Sezer Ulku

Professor Ülkü’s research focuses on innovation, new product development, entrepreneurship, outsourcing, private equity, supply chain management, and retail operations. His research has been published in leading management journals, including Management Science, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, Production and Operations Management, and IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management. In his current research projects, Professor Ülkü explores (1) operational value creation in private equity, (2) the influence of resource constraints in entrepreneurship, (3) team performance under constraints and (4) the process of entrepreneurship.

Through executive programs, as well as research and consulting projects, Professor Ülkü has collaborated closely with a large number of organizations in different industries, including The Turkish Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, The Carlyle Group, Mubadala, Turkven, General Electric, FedEx, TAV, DP World, Turkish Airlines, SAP, SK Group, Lucent Technologies, Karsan, Mastercard, International Finance Corporation, Deutsche Bank, Dogus Holding, Garanti Bankasi, TEB, Mavi Jeans, Turkcell, Turk Telekom, Vodafone, Acibadem Medical Group, Eczacibasi Ilaç Sanayi, Arçelik, Yildiz Holding, 4R Systems, Alion, Yemek Sepeti and Baydöner.

Professor Ülkü received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Management from INSEAD. Previously, he received B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Bilkent University, where he specialized in telecommunications and signal processing. Specialties: Operations strategy, operational excellence, innovation, new product development, entrepreneurship, R&D, private equity, supply chain management, retailing.

Education

• INSEAD Business School - Ph.D.
• INSEAD Business School - M.S.
• Bilkent University - M.S.

Publications

Articles in Journals (11) Kamrad, B., Schmidt, G. and Ülkü, S.. "In pursuit of modularity: Impediments and Stimulants." Forthcoming, California Management Review (2017)

Agrawal, V., Atasu, A., Ülkü, S.. "Modular Upgradability in Consumer Electronics: Barriers for Adoption." Journal of Industrial Ecology, 20, 5 (2016): 1018-1024.

Kurtulus, M., Ülkü, S., Dottson, J., and Nakkas, A.. "The Impact of Category Captainship on Retail Assortment: Theoretical Predictions." Journal of Retailing, 90, 3 (2014): 379-382.

Kurtulus, M., Nakkas, A. and Ülkü, S.. "The Value of Category Captainship in the Presence of Manufacturer Competition." Production and Operations Management, 23, 3 (2014): 420-430.

Kamrad, B., Schmidt, G. and Ülkü, S.. "Analyzing Product Architecture under Technological Change: Modular Upgradeability Tradeoffs." IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management., 60, 2 (2013): 289-300.

Ülkü, S. Schmidt, G., Dimofte, C.. "Consumer Valuation of Modularly Upgradeable Products." Management Science, 58, 9 (2012): 1761-1776.

Aggrawal, V. and Ülkü, S.. "The Role of Product Modularity in Green Product Design." Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, 15, 4 (2012): 640-648.

Kurtulus, M., Ülkü, S. and Toktay, B.. "The Value of Collaborative Forecasting in Supply Chains." Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, 14, 1 (2012): 82–98..

Ülkü, S. and Schmidt, G.. "Matching Product Architecture with Supply Chain Configuration." Production and Operations Management, 9, 3 (2011): 225-241.

Sezer Ülkü, Beril Toktay and Enver Yücesan. "Risk Ownership in Contract Manufacturing." Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, 9, 3 (2007): pp 225-241.

Sezer Ülkü, Beril Toktay and Enver Yücesan. "The Impact of Outsourced Manufacturing on the Timing of Entry into New Markets." Production and Operations Management, 14, 3 (2005): 301-314.