Management Department, Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business
IRB Protocol Number: IRB-2024-1980 · Purdue University
Please Note: As part of this research, you may be randomly assigned to a control group. Participants in the control group will complete the study without access to any digital tools.
You are being asked to participate or be a part of a research study. Your participation is voluntary which means that you may choose not to participate at any time.
The researchers hope to learn more about how digital tools impact decisions made when using the newsvendor model. We investigate the impact of a variety of factors, such as previous knowledge of the newsvendor model and trust in technology. The aim is to understand how supply chain digital tools can inform better supply chain management practices.
You are being asked to participate because you have experience in decision-making related to supply chain management, inventory control, or similar fields, or you may have relevant knowledge of digital tools and the newsvendor model. Participants were selected based on their background in business, operations management, or related disciplines, or through interest in research on decision-making and technology in supply chains.
You will be asked to participate in an online game that simulates decision-making using the newsvendor model. Before the game, you will complete a brief survey about your prior knowledge of the newsvendor model and digital tools. After the game, you will complete a follow-up survey about your experience, decision-making process, and perceptions of the digital tools used in the game.
The study will take a total of 20 minutes. You will participate in 5 rounds.
Please take time to review the rest of the information. This will give you information about this study to help you decide if you want to participate.
This study is only intended for people who are 18 years of age or older. Do not complete the study if you are not legally considered an adult.
This study is intended only for participants with experience in supply chain management, knowledge of decision-making tools (such as the newsvendor model), or a background in business or operations management. If you do not meet these criteria, please do not proceed with the study.
Before agreeing to participate, consider the risks and potential benefits of taking part in this study.
All research carries the risk of breach of confidentiality which means that someone outside of our study could figure out that you were in the study or information was yours. How we will protect your information to reduce this risk is below.
Some questions could make you feel uncomfortable. You can skip any of these questions or stop answering.
It is unlikely that there will be personal benefits to you for participating. Having more information from the answers in this research study might help us or other researchers understand more about how digital tools influence decision-making in supply chain management, particularly within the context of the newsvendor model. This knowledge could contribute to improving the design and implementation of digital decision-support tools for more efficient inventory and supply chain management practices.
Will I receive payment or other incentive?
As a token of appreciation for your participation in this research study, you will receive a $10 Amazon gift card. The gift card will be emailed to you after completion of the study.
According to the rules of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), payments that are made to you as a result of your participation in a study may be considered taxable income.
How will the researchers protect my information, privacy, and confidentiality?
Your personal information may be shared outside the research study if required by law. We also may need to share your research records with other groups for quality assurance or data analysis. These groups include the Purdue University Institutional Review Board or its designees, and state or federal agencies who may need to access the research records (as allowed by law).
The study team plans to keep answers for this study to answer research questions. We will keep this information until we are done with the study, approximately March 2026, and for at least three years after we are finished. We may share the anonymous data and findings with other researchers or in research papers or presentations.
What are my rights as a research participant in this study?
You do not have to participate in this research project. If you agree to participate, you may withdraw your participation at any time without penalty.
Who can I contact if I have questions about the study?
If you have questions, comments or concerns about this research project, you can talk to one of the researchers. Please contact Dr. Olga Senicheva at (765) 496-2855 or via email at orusyaev@purdue.edu.
To report anonymously via Purdue's Hotline, see www.purdue.edu/hotline
If you have questions about your rights while taking part in the study or have concerns about the treatment of research participants, please call the Human Research Protection Program at (765) 494-5942, email irb@purdue.edu or write to:
Human Research Protection Program — Purdue University
Ernest C. Young Hall, Room 1010
155 S. Grant St.
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2114
Eligibility Requirements
To participate, you must meet the following criteria:
Be 18 years of age or older.
Have experience in supply chain management, knowledge of decision-making tools (like the newsvendor model), or a background in business or operations management.