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Overview
I am a doctoral researcher at Cardiff Business School, dedicated to the anti-slavery agenda. My doctoral research explores how supply chains are tackling the issue of modern slavery at the national and international levels, with a focus on collaborative efforts between businesses and third parties (non-governmental organisations). The project is carried out through semi-structured interviews and informed by antecedent theories and the relational view. Throughout my PhD journey I have also worked as a teaching assistant for the MSc module - Supply Chain Social Sustainability at Cardiff Business School.
Other activities/projects I have carried out with a focus on the anti-slavery agenda includes;
- Modern Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group (click here for more info) team member.
- Work placement with an ethical consultancy firm, ESC International.
- Research assistant - Understand the impact of Covid-19 on ethical employment standards in supply chains and address the theats and opportunities. A collaboration project between academia and industry, funded by ESRC.
- Research assistant - Inform Welsh policy and operational responses to modern slavery, support Welsh academic research concerning modern slavery, and provide a foundation for future research. A collaboration between the Welsh Government and the Rights Lab at the University of Nottingham.
- Master thesis on the public perception of survivors of modern slavery.
- Student placement with survivors of modern slavery, BAWSO.
- Attended a range of events/conferences on the topic.
Publication
2024
- Strand, V., Lotfi, M., Flynn, A. and Walker, H. 2024. A systematic literature review of modern slavery in supply chain management: State of the art, framework development and research opportunities. Journal of Cleaner Production 435, article number: 140301. (10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.140301)
- Strand, V., Lotfi, M., Flynn, A. and Walker, H. 2024. Tackling modern slavery in supply chains through B2N collaborations. Presented at: POMS 2023: Production and Operations Management Society International Conference, Paris, France, 18-20 July 2023.
2023
- Strand, V. and Rinaldi-Semione, J. 2023. A set of briefings for the development of a Welsh modern slavery research agenda. Project Report. [Online]. University of Nottingham Rights Lab. Available at: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/beacons-of-excellence/rights-lab/resources/reports-and-briefings/2023/april/a-set-of-briefings-for-the-development-of-a-welsh-modern-slavery-research-agenda.pdf
2022
- Strand, V., Lotfi, M., Flynn, A. and Walker, H. 2022. A systematic literature review of modern slavery risk management in the global supply chains: State of the art and research opportunities. Presented at: IPSERA 2022 Conference, Jönköping, Sweden, 10 -13 April 2022.
2021
- Flynn, A., Lotfi, M. and Strand, V. 2021. The impact of Covid-19 on ethical employment in supply chains: opportunities & threats. Presented at: The Impact of Covid-19 on Ethical Employment in Supply Chains: Opportunities & Threats, Cardiff, UK, 30 September 2021.
Articles
- Strand, V., Lotfi, M., Flynn, A. and Walker, H. 2024. A systematic literature review of modern slavery in supply chain management: State of the art, framework development and research opportunities. Journal of Cleaner Production 435, article number: 140301. (10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.140301)
Conferences
- Strand, V., Lotfi, M., Flynn, A. and Walker, H. 2024. Tackling modern slavery in supply chains through B2N collaborations. Presented at: POMS 2023: Production and Operations Management Society International Conference, Paris, France, 18-20 July 2023.
- Strand, V., Lotfi, M., Flynn, A. and Walker, H. 2022. A systematic literature review of modern slavery risk management in the global supply chains: State of the art and research opportunities. Presented at: IPSERA 2022 Conference, Jönköping, Sweden, 10 -13 April 2022.
- Flynn, A., Lotfi, M. and Strand, V. 2021. The impact of Covid-19 on ethical employment in supply chains: opportunities & threats. Presented at: The Impact of Covid-19 on Ethical Employment in Supply Chains: Opportunities & Threats, Cardiff, UK, 30 September 2021.
Monographs
- Strand, V. and Rinaldi-Semione, J. 2023. A set of briefings for the development of a Welsh modern slavery research agenda. Project Report. [Online]. University of Nottingham Rights Lab. Available at: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/beacons-of-excellence/rights-lab/resources/reports-and-briefings/2023/april/a-set-of-briefings-for-the-development-of-a-welsh-modern-slavery-research-agenda.pdf
Research
Thesis
How supply chains are tackling the issue of modern slavery at the national and international levels
A systematic literature review of 106 published articles on modern slavery in supply chains (see publications) was firstly conducted. This included a descriptive analysis, with results showing that modern slavery research is on an upward trajectory but suffers from a lack of primary data and theory application. It then included a thematic analysis, elaborating on Gold et al. (2015) model of modern slavery in supply chain management. New themes emerged from the data, such as business culture and high impact risk factors (e.g., pandemics) as new institutional factors; highlighting external stakeholders like recruitment agents and audit firms as integral to understanding the business context of modern slavery; and adding prevention and remediation to detection and response as discrete categories in managing modern slavery risks. The systematic literature review also discussed gaps in the research field and proposed different SCM specialisms that can inform modern slavery research going forward.
Although collaboration between businesses and NGOs (B2N) is common practice in tackling modern slavery in supply chains, the systematic litererature review illustrated how little research to date has focused on this area. Supply chain collaboration was therefore considered both a gap in the research and a SCM specialism that can inform modern slavery research, and ulitmately became the focus of the thesis. The aim of this thesis was then to investigate the nature of B2N collaborations when working with prevention, detection, remedy, and response efforts of modern slavery in supply chains. A qualitative approach was taken through semi-structured interviews with NGO and business representatives working directly with the collaborative efforts with regards to modern slavery in supply chains. The research shed lights on theoretical framing through antecedent theories and the relational view, as well as challenges and benefits of this collaboration.
Biography
Education overview
- MSc in Global Governance from the University of South Wales
- BSc in Comparative Politics from the University of Bergen
- LLB in Law from the University of South Wales
Employment overview
- Teaching Assistant - Cardiff Business School
- Research Assistant - Rights Lab University of Nottingham
- Media and Communications Coordinator (internship) - ESC International
- Research Assistant - Cardiff Business School (ESRC)
- Operations Manager - NATT
- Technical Assistant - Oceaneering
Supervisors
Research themes
Specialisms
- Supply chain risk management
- Human rights and justice issues
- Supply chain collaboration
- Sustainability
- Modern slavery
