The Neeley School of Business has grown in national prominence over the past few years, and the success of its graduates has been recognized by numerous publications such as U.S. News & World Report and Businessweek.

A driving force behind the achievements of its students was the knowledge and dedication to education by Neeley School professors, such as Morgan Swink.

The Journal of Product Innovation Management recently named Swink, a professor of supply chain management, No. 19 top innovation management scholar in the world.

“I have always had a natural curiosity when looking at the world, and I am not scared to ask big questions, specifically when it comes to the tactics and theory behind supply chain,” Swink said.

Throughout the past 20 years, Swink’s research has been published in 10 of the world’s leading academic journals and is one of the most important measures of high-quality intellectual research, according to the Neeley School website.

“Business is a social science, and therefore based on empirical research, and  one of the biggest challenges is attaining reliable and sufficient data that can be applied broadly,” Swink said.

Survey data and case studies are a few of the research methods he used in order to identify innovative ways to make supply chain more efficient, he said.

It was later in his professional life when he decided to become the researcher he is today, Swink said. It was after graduate school when he realized the critical role research had in creating successful working individuals in the business world, he said. He then applied research to his role as a professor and encouraged students to be more research-minded.

“The top buiness schools in the nation are the schools that conduct a great deal of research, along with the traditional focus on teaching,” Swink said.    

The increased national recognition of the Neeley School had a lot to do with its investments in resources for research, he said.

Swink is involved in the Neeley and Associates Consulting program, one of the resources and opportunities created by the Neeley School, he said.

Jack Smothers, a master of business administration student, worked with Swink in the Neeley and Associates Consulting program and said he applied the framework from Swink’s research to his own projects.

“It’s a challenge to find the right graduate program, but TCU is a standout school with professors like Swink because they add a level of credibility to ensuring a good education for potential students.”

Smothers said he would describe Swink as a standout academic with dedication to his students and the supply chain concentration of the graduate program.

Swink said his continued research was important in educating students who would thrive in the business world, and the Neeley School would continue to raise the bar in the level of research it produces.