2026: Editor’s Choice

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Bilanz

Der geklonte CEO

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VDI Nachrichten

Droht uns der KI-Burn-out?

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Magictech

Come la tecnologia sta rimodellando le nostre menti

Read article (in Italian)