This book is intended as a tribute to Gianluca Spina, the influential and inspiring Professor of Business Management & Organization and Supply Chain Management at the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano, who very sadly passed away early in 2015. It brings together seven of his most important papers, published in renowned international journals, and supplements these papers with insightful commentaries from friends and colleagues who highlight key messages and values of enduring validity. The selected papers offer a clear sense of Spina’s research journey over the years and cover the main research streams that distinguished his work. They have also been chosen on account of their high impact, as reflected by the number of citations received, and to represent the most important research collaborations that Spina had established within Italy and abroad. An introductory chapter relates his research to major developments in the field of Manufacturing and Supply Chain Strategy and also outlines the very important contribution that Gianluca Spina made to Management Education.
