Professor Swinney's research addresses supply chain management issues with multiple parties in cooperative or competitive situations. Most recently, his work has focused on the effects of consumer purchasing behavior on operational decision-making, with primary applications in fashion apparel, retailing and manufacturing. He has also studied the interface of finance and operations (including methods of managing operational risk and the operations of start-up firms) and problems in supply chain contracting and coordination.

Robert Swinney is an Associate Professor of Operations, Information and Technology at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he teaches the core MBA course in operations management. His research focuses on multiple player problems in supply chain management with a particular concentration on the impact of strategic customer behavior on firm decision-making, a topic that blends aspects of the operations management, marketing, and economics disciplines. His domains of expertise include retailing, manufacturing, and the automotive, fashion, and consumer electronics industries. Prior to joining Stanford, Robert received a BS in Astronomy from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena and received his PhD in Operations Management from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in Philadelphia.