Oliver S Galbraith

Oliver S. Galbraith is a Lecturer in the Congdon School of Supply Chain Management at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he teaches SCM 370: Principles of Operations Management. A Wilmington native and graduate of UNCW, he brings both local roots and global experience to his teaching.

Before joining the faculty, Galbraith worked in supply management and logistics across international and domestic contexts. At John Deere, he served as Supply Management Planning Lead for major tractor product lines, coordinating production readiness, managing material shortages, and supporting cross-functional manufacturing operations. He previously worked in freight forwarding, overseeing international air and ground shipments and collaborating with suppliers, brokers, and warehouses worldwide.

Galbraith’s teaching integrates operational theory with practical industry application, particularly in forecasting, production planning, inventory strategy, and global supply networks. His academic interests include supply chain resilience, supplier relations, and strategic behavior in asymmetric supply networks.

Outside the classroom, he directs a Christian Socratic Seminar known as the Athanasius Center, where members explore topics in philosophy, theology, and the Western intellectual tradition through structured dialogue. He enjoys mentoring students, fostering community engagement, and supporting the intellectual life of Wilmington.

Education

MBA in Supply Chain and Logistics, Hochschule Bremen – University of Applied Sciences
MBA in International Management, University of North Carolina Wilmington
B.A. in History, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Minors in Digital Arts and Business, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Specialization in Teaching

Galbraith specializes in teaching core operations and supply chain topics, including forecasting, production and capacity planning, scheduling, inventory management, quality management, and supply chain coordination. He integrates industry experience from supply management and logistics into his instruction, using real-world cases and data-driven exercises to connect analytical tools with practical decision-making. His teaching emphasizes quantitative fluency, operational intuition, and preparation for roles in planning, logistics, procurement, and operations strategy.

Research Interests

Galbraith’s research focuses on supply chain strategy, production planning, and supplier behavior within complex global manufacturing networks. His work examines how power imbalances between buyers and suppliers influence negotiation, sourcing decisions, and risk mitigation, with particular attention to forecasting accuracy, inventory strategy, and resilience in high-complexity industries.

He also contributes to the history of economic and organizational thought. He co-authored Thomas More’s Utopia: Origins of Modern Images of Labor and Capital, which interprets Utopia as an economic allegory shaped by early modern Christian humanism. He is currently preparing a new edition of The Benedictine Rule of Leadership, highlighting its relevance for contemporary leadership and organizational ethics.

Professional Service

Galbraith has provided professional consulting in operations management and supply chain strategy, assisting businesses with production planning, inventory control, logistics coordination, and process improvement. He also supports the academic mission of UNCW through the development of applied course materials and the incorporation of industry-based analytical exercises into operations management instruction.

Community Engagement

Galbraith is the co-founder and director of the Athanasius Center, a Wilmington-based Christian Socratic Seminar dedicated to fostering rigorous dialogue and dialectics on philosophy, theology, ethics, and the Western intellectual tradition. The Center serves the wider community by hosting ongoing discussions that promote intellectual formation and thoughtful public discourse.