Finn McKinley, a fourth-year doctoral student in supply chain management at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, has been named the winner in the inaugural Building a Better Future Through Business and AI Dissertation Proposal Competition, sponsored by Deloitte and organized by Texas A&M University.

The competition recognizes exceptional doctoral researchers that demonstrate how their advanced AI studies are pushing theoretical boundaries and creating new possibilities for business applications. McKinley was selected as the winner for Supply Chain.

He received a $10,000 award and presented his research proposal to an academic and industry audience on Oct. 17, 2025, in College Station, Texas, alongside dissertation competition winners from Yale (Finance), University of Florida (Information Systems) and Harvard (Marketing).

Research Focus on AI in Retail and Supply Chain Management

McKinley's dissertation examines how managers utilize artificial intelligence for retail demand management and supply chain management. His research addresses a critical gap in AI implementation—understanding how people effectively use AI-based systems within the fast-moving and uncertain environment of the retail industry.

"Finn’s research helps us understand how looking beyond just the technology, human use of AI is the key to improving supply chain processes,” said John Aloysius, McKinley's dissertation adviser at Walton College. “Our team has been working on AI for awhile now, and Finn very quickly took on a leading role.”

Collaborative Research Team

McKinley's dissertation committee includes faculty from the U of A—Aloysius, Adriana Rossiter-Hofer and David Dobrzykowski—as well as Bekki Brau from Brigham Young University.

The findings from this research will provide valuable insights for retail firms seeking to implement AI-based systems, particularly regarding how employees adopt and integrate these technologies into their daily operations.