Zengwen Yan Ph.D

Assistant Professor

Dr. Zengwen Yan obtained his Ph.D. degree from the Management School of the University of Liverpool. He performed as one of the founding members of IFB and participated in its current supply chain modules design and degree program application in 2018. Prior to joining Entrepreneur College (Taicang), he served at Operations & Supply Chain Excellence Institute, where he participated and gained from several research projects, including NFSC.

Apart from his academic experience, Zengwen used to take a position in the leader team of Alcoa China (Arconic now), the world largest and leading aluminum products corporation, where ignited his interest in the supply chain.

Currently, the research areas of Zengwen mainly focus on supply chain-related subjects from the business perspective, such as the supply chain of Industry 4.0, lean operations, and sustainable supply chain.

Ph.D candidates are welcome.


  • Ph.D, University of Liverpool
  • MSc. University of Liverpool
  • MSc. University of Sheffield


  • Assistant Professor, School of Intelligent Finance & Business, XJTLU, 2020–Present
  • Research Assistant, Operations & Supply Chain Excellence Institute, 2017-2020
  • Executive Officer, Arconic Aluminum Industries Company Limited, 2013-2015
  • Coordinator, BMH Foundation, 2011-2012


  • Sustainable Supply Chain
  • Sustainable Business
  • Supply Chain of Industry 4.0
  • Technology Adoption


  • Yan, Z., Ismail, H., Chen, L.*, Zhao, X., & Wang, L. (2019). The application of big data analytics in optimizing logistics: a developmental perspective review. Journal of Data, Information and Management, 1(1-2), 33-43.


  • Chen, Y., Yan, Z., Huang, Y., & Shu, W. Shifting in the New Day, Challenge for the MNCs in a Sustainable Day: a Case Study. 22nd International Working Seminar on Production Economics, Innsbruck, Austria, February 25-28, 2022.
  • Yan, Z., Chen, L., Tang, O., Ismail, H., & Zhao, X. Adoption of Emerging Technologies in Chinese Supply Chains. 21st International Working Seminar on Production Economics, Innsbruck, Austria, Presenter, February 24-28, 2020.
  • Yan, Z., Ismail, H., Chen, L. A systematic review of the big data analytics in optimizing logistics. The 13th International Conference on Operations and Supply Chain Management, Shenzhen, China, July 19-22, 2019


  • Principal Investigator, Carbon Neutrality Driven by Technology Adoption in Supply Chains: A Study of Manufacturing Industry, 100K
  • Co-Investigator, Real-time Vehicle License Plate Recognition Based on Edge AI, 67K
  • Participant, Sustainable Reporting and Firms' Financial Performance : A Supply Chain Perspective, NSFC
  • Participant, IoT for Dangerous Goods Logistics, 900K
  • Participant, Big Data for Decision Support in Logistics Operations, 100K


  • Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF), 2021-Present
  • Professional Development Programs (PDP), 2020-Present
  • Executive Education Program: Seoul National University, 2016-2018
  • Executive Education Program: Bunge Limited, 2017
  • Executive Education Program: CRRC Corporation Limited, 2016-2018


  • IFB301TC Final Year Project
  • IFB205TC Process Management
  • IFB105TC Production Planning and Control
  • IFB201TC Inventory and Warehouse Management
  • IFB102TC Managerial Accounting Essentials
  • IOM421 Dissertation/Capstone Consultancy Project
  • SMO405 Management Dissertation
  • BUS303 Final Year Project


  • ENT203TC Leadership and Communication
  • IFB109TC Supply Chain Innovation and Technologies
  • MAN430 Theory and Practice of Lean Operations
  • MAN231 Qualitative Research Methods in Management Research
  • MAN218 Market Research
  • MAN201 Corporate Social Responsibility
  • MAN110 Introduction to Human Resource Management


  • Campus Reresentative of University Ethics Committee, 2021-Present
  • School Representative of Research Commitee (Taicang), 2021-2022
  • Reviewer, Journal of Cleaner Production, ABS 3
  • Reviewer, International Journal of Technology Management, ABDC B


  • Full Scholarship of Doctoral Study
  • First-Class Admission Scholarship of Postgraduate Study
Zengwen Yan