We spoke with Associate Professor of Management Asad Shafiq about his research on sustainable supply chains, socially responsible operations, and buyer-supplier relationships, exploring the practical implications of his findings for businesses, educators and policymakers.

Summary of Academic Interests (Teaching, Research and Service)

Asad Shafiq, who earned his doctorate from Ivey Business School, has teaching foci on operations management, supply chain management, sustainability, project management, and business analytics/data mining. His research focuses on sustainable supply chains, socially responsible operations, and buyer-supplier relationships, often examining the interplay between corporate social responsibility and operational efficiency.

In addition to his academic work, Shafiq has extensive professional experience leading Lean Six Sigma and Total Quality Management (TQM) initiatives. His service contributions include mentoring students in sustainability-focused projects and engaging with industry to apply academic insights to real-world supply chain challenges. He is particularly interested in how organizations can integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into core supply chain strategies, leveraging both data analytics and relationship management to drive impact.

Asad Shafiq’s Insights on Supply Chain Best Practices

• The inspiration for his research comes from seeing growing pressure on businesses to act responsibly, especially in global supply chains, and recognizing the operational challenges involved. “My interest came from observing increasing stakeholder demand for responsible business practices in global supply chains. Over time, my perspective has shifted to see responsibility as not just compliance but as a value adding strategic advantage,” he says.

• Findings suggest that monitoring suppliers is often linked to perceptions of underperformance or inefficiency, but effective monitoring requires balancing authority with trust. “Monitoring is often implemented when organizations perceive inefficiency or risk, but it must be done with a balance of authority and trust to avoid damaging relationships,” says Shafiq. 

• The “people” side of sustainability—covering employee welfare, community engagement, and supplier relationships—cannot be ignored, with examples such as Nike’s supplier controversies illustrating the risks. “The social dimensions are crucial,” observes Shafiq. “Maintaining fair labor practices and open communication is vital.”

• His work often shows complementarity between practices—such as supply chain analytics combined with customer pressure—creating stronger socially responsible practices than either factor alone. “Combining practices such as analytics and customer pressure often leads to stronger outcomes than implementation in isolation,” he says.

• For small and mid-sized firms with limited ESG budgets, legitimacy is critical: buyers must hold themselves to the same standards they expect from suppliers. “Buyers can’t demand high standards from suppliers without holding themselves accountable to similar standards,” he says.

• Stakeholder theory, using dimensions like urgency, power, and legitimacy, offers a framework for identifying and engaging key stakeholders effectively. “Identifying high-salience stakeholders using urgency, power and legitimacy help target engagement where it matters most,” says Shafiq.

• External pressures, including ESG ratings and customer expectations, can strongly influence internal business practices, especially for suppliers seeking to maintain relationships with large buyers.

• He advocates moving supply chain management from transactional relationships toward deeper, trust-based partnerships. “Shift the focus from transactional exchanges to relationship-based partnerships for long-term sustainability,” advises Shafiq.

• Believes business schools should integrate ethics and social responsibility into core curricula rather than treating them as electives.