Asoo Vakharia

Professor University of Florida

  • Gainesville FL

Asoo Vakharia's research and areas of expertise include sustainability, channel selection, green product design and supply chains.

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University of Florida

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Biography

Asoo Vakharia's research and areas of expertise include sustainability, channel selection, green product design, sourcing strategies in supply chains, managing supply chain disruptions and the impact of legislative policies to regulate environmental impact.

Areas of Expertise

Information Systems and Operations Management
Supply Chain Management
Environmental Operations
Green Product Design
Sustainability
Business

Media Appearances

Disrupción de suministros: “Una tormenta económica perfecta”

Voz de America  tv

2021-11-21

La escasez de suministros que afecta a numerosos países coincide con una alta inflación en Estados Unidos, por lo cual pudiera convertirse en una “tormenta económica perfecta”. Laura Sepúlveda, corresponsal de la Voz de América, nos explica que esto podría ser una oportunidad para América Latina.

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With shipping bottleneck in California, Florida ports roll out red carpet

WFTV Channel 9  tv

2021-10-14

Professor Asoo Vakharia comments on the supply chain disruption and the role played by Florida's ports.

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National supply chain issues will have local effects

4 News  tv

2021-10-14

Professor Asoo Vakharia explains the supply chain disruptions occurring at ports in the U.S.

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Social

Articles

Multidimensional Observational Learning in Social Networks: Theory and Experimental Evidence

Information Systems Research

Liangfei Qiu, Arunima Chhikara, Asoo Vakharia

2021-03-24

The prevalence of consumers sharing their purchases on social media platforms (e.g., Instagram and Pinterest) and the use of this information by potential future consumers have substantial implications for online retailing. In this study, we examine how product characteristics and the type of information provider jointly impact purchase decisions in a social network setting.

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Product Decoys: A Supply Chain Perspective

Production and Operations Management

Quan Zheng, Xiajun Amy Pan, Asoo J Vakharia

2021-03-05

Conventional wisdom suggests that by including a decoy product in the choice set for consumers, a firm can drive consumers to select more profitable non-decoy products. Explanations offered to explain such outcomes are rooted in the psychology of consumer behavior. A scan of retail practice, however, indicates that decoys might also be included in a product assortment for economic reasons.

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Common Retailer Channel Revisited: The Role of Supply Network Size

Production and Operations Management

Quan Zheng, Xiajun Amy Pan, Asoo J Vakharia

2020-05-28

This study is motivated by the ubiquitous practical existence of common retailer distribution channels (e.g., a grocery store offering multiple brands of the same product). Demand interdependence (product substitutability) among various brands is critical and thus we investigate its impact on firms’ profits.

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Spotlight

2 min

What it will take to overcome supply chain disruptions

The supply chain disruptions sparked by the pandemic highlight the need for behavioral shifts by both consumers and companies. Asoo Vakharia, McClatchy Professor and director of the Supply Chain Center at UF’s Warrington College of Business, says supply chain disruptions are — and will continue to be — a way of life. But the degree of the turmoil experienced recently demonstrates the need for some change. “Demand dropped so quickly and at such a high volume that it created a problem for us,” Vakharia said in an episode of the From Florida podcast. Approximately 20% of imports to the United States come from Asia with the biggest share off-loaded in Los Angeles, followed by Long Beach, California. Those ports, along with other large centers, can accommodate the Ultra Large Vessels often used for trans-Pacific shipping. But they’ve been severely impacted by inflow/outflow imbalances caused by a range of factors including truck driver shortages and poor infrastructure. In response, companies such as Amazon, have purchased smaller vessels that can access a larger number of smaller ports, including those that may require passage through the Panama Canal. The move will enable the commerce giant to side-step some of the bottlenecks slowing down larger ports, but it will also add to expense. This is where Professor Vakharia says companies, and consumers, will need to make choices. He cautions companies to play the long game. “Consumers have long memories and they will reward people who have a little bit of recognition of our conditions,” he said. And he says buyers should always be on the lookout for deals. “There is lots of opportunity out there,” Vakharia said. “Maybe you won’t get the brand you want, but you will get a good brand. Let’s moderate our wants a little bit. Let’s think logically.” Professor Vakharia also sees opportunity for Florida ports, with the caveat that the complexity of the issue will require significant planning — and investment. “We need to have an infrastructure, which is rail or trucks, which are going to visit these ports and take the goods away from them because otherwise we’re going to do the same thing as Long Beach.” The added expense of smaller ships will also need to be managed. To hear more about the supply chain issues currently at play, and possible solutions for the future, listen to the episode on From Florida at this link. Read the recent article that Professor Vakharia has been quoted in:  Listen to other episodes in the "From Florida" series from the link below.

Asoo Vakharia