Yufeng is now a Lecturer in Operations Management at the University of Birmingham. Yufeng received his undergraduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering (BEng) and International Finance (BEng) from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China; earned his MSc in Global Production Engineering with honours from the Technical University of Berlin, Germany; and gained his PhD in Engineering at Cambridge University, UK, for working on Global Engineering Networks. Yufeng’s early industrial career included responsibilities for project management, key account management and new business development in a Japan based MNC.  He continues to work very closely with industry, and have researched and published in the areas of engineering management, network operations, international manufacturing, and technology management.

Yufeng is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He is coordinating the FP7 project focusing on Europe-China High Value Engineering Networks (EC-HVEN), www.birmingham.ac.uk/hven

Yufeng is the Module Leader of the Supply Chain Management (SCM), International Operations and Procurement (IOP), and Operations Management (OM) modules for UG, MSc and MBA programmes. 

Yufeng supervises PhD projects in the following areas:

• High Value Engineering, Manufacturing and Service www.birmingham.ac.uk/hven
• The Design and Operations of Global Engineering Networks (GEN)
• Supply Chain Management and Global Value Chains
• Service Engineering and Engineering Services
• Emerging Industries, Technology Commercialisation, and Innovation
• Sustainable Industrial Systems

Yufeng’s research focuses on network collaboration issues in technology and operations management domains. Early work explored network collaborations from multiple perspectives, e.g. quality management, supply chain management, production engineering, new product development, technology commercialisation, etc. On-going work explores network concepts in engineering, manufacturing, and service operations on a global scale. Much of his research has been in close collaboration with industry. On-going or recently completed research projects include:

• Europe-China High Value Engineering Network (EC-HVEN) – EC FP7 project to create a foundation for global network collaborations in high value engineering, manufacturing and innovation. This project builds on leading expertise in Europe and China along the whole engineering value chain from research, design, development and production, to delivery, service, support, recycling and disposal. The project has seven founding institutions, including UOB, Cambridge, DTU, Tsinghua, SJTU, Zhejiang University, and HIT, as well as a wider range of academic and industrial partners. www.birmingham.ac.uk/hven
• Global Engineering Networks (GEN) – Cambridge IMRC project to understand how global leading companies manage their dispersed engineering operations in changing business environments.
• Cambridge Integrated Knowledge Centre (CIKC) – EPSRC project to develop advanced manufacturing technologies based on new macromolecular materials systems and to create valid commercial exploitation routes for these innovations.
• Effective Merger and Acquisition Integration – EPSRC project to improve understanding of the processes of international mergers and acquisition as they affect manufacturing.

Yufeng is the Director of the Business Major-Minor Programmes with Engineering, Sciences and Law.

Zhang, Y. and Gregory, M. 2013. "Towards a Strategic View of Engineering Operations", Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, forthcoming.

Hansen, N., Zhang, Y. and Ahmed-Kristensen, S. 2013. "Viewing engineering off-shoring in a network perspective: Addressing and managing risks", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, vol. 24, issue 2, pp. 154-173.

Zhang, Y., Ahmed_Kristensen, S. and Gregory, M. 2012. International Engineering Operations: New Explorations of High Value Engineering and Service. Special Issue Editorial, International Journal of Product Development, vol. 17, issue 3/4, pp. 171-173. 

Engelseth, P. and Zhang, Y. 2012. "Engineering Roles in Global Maritime Construction Value Network", International Journal of Product Development, vol. 17, issue 3/4, pp. 254-276.

He, T., Zhang, Y. and Xu, X. 2012. On Service Supply Chain Operations Management: A Service Value Perspective, International Journal of Product Development, vol. 17, issue 3/4, pp. 277-295.

Esfahbodi, A., Zhang, Y. and Watson, G. 2012. "The implementation of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM): An exploratory study on the essential factors and performance implications". The Cambridge International Manufacturing Symposium, Cambridge.

Zhang, Y. 2012, "Global engineering services", EUROMA Services Conference, Cambridge.

Zhang, Y. 2012. "How do teaching approaches inluence student learning? Case studies of an Operations Management module". EUROMA, Amsterdam.

Zhang, Y. and Gregory, M. 2011. Managing global network operations along the engineering value chain. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, volume 31, issue 7, pp.736-764.

Zhang, Y. and Gregory, M. 2010. “Designing Global Engineering Networks along the Product Lifecycle”. International Conference on Product Lifecycle Management, Bremen, Germany.

Zhang, Y. 2010. “Building Network Capabilities for Global Engineering Operations”. POMS annual conference, Vancouver, Canada.

Zhang, Y., et al. 2010. “Network Integration for International Mergers and Acquisitions”. European Journal of International Management, 4(1/2), 56-78.

Co-authored with Minshall, T., et al. 2010. “Manufacturing and open innovation”, book chapter in Nanotechnologies for future Mobile Devices, Ed. Ryhanen, et al. Cambridge Press.

Zhang, Y., et al. 2009. “Core Competencies for Commercializing Emerging Technologies”. The 14th Cambridge International Manufacturing Symposium, Cambridge.

Co-authored with Shi, Y., et al. 2009. “Partnership Management for hi-tech Starg-ups”. The 14th Cambridge International Manufacturing Symposium, Cambridge.

Zhang, Y., et al., 2008. “Global Engineering Networks (GEN): Drivers, Evolution, Configuration, Performance, and Key Patterns”. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 19(3), 299-314.

Zhang, Y., et al., 2008. “Engineering Network Configuration: Transition from Products to Services”. The CIRP ISP2 Service Engineering Conference at Cranfield, UK.

Zhang, Y., et al., 2008. “Capturing Value through Joint Ventures in China: Key Success Factors”. The 34th European International Business Association Conference (EIBA), Estonia.

Co-authored with Shi, Y., et al. 2008. TFT-LCD Industry Review: Looking into the Global Shift and Collaborative Manufacturing Networks. IfM, Cambridge University.

Co-authored with Shi, Y., et al. 2008. Semiconductor Industry Review: Exploring the Essential Elements of Collaborative Networks. IfM, Cambridge University.

Co-authored with Shi, Y., et al. 2007. Telecom Industry Review: Understanding Global Value Creation Networks. IfM, Cambridge University.

Zhang, Y., et al., 2007. “Global Engineering Networks (GEN): The Integrating Framework and Key Patterns”. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 221, 1269-1283.

Zhang, Y., et al., 2007. “Looking backward and forward: CIM’s Research on Networks Operations in the Past 13 Years”. Paper presented on the 12th Cambridge Symposium on International Manufacturing, Cambridge.

Zhang, Y. 2007. Engineering in the Changing World: The Context, Capability and Configuration (3Cs) of Global Engineering Networks (GEN). PhD thesis, Cambridge University.

Zhang, Y., et al., 2006. “Evolution towards Global Engineering Networks (GEN)”. The International Association for the Management of Technology Conference, Birmingham.

Zhang, Y., et al., 2006. “Decoding Global Engineering Networks: Key Issues and a Research Framework”. The 11th Cambridge Symposium on International Manufacturing, Cambridge.

Zhang, Y., et al., 2006. “Foundations of Global Engineering Networks: Essential Features of Effective Engineering Networks”. The IEEE International Conference on Management of Innovation and Technology, Singapore.

Zhang, Y. 2004. Perspectives on a Successful Integration of Supply Chain and Quality Management for Network Organisations. Master Thesis. The Technical University of Berlin, Germany.