David Closs 
Professor of Supply Chain Management | Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI, UNITED STATES
An expert in computer models and information systems for logistics operations
Media
Publications:
Documents:
Photos:
Videos:
Audio/Podcasts:
Biography
Dr. David J. Closs is the John H. McConnell Chaired Professor of Business Administration in the Department of Supply Chain Management at Michigan State University. Dr. Closs completed his MBA and Ph.D. at Michigan State in 1978 focusing on the topics of marketing, logistics and management science.
Dr. Closs has been extensively involved in the development and application of computer models and information systems for logistics operations and planning. The computer models have included applications for location analysis, inventory management, forecasting and routing. The information systems development focuses on inventory management, forecasting and transportation applications. His experience has focused on the logistics related issues in the consumer products, medical and pharmaceutical products and parts industries. Dr. Closs actively participates in logistics executive development seminars and has presented sessions in North America, South America, Asia, Australia and Eastern Europe. Dr. Closs's primary research interests include supply chain strategy, information systems, security, and planning techniques. He was one of the principle researchers in two studies completed by Michigan State University investigating world-class logistics and supply chain capabilities.
Dr. Closs has authored and co-authored numerous articles and made presentations regarding world-class logistics and supply chain capabilities and logistics information systems applications.
Dr. Closs is an active member in the CSCMP and was Editor of the Journal of Business Logistics. He is Executive Editor of Logistics Quarterly.
Industry Expertise (3)
Business Services
Education/Learning
Logistics and Supply Chain
Areas of Expertise (6)
Supply Chain Strategy
Inventory Management
Logistics
Supply Chain Management
Management Science
Information Systems
Accomplishments (1)
Distinguished Faculty Award (professional)
Michigan State University
Education (3)
Michigan State University: PhD, Logistics 1978
Michigan State University: MBA, Logistics 1976
Michigan State University: BS, Mathematics 1972
Affiliations (2)
- Member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals
- Executive Editor of Logistics Quarterly
Links (3)
News (5)
Michigan State’s Supply Chain Programs #1 Again
Michigan Business Network online
2018-04-05
Professor David Closs explains Broad SCM top rank.
MSU supply chain expert looks to the future of “differentiation through solutions”
WKAR - Michigan State University online
2017-06-22
“Supply chain, particularly from a Michigan State perspective, means the end to end movement of product from the raw material from a mine or the ocean, through all the production processes, and to the consumer,” Professor David Closs tells Michigan State University President Lou Anna K. Simon and Spartans Athletic Director Mark Hollis on MSU Today. “So we view it all as a very end to end process and try to manage that to meet the needs of the consumer and at the same time keeping cost and waste down.”
Supply Chain Leaders Will Receive 2016 Thinkers & Movers Award
Business Wire online
2016-09-22
Dr. David Closs, Michigan State University, Dr. Robert Lieb, Northeastern University, and Linda Wood, R.J. Reynolds, are the recipients of the 2016 Thinkers & Movers Award. They will receive the award Monday, September 26, in Orlando, Florida, in conjunction with the Council of Supply Chain Professionals (CSCMP) Annual Conference.
MSU jumps 10 spots in US News; Supply Chain remains No. 1
MSU Today online
2015-09-09
David Closs, chairperson and professor of MSU’s Department of Supply Chain Management, said the latest U.S. News ranking is a result of the department’s strategic focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships with industry and other units across campus.
Journal Articles (5)
Metaheuristics in Logistics and supply Chain Management
Journal of Business LogisticsStanley E. Griffis, John E. Bell, and David J. Closs
2013 The modeling of logistics systems is performed to seek the best possible system configuration to minimize costs or maximize operational performance, in order to meet or exceed customer expectations. Classically, analytic system analysis of this type has been performed using optimization, simulation, or heuristics. However, in the past two decades, a newer class of techniques, metaheuristics, has emerged as a capable method for quickly providing near‐optimal solutions for problems that exact optimization cannot solve. This article outlines recent advances in metaheuristics development, and considers the ability of these advanced techniques to resolve various logistics and supply chain problem types. Specifically, the article discusses the ant colony optimization, genetic algorithm, simulated annealing, and tabu search metaheuristics. The capabilities of these metaheuristic techniques to examine supply chain risk and disruptions, intermodal operations, customer service trade‐offs, backhaul strategies, and simultaneous facility location and vehicle route problems are proposed. The article concludes by describing how faculty can bring these techniques into the classroom to ensure their students enter the logistics and supply chain field with a current and relevant understanding of the state of the art in supply chain design techniques.
Global supply Chain Design Considerations: Mitigating Product Safety and Security Risks
Journal of Operations ManagementSpeier, Cheri, Judith M. Whipple, David J. Closs, and M. Douglas Voss.
2011 Supply chain disruptions pose an increasingly significant risk to supply chains. This research develops a framework to examine the threat of potential disruptions on supply chain processes and focuses on potential mitigation and supply chain design strategies that can be implemented to mitigate this risk. The framework was developed by integrating three theoretical perspectives—normal accident theory, high reliability theory, and situational crime prevention. The research uses a multi-method approach to identify key safety and security initiatives (process management, information sharing, and supply chain partner and service provider relationship management) that can be implemented and the conditions under which each initiative is best suited. The research results illustrate that the depth and breadth of security initiatives depends on top management mindfulness, operational complexity, product risk, and coupling.
The Role of Security in the Food Supplier Selection Decision
Journal of Business LogisticsM. Douglas Voss, David J. Closs, Roger J. Calantone, O. Keith Helferich, and Cheri Speier
2011 This research assesses whether, and under what conditions, firms are willing to trade off price and delivery reliability for greater supplier security. Specifically, international sourcing and concern over security incidents occurring at the respondent's firm are proposed as conditions that may increase demand for supplier security. This research suggests to managers the trade offs their customers may be willing to accept for increased security. The results are useful for firms evaluating whether they should invest in supply chain security measures. Results provide academic insight into the relative importance of security as a supplier selection criterion.
Sustainability to support end-to-end value chains: the role of supply chain management
Journal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceDavid J. Closs, Cheri Speier, Nathan Meacham
2011 Many firms are increasing their focus on sustainability. However, this focus has primarily emphasized environmentalism and ethics. Enterprise value chains must develop and support a broader sustainability perspective to ensure that its consumer, business, supply chain, community and environmental relationships and interactions remain viable. Using public documents and Internet sites of major global firms, this article suggests a framework to define the dimensions of sustainability and the categories of initiatives within each dimension. The article then offers examples regarding how major firms are implementing each sustainability dimension to enhance their competitiveness. Building on the framework, the article illustrates the sustainability initiatives applied by different categories of sustainability leaders.
The Role of Strategic Secuity: Internal and External Measures
Transportation JournalVoss, M. Douglas, Judity M. Whipple, and David J. Closs
2009 Ensuring a supply chain is secure from intentional as well as unintentional incidents is critical in today's global economy. However, some firms place a greater level of strategic importance on supply chain security than others. This research compares firms in the food industry that place a high level of strategic importance on security to firms that do not place a high level of strategic importance on security. The research assesses the measures employed by each group and resulting performance. Findings indicate that firms considering security to be a strategic priority perceive higher levels of security implementation and better security performance. Firms that place a high strategic priority on security show a greater ability to detect and recover from security incidents both inside the firm and across the supply chain in comparison to firms that place a low strategic priority on security. Cluster analysis grouped firms into high and low security performance categories in a manner consistent with the strategic priority construct and demonstrates the security measures that are likely to define high and low security performance.
