My background and ongoing research interests are inherently inter-disciplinary: I completed a Modern History degree at University of Oxford and am currently undertaking doctoral research in the field of sustainable supply chain management with a particular focus on the role of metaphor in forwarding supply chain management theory in terms of the sustainability agenda.

Peer-reviewed journal publications:

Liu, Z. and Stephens, V. (2019), ‘Exploring innovation ecosystem from the perspective of sustainability: towards a conceptual framework’, Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market and Complexity, 5(3)

Local/Regional/National conferences:

Liu, Z. and Stephens, V. (2019), Exploring Innovation Eco-System from the perspective of sustainability: Towards a conceptual framework’, South Wales Business School conference (April, 2019).[Winner of Best Track Paper]

Stephens, V. (2018), ‘Responsible’ Images of Sustainable Supply Chains: towards a procedural framework, Paper presented at the second annual South Wales Business School conference (May, 2018). [Winner of Best Track Paper, and Best Overall Paper]

Stephens, V. (2017), ‘Proposing a Metaphor Perspective as a Way Forward for Sustainable Supply Chain (SSC) Scholarship’, Paper presented at the first annual South Wales Business School conference (May, 2017). [Winner of Best Overall Paper]

Stephens, V, White, G. and Mason-Jones, R. (2016), ‘Problematising the concept of ’sustainability’ in the supply chain through systematic literature review’, Paper presented at British Academy of Management Conference 2016, Newcastle, United Kingdom, 6/09/16 – 8/09/16

International conferences:

Stephens, V. (2020), ‘Towards supply chains in a flourishing world. Enter, metaphor’, Paper presented at 7th EurOMA Sustainable Operations and Supply Chains Forum, Nottingham University, Nottingham, U.K., 10-11 February 2020

Liu, Z. and Stephens, V. (2019), Exploring Innovation Eco-System from the perspective of sustainability: Towards a conceptual framework’, Society of Open Innovation: Technology, Market and Complexity at Meijo University Conference (SOItmC, 2019), Nagoya, Japan, June 2019 [Winner of Conference Best Paper Award)

Stephens, V. (2019), What role for metaphor in innovating for sustainable supply chain management?’ Paper presented at 6th International EurOMA Sustainable Operations and Supply Chains Forum, Gothenburg, Sweden, March 2019

Stephens, V., Matthews, L. and Rowlands, H. (2018), ‘A systematic metaphor analysis of academic discourse in sustainable supply chain scholarship: the results of a pilot study’, Paper presented in 5th International EurOMA Sustainable Operations and Supply Chains Forum, Kassel, Germany, 5/3/18 – 6/3/18

Stephens, V. and Rowlands, H. (2017), ‘Proposing a Metaphor Perspective as a Way Forward for Sustainable Supply Chain (SSC) Scholarship’, Paper presented at 30th International Business Information Management Association Conference (IBIMA) , Madrid, Spain, 8/11/17 – 9/11/17

Stephens, V., Rowlands, H., Lee, C. and Barrett, J. (2015), ‘Complementary initiatives for sustainability in UK defence sector supply chains’ Paper presented at AIRTEC 10th International Aerospace and Supply Fair Congress, Munich, Germany, 3/11/15 – 5/11/15,

Stephens, V., Lee, C. and Barrett, J. (2014), Conceptualising a new model for Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) in the UK defence sector. in R Setchi, RJ Howlett, M Naim & H Seinz (eds), KES Transactions on Sustainable Design and Manufacturing : Special Edition – Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2014. vol. 1, Future Technology Press, pp. 795-807, International Conference on Sustainable Design and Manufacturing, Cardiff, United Kingdom, 28-30 April.

Prior to joining the University of South Wales Business School I was the research Associate within a 3-year collaborative research project with the University of South Wales and Airbus Defence and Space. The project was funded by Innovate UK through their Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme, and explored the manifestation of category management and vendor appraisal techniques for the development of sustainable supply chains across ADS’ sites in UK, France and Spain. The research project was subsequently nominated for a Business and Education Partnership Award (BEPA).

External 

Reviewer:
Journal of Business Research (ISSN: 0148-2963)
Journal of Strategic Change (ISSN: 1099-1697)

International Business Information Management Association (IBIMA) conference
British Academy of Management (BAM) conference
Sustainable Design and Manufacturing (SDM) conference