Bob Plante

Professor Plante's research interests include the development of state-of-the-art statistical quality control and improvement models and procedures for contemporary manufacturing systems. His efforts have focused on the following classes of problems: (1) robust product/process design, (2) screening procedures for process control and improvement, (3) statistical/process/dynamic process control models, and (4) specialized process improvement problems.

He has more than 60 research publications in these areas, which have appeared in numerous journals, including Operations Research, Management Science, Decision Sciences, Journal of the American Statistical Association, International Journal of Production Research, The Accounting Review, Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, Naval Research Logistics, IIE Transactions, Technometrics, Production and Operations Management, Computers & Operations Research, Journal of Quality Technology, European Journal of Operational Research, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, Journal of the Operational Research, Information Systems and Operational Research, and Journal of Business and Economic Statistics.

Professor Plante has received teaching awards in graduate management education, including (1) the Salgo-Noren Award for outstanding teacher in graduate business administration, (2) the AlliedSignal Excellence in Teaching Award, (3) Excellence in Teaching in Executive MBA program, (4) Outstanding Professor in Executive Education, and (5) the best teacher/course award for an elective graduate course offering which he developed and taught in Total Quality Management (tools and methodology) for Krannert's Professional Master's Program. This course draws students from numerous disciplines throughout the Purdue University community.

Professor Plante has served as the Director of the Professional Master's Program (1990-1993), the Director of Purdue University's Doctoral and Research Programs in Management and Economics (1998-1999), Department Head of Management and Economics and Senior Associate Dean of the Krannert School of Management (1999-2006).

Professor Plante has consulted with numerous firms on specialized training and process improvement problems, developing quality improvement methodology and corresponding technical software systems. Some of the firms include: Thomson Consumer Electronics, STB (Simply The Best), Eli Lilly, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, US Air, TWA, Sifco, Chromizing, Avial, Pacific Air Motors, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Group, Turbine Components Corp., M&M Aircraft Services, and Turbine Metal Technology.