Revd Dr Robin McKenzie

BEng (Hons) (Sheffield), MSc(Eng) (Birmingham), DipM (Institute of Marketing), EngD (Warwick), BA (Hons) (Durham), DMS (Cranmer Hall, Durham), Chartered Engineer CEng (Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)), HEA Fellow (The University of Nottingham)

Department: Operations Management and Information Systems
E-mail: Robin.McKenzie@nottingham.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 115 8232117
Location: C21 (Si Yuan Building, Jubilee Campus)

Robin is now in his 8th year within Nottingham University Business School.
His background is one of teaching at higher education levels in a number of UK universities, together with being an ordained priest within the Church of England, having responsibility for leading a church for a number of years near Cambridge. Originally trained as an engineer, his professional life has included works engineering and industrial marketing. His doctoral work relates to the current teaching in Operations Management. Robin is on a Teaching and Curriculum Leadership pathway, and has been able to contribute to such areas, as outlined below.


Areas of Expertise
Robin's teaching expertise is outlined below.
Robin is currently Programme Director for the Senior Leader Degree Apprenticeship Programme, where Apprentices from middle and senior management follow the Executive MBA Programme, though with extra requirements throughout the programme, and particularly at its end with the Apprentice required to sit an End Point Assessment (a sort of viva) with an external assessor. Robin was asked to take up this role September 2021 not long after the Programme had started. This has been a particularly demanding set of responsibilities, as the reporting responsibilities are significantly greater than our usual Programmes, and has included responsibility for Safeguarding and preparation of the Programme (and School) for Ofsted visits. It has also required engagement and liasing with Apprentice based colleagues in the University.
This Programme is being taught out, with Apprentices completing successfully, which is satisfying. The final Apprentice takes their End Point Assessment in April 2025, after which my responsibilities cease.

Previously, Robin was also the Departmental Teaching Director (DTD) for the Operations Management and Information Systems Department with the Business School. He was amongst the inaugural group of DTDs when set up mid 2020. This provided a place for colleagues to discuss matters of interest, and for DTDs across the School to raise and discuss matters. This role also included being on the panel for selection of academic colleagues within the Department; he was pleased to be able to assist in appointing four very able colleagues.

Before that, Robin was appointed to the inaugural role of Postgraduate Senior Tutor, for two years beginning autumn 2019. Robin was able to work through and publish a required set of expectations on colleagues who are tutees to MSc postgraduate students. This was a role requiring making contact with colleagues across the University, including welfare provision, as pastoral support of individual students required a helpful network of contacts and of knowing the University systems; Robin was able to use his professional pastoral experience in setting, continuing to use his understanding to support colleagues as appropriate.
Robin is also a Chartered Engineer, and has a postgraduate diploma in Marketing.

 

Recent Publications

The following lists my publications from 2014 to the present day.

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Robin's main area of teaching is in procurement. Robin has experience from his marketing background in working with colleagues in procurement, both within his own company and with those in suppliers, teaching both the undergraduate and postgraduate modules for procurement. Both these modules have a negotiations exercise, which students find challenging and helpful in learning.
Previously he taught the introductory module within Operations Management for the four Operations Management related MSc Programmes. He was asked to also convene one of the equivalent undergraduate modules whilst a colleague was on maternity.
In addition, he has taught plant design (factory, hospitals, and offices) to undergraduates.
He continues to offer a guest lecture on his expertise in Lighting and Facilities Management.

Current Teaching
MSc BUSI4466 Procurement and Purchasing
UG BUSI3037 Purchasing Strategies and Techniques

Robin is module convenor of the following module(s):

MSc

Procurement and Purchasing (BUSI4466)


Details of all modules can be found on MyNottingham

Robin's own research for his doctoral work was in Lean Supply, and in processes within operations management. This forms the basis of his expertise for his teaching.
Robin's continuing research interests are based around the relationship between business and Christian faith. This he explored within his ordination training, and contributed as co-editor to a journal Faith in Business Quarterly.
He continues to be interested with the parables of Jesus as set out in the gospel of St Luke, chapters 15, 16 and 17, and in particular the Parable of the 'Dishonest' Manager, chapter 16. An article on this is due to be published, probably May 2025 in Theology, a peer reviewed journal.
Robin also has had an abstract accepted for European Decision Sciences Institute (EDSI) conference in June 2025 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Robin co-supervised a PhD student to completion in 2024.