Dr Emmanuel Sawyerr
- Lecturer in Operations Management (Management)
email:
Emmanuel.Sawyerr@glasgow.ac.uk
Room 327, Adam Smith Building, 2 Discovery Place, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, G11 6EY
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-178XBiography
Emmanuel is a Lecturer in Operations Management at the Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow. His research sits at the intersection of operations management, sustainable supply chains, and food system transformation, with a particular focus on supply chain resilience, circular economy practices, humanitarian logistics and policy-relevant impact. His most recent work investigates how commercial and third-sector organisations and their supply networks can partner effectively to ensure socio-environmental sustainability. He is a steering committee member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics’ Retail Forum. He is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and brings prior industry experience in project and operations management, enriching his teaching and research with real-world insight.
Research interests
Research Interests
My research interests include:
- Circular food supply chain management
- Cross-sector partnerships
- Sustainable supply chain management
- Supply chain resilience
- Humanitarian logistics
- Digital transformation and innovation
- Procurement
Current Research
Cross-sector partnerships for surplus food redistribution
Research Cluster
Innovation, Strategy & Operations
Publications
2026
Sawyerr, Emmanuel 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-178X and Bourlakis, Michael
(2026)
Collaboration in charitable surplus food redistribution: a unique supplier- buyer relationship.
In: Wagner, Beverly, Breen, Liz and Kelly, Stephen (eds.)
Research Handbook on Buyer-Supplier Relationships.
Edward Elgar Publishing.
ISBN 978103532101
(In Press)
Sawyerr, Emmanuel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-178X and Bourlakis, Michael
(2026)
Unlocking synergies: how coopetition can generate sustained value in food aid supply chains.
International Journal of Logistics Management, 37(3),
pp. 668-695.
(doi: 10.1108/IJLM-02-2025-0118)
2025
Bourlakis, Michael and Sawyerr, Emmanuel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-178X
(2025)
Food logistics.
In: Nelson, John D., Mulley, Corinne and Ison, Stephen (eds.)
Elgar Encyclopedia of Transport and Society.
Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 156-157.
ISBN 9781035330515
(doi: 10.4337/9781035330522-00082)
2024
Sawyerr, Emmanuel Acquah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-178X, Bourlakis, Michael, Conrad, Damien and Wagstaff, Carol
(2024)
Impact pathways: unravelling the hybrid food supply chain - identifying the relationships and processes to drive change.
International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 44(7),
pp. 1310-1323.
(doi: 10.1108/IJOPM-05-2023-0362)
2023
Sawyerr, Emmanuel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-178X and Harrison, Christian
(2023)
Resilience in healthcare supply chains: a review of the UK's response to the COVID19 pandemic.
International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 53(3),
pp. 297-329.
(doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-09-2021-0403)
Articles
Sawyerr, Emmanuel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-178X and Bourlakis, Michael
(2026)
Unlocking synergies: how coopetition can generate sustained value in food aid supply chains.
International Journal of Logistics Management, 37(3),
pp. 668-695.
(doi: 10.1108/IJLM-02-2025-0118)
Sawyerr, Emmanuel Acquah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-178X, Bourlakis, Michael, Conrad, Damien and Wagstaff, Carol
(2024)
Impact pathways: unravelling the hybrid food supply chain - identifying the relationships and processes to drive change.
International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 44(7),
pp. 1310-1323.
(doi: 10.1108/IJOPM-05-2023-0362)
Sawyerr, Emmanuel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-178X and Harrison, Christian
(2023)
Resilience in healthcare supply chains: a review of the UK's response to the COVID19 pandemic.
International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 53(3),
pp. 297-329.
(doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-09-2021-0403)
Book Sections
Sawyerr, Emmanuel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-178X and Bourlakis, Michael
(2026)
Collaboration in charitable surplus food redistribution: a unique supplier- buyer relationship.
In: Wagner, Beverly, Breen, Liz and Kelly, Stephen (eds.)
Research Handbook on Buyer-Supplier Relationships.
Edward Elgar Publishing.
ISBN 978103532101
(In Press)
Bourlakis, Michael and Sawyerr, Emmanuel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-178X
(2025)
Food logistics.
In: Nelson, John D., Mulley, Corinne and Ison, Stephen (eds.)
Elgar Encyclopedia of Transport and Society.
Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 156-157.
ISBN 9781035330515
(doi: 10.4337/9781035330522-00082)
Prior publications
Book Section
Michael Bourlakis, Emmanuel Sawyerr (2024) Agri-food supply chains in Western and Northern Europe Burleigh Dodds Series in Agricultural Science Emmanuel Sawyerr. ISBN 9781801462716 ISSN 2059-6936 (doi: 10.19103/as.2023.0122.05)
Conference Proceedings
Emmanuel Sawyerr, Gabriel Yesuf, Ruth Wade, Alp Yildirim (2024) Addressing food loss and waste pre-farmgate – exploring a circular economy research agenda 31st International Annual EurOMA Conference titled “Transforming people and processes for a better world”, June 29-July 3 Emmanuel Sawyerr.
Emmanuel Sawyerr, Michael Bourlakis (2024) When the “Supplier” Vets the “Buyer”: Selection Criteria for Surplus Food Redistributors 33rd Annual International Purchasing & Supply Education & Research Association (IPSERA) Conference titled "Emerging Alternatives", 24th - 27th March Emmanuel Sawyerr.
Bourlakis M, Sawyerr E, Dicker A, Wagstaff C (2023) Logistics intervention in food redistribution Cranfield University.
Emmanuel Sawyerr, Michael Bourlakis (2023) Insights on Food Supply in Disadvantaged Communities: A Study of Four UK Cities PROLOG: The International Conference on Projects & Logistics Emmanuel Sawyerr.
Bourlakis M, Sawyerr E, Pettinger C (2022) Mapping food supply chains for UK disadvantaged communities: A focus on Plymouth Cranfield University.
Sawyerr E, Bourlakis M (2022) Addressing the food supply chain challenges for UK disadvantaged communities Cranfield University.
Sawyerr E, Bourlakis M (2022) Mapping the food supply chain for disadvantaged communities in the UK Cranfield University.
Bourlakis M, Sawyerr E (2022) Supplying food to disadvantaged communities in the UK: Insights for the food supply chains Cranfield University.
Report
Emmanuel Sawyerr, Gabriel Yesuf, Ruth Wade, Alp Yildirim (2023) Understanding and evaluating on-farm loss and waste in the UK Transforming UK Food Systems SPF Programme Emmanuel Sawyerr.
Article
Emmanuel Sawyerr, Christian Harrison (2020) Developing resilient supply chains: lessons from high-reliability organisations Supply Chain Management: An International Journal Emmanuel Sawyerr. ISSN 1359-8546 (doi: 10.1108/scm-09-2018-0329)
Professional activities & recognition
Professional & learned societies
- 2021: Member, European Operations Management Association (EurOMA)
- 2021: Member and also Member of Retails Forum Steering Committee, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT)
- 2021: Member, Production and Operations Management Society
Additional information
Professional Memberships
European Operations Management Association (EUROMA)
Production and Operations Management Society (POMS)
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transportation (CILT)
