Nail Tahirov, PhD Assistant Professor Operations & Supply Chain Management Durham University Business School
Welcome, and thank you for visiting my website.
I have always been interested in how organisations make decisions, especially when they face complex operational challenges involving multiple objectives, constraints, stakeholders, and behavioural factors. I believe that effective solutions begin with a careful understanding of the system, the culture of the organisation, and the practical realities faced by decision-makers.
For me, formulating the right problem description is often as important as solving the problem itself. Managerial challenges are rarely purely technical; they are shaped by data, processes, resources, incentives, organisational culture, and wider business priorities. This is why I value a holistic approach to problem formulation and the design of bespoke systems that reflect the specific context in which decisions are made.
A central theme in my work is the practical value of efficiency. Efficiency is sometimes viewed narrowly or underestimated, yet when it is clearly communicated and linked to wider organisational goals, its impact becomes much more visible. Demonstrating how operational improvements influence cost, service quality, sustainability, resilience, customer experience, and other key business metrics can help decision-makers better understand, adopt, and embrace analytical approaches.
I am particularly interested in developing hands-on tools, interactive games, decision-support systems, and applied learning experiences that demonstrate the practical value of management science techniques. By making analytical methods more accessible, engaging, and relevant, I aim to show how they can support better managerial decision-making and create meaningful impact in organisations and society.
My research spans manufacturing, services, retail, e-commerce, and supply chains, with a particular focus on sustainable operations, supply chain network design, and decision-making in complex systems. I am especially motivated by challenges related to sustainability, resource efficiency, resilience, and the design of systems that create long-term value for organisations, communities, and wider society.
As a researcher and educator, I see universities as an important bridge between theory and practice. My goal is not only to contribute to academic knowledge, but also to develop practical insights, tools, and learning experiences that are relevant to students, managers, practitioners, policymakers, and society.