Prof. Dr. Alan C. McKinnon

Meeting the increasing demand for logistics specialists is a constant challenge.

Prof. Dr. Alan C. McKinnon

Head of Logistics Department and Dean of Programs

Professor of Logistics

Professor Alan McKinnon is Head of Logistics and Dean of Programs. From 1979 to 1987, he lectured and researched in economic geography and transport at the University of Leicester in the UK. Between 1987 and 2012 he was based at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and appointed full professor there in 1995.  During his time at Heriot-Watt he established a research center specializing in logistics and a  masters program in logistics and supply chain management. Professor McKinnon has an MA degree in geography from the University of Aberdeen, an MSc in transportation studies from the University of British Columbia and a PhD from the University of London.

Professor Alan McKinnon has been lecturing, researching and advising on logistics since 1979. His PhD, on physical distribution in the food industry, was one of the first doctoral studies conducted in the UK on logistics. He has conducted over fifty studies for numerous public and private sector organisations, published extensively in the logistics and transport literature and generally supported the development of logistics as an academic discipline. He has edited two journals and is currently on the editorial boards of five others. In 1996 he was one of the six founder members of the Logistics Research Network, which has grown into one of the largest networks of academics specializing in logistics in the world. In 2003 he received the highest distinction of the UK Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, the Sir Robert Lawrence award, for his long track record in logistics research and education. He has had visiting professorships at universities in Australia, Malaysia, Italy and Sweden and lectured in 30 countries. In 2010 he was appointed chairman of the World Economic Forum’s industry council on logistics and supply chain management.

Professor McKinnon has undertaken research on a broad spectrum of logistics topics. Much of his work has focused on the logistical strategies of retailers and development of new distribution systems to support online retailing. He has also investigated the growth of freight transport, capacity utilization in the freight sector, road tolling systems for freight vehicles and the case for increasing truck size and weight limits. In the late 1990s he pioneered new approaches to measuring and benchmarking the efficiency of road freight operations which have been widely applied in the UK. Other studies have examined the changing land and energy requirements of logistics, the outsourcing of logistical activities and the links between logistics and economic development. A long term interest in the environmental impact of logistics has culminated over the past years in research on the opportunities for decarbonizing logistics. Professor McKinnon has written several reports for government agencies and industry bodies on the measurement and management of carbon emissions from freight transport. Much of his research has informed public policy at both UK and international levels. In 2011, for example, he was appointed by the European Commission to three expert groups examining EU funding of transport research, the development of transport technology and the promotion of sustainable logistics.

Professor Alan McKinnon joined THE KLU in January 2012. He aims to expand and diversify the research being undertaken at THE KLU on logistics and supply chain management, partly with the support of his extensive network of contacts in business, government and academia. He is also responsible for THE KLU’s portfolio of courses, ensuring that they meet the needs of both the students and their future employers.