E. Grosvenor Plowman Award
The E. Grosvenor Plowman Award honors the best research presented at CSCMP’s Academic Research
Symposium (ARS). Selected by the Editorial Research Panel, this award highlights CSCMP’s dedication
to rigorous, high-impact scholarship that advances both logistics practice and supply chain theory.
Named for longtime industry advocate E. Grosvenor Plowman, the award underscores the importance of
collaboration between academia and business in strengthening the global supply chain profession.
Submission Period
The submission period for the 2025 Academic Research Symposium (ARS) Call for Papers
runs from March 17 – May 18 (No extensions will be granted.)
Submit a Paper
2025 E. Grosvenor Plowman Award Recipients
Reza Karim
Ph.D. Student
Iowa State University
Peter Ralston
Associate Professor
Iowa State University
Saurabh Ambulkar
Assistant Professor
University of Texas at Arlington
“Tariffs and Global Supply Chain Strategy (FTZ Activation)”
This year’s Plowman Award was presented to Reza Karim, Ph.D. Student, Iowa State University;
Peter Ralston, Associate Professor, Iowa State University; and Saurabh Ambulkar, Assistant
Professor, University of Texas at Arlington for their paper, “Tariffs and Global Supply Chain
Strategy (FTZ Activation).”
The research examines tariff engineering strategies—specifically foreign trade zone (FTZ)
activation—and their impact on firm performance. Using event-study methodology, the authors
show that the stock market reacts positively to FTZ activation announcements.
Applying transaction cost economics, the study also reveals how market concentration and
operational efficiency shape these outcomes, offering both theoretical and practical insights
for companies navigating tariff-driven challenges in global supply chains.
Past Recipients
2024 — “A Procurement Advantage in Disruptive Times: New Perspectives on ESG Strategy and Firm Performance” (Wenting Li & Yimin Wang)
2023 — “Job Creation and Job Destruction Dynamics in the Truck Transportation Industry in Online Retailing” (Jason Miller, Jonathan Phares & Stephen Burks)
2022 — “Time is Ticking: The Role of DC Operations and Transportation in Avoiding Late Orders in Online Retailing” (John Bell, David Dobrzynkowski, Trang Hoang, Nicolò Masorgo & Morgan Swink)
2021 — “The Ties that Pay: The Impact of Buyer–Supplier Network Closure and Gender Diversity of Boards of Directors on Sustained Revenue Growth” (Marat Davletshin & Susan Golicic)
2020 — “Not Your Normal Gameplan: Exploring Supply Chain Risk Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic” (Remko van Hoek)
2019 — “Did the Electronic Logging Device Mandate Reduce Accidents?” (Andrew Balthrop, Jason Miller & Alex Scott)
2018 — “Don’t Build a Bridge to Nowhere: Triangulating Gaps in the Path to Successful Supplier-Enabled Innovation” (Remko van Hoek, Laura Briou & Stanley Fawcett)
2017 — “Persuasive Communication Pathway: Influencing SCM Partners to Work Voluntarily on Sustainability Initiatives” (Brian Fugate, Jon Johnson & Saif Mir)
2016 — “Investigating Relative Stability of Motor Carrier Safety Performance for the CSA Program” (Jason Miller)
2015 — “Exploring the Use of Upper-Semi Variance as a Robust Estimator for Calculating Safety Stocks” (Darryl K. Ahner, John Saldanha, Peter F. Swan & Doral E. Sandlin)