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Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management

Steven Carnovale

Dr. Carnovale is an Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management at Florida Atlantic University and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management. He has previously held positions at the Rochester Institute of Technology and Portland State University. Specializing in interfirm networks, risk management, and global sourcing, Dr. Carnovale's research has been published in numerous journals. Before academia, he co-founded a marketing strategy firm and worked in various roles in the IT and marketing sectors.

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Contributor Brief·Steven Carnovale · 2 articles
Updated May 9, 2024

Counterintuitive friction removal unlocks hidden profitability in operations

Carnovale argues that operational profitability emerges not from adding constraints, but from removing friction—whether through anticipatory analytics that prevent disruptions before they occur, or by deliberately making customer-facing processes frictionless to convert liabilities into revenue streams. His core thesis inverts conventional wisdom: the path to efficiency and profit runs through ease and enablement, not control and restriction.

billions

dollars retailers lose annually on returns alone

“Making returns even easier for customers will turn returns into revenue.”

Returns Cost Retailers Billions (2023)

Returns paradox: friction reduction as profit multiplier

Current state: Friction high, returns costly1
Proposed state: Friction low, returns become loyalty driver8
Underlying mechanism: Reduced friction signals customer-centricity7
Outcome impact: Billion-dollar liability becomes revenue channel9

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4%Current state:
Current state: Friction high, returns costly
Proposed state: Friction low, returns become loyalty driver
Underlying mechanism: Reduced friction signals customer-centricity
Outcome impact: Billion-dollar liability becomes revenue channel

anticipate disruptions

before they occur—predictive logistics eliminates reactivity

Advanced analytics empower logistics leaders to optimize operations before problems arise.

Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics Open Up (2024)

The counterintuitive path to profitability lies in making the process frictionless.

Returns Cost Retailers Billions (2023)

“Frictionless operations convert customer pain into competitive advantage.”

Themes:Friction removal as profit mechanismAnticipatory optimization over reactive managementCustomer-centric operations as revenue enabler

Latest article

Engineering & Construction · May 9

Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics Open Up a New Frontier of Smart Logistics Technology

Advanced analytics are empowering logistics leaders to anticipate disruptions and optimize operations before problems arise

Read article →
Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics Open Up a New Frontier of Smart Logistics Technology

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  • AM
    Alex M.·2h agoquestion

    What sparked your research into disruptive innovation?

    Curious what the original insight was that led you to the Innovator's Dilemma framework.

  • SL
    Sophia L.·1d agoidea

    Would love a deep-dive into EdTech adoption barriers.

    Your framing of sustaining vs. disruptive innovation feels directly applicable to school systems.

  • DR
    David R.·3d agoquestion

    How do you see AI changing the personalized learning landscape?