Roth will serve as principal investigator of the SAP "Global Supply-Chain Management Futures Initiative," and Mason will serve as co-principal investigator on this partnership. The purpose of the grant is to establish a strategic partnership with SAP for developing innovative and hands-on applications of advanced e-supply-chain and CRM technologies in the MBA classroom and for support of their cross-functional research.

In addition, SAP has designated OTIM PhD students Murat Kristal, Pedro Oliveira, Enno Siemsen and John Gray as SAP Fellows.

"This collaboration provides a unique opportunity for UNC Kenan-Flagler to develop students with state-of-the-art managerial and decision-aiding competencies in ERP, CRM and e-supply-chain technologies and as a springboard for cross-functional research on adaptive supply chains," Roth said.