Erin C. McKie

Assistant Professor

Operations and Business Analytics

Background

Erin McKie is an Assistant Professor in the Operations and Business Analytics department. She joined the Fisher School of Business in 2017 after earning a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina's Moore School of Business. Dr. McKie is also affiliated with the Institute for Materials Research (IMR), a university-wide initiative focused on advancing technologies needed for sustainable manufacturing.

McKie's research is focused in the areas of sustainable operations, closed loop supply chains, and environmental regulations. In recent, her research has focused on challenges organizations face when pursuing product reuse initiatives. Topics she has worked on include examining consumers' valuations of sustainable products, identifying the optimal structure of environmental regulations, understanding the implications of selling new and remanufactured products simultaneously, and developing analytical models to better predict consumer returns. In addition to research, McKie teaches the core undergraduate course in operations management. Her classroom experience includes courses in the areas of business analytics, global sourcing, operations management, and service process design.

McKie’s work has been presented at several practitioner and industry conferences, including DSI, INFORMS, and POMS annual meetings, where she has also served as a session chair. Prior to returning to academia, McKie worked as an operations management consultant in the areas of business systems and strategy development.

Areas of Expertise

Sustainability/Corporate Responsibility
  • Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility

Education

Ph.D., Production and Operations Management, University of South Carolina

B.S., Business Administration, University of South Carolina

RESEARCH AREAS OF INTEREST

  • Sustainability issues in operations management
  • Material reuse and recovery
  • Environmental regulations
  • Energy management technologies

Publications

  • McKie, E.C. and Ahire, S. (2023). Enhancing the Reach of Socially-Missioned Non-Profits: Learnings and Insights from TOC Interventions. Forthcoming at INFORMS Journal of Applied Analytics.
  • Shang, G., McKie, E. C., Ferguson, M. E., & Galbreth, M. R. (2020). Using transactions data to improve consumer returns forecasting. Journal of Operations Management, 66(3), 326-348.
  • McKie, E.C., Ferguson, M., Galbreth, M., and Venkataraman, S. 2018. How do Consumers Choose between Multiple Product Generations and Conditions? An Empirical Study of iPad Sales on eBay. Production and Operations Management, 27(8), 1574-1594

Article

  • McKie, E.C. (2022) Kicking Contamination from the Curb: How New Feedback Mechanisms Can Increase Opportunities for Recycling. Lead Reed Today

Courses

  • MBA 6233 - Operations Management

    Operations Management (MBA 6233) is designed to provide a solid foundation and deeper understanding of how the operations function contributes to ensuring effective and efficient flow of materials and information within and outside the organization. Prereq: Enrollment in MBA, or permission of instructor.

  • BUSOBA 4253 - Sustainable Operations

    There is increasing pressure on businesses to pay more attention to the environmental consequences of the raw materials they source, processes they deploy, and the products and services they offer. Recognizing that operations are at the core of any sustainable enterprise, this course addresses issues related to sustainable operations in three modules. Prereq: 2320, 2321, 3230, AcctMIS 2200, 2300, and BusMHR 2292.