PhD Research Proposal Presentation: Alireza Alavi
Alireza Alavi, a doctoral student at 涩里番 in the area of Operations Management will be presenting his research proposal entitled:
Beyond the Trade-Off: Three Essays on Sustainability and Profitability in Fashion Operations
Thursday, June 18, 2026, at 11:00 am
Student Committee Co-chairs: Prof. Mehmet Gumus & Prof. Javad Nasiry
Please note that the presentation will be conducted in hybrid mode.
ABSTRACT
Fashion retail is under growing pressure to become both profitable and sustainable, yet these two objectives are rarely treated as compatible. This dissertation examines whether such compatibility is possible and how it can be operationalized across the social and environmental dimensions of fashion operations. Two essays focus on social sustainability in apparel sizing, while the third examines the environmental and social dimensions of the second-hand fashion market.
The first essay investigates the root causes of size non-inclusivity in fashion retail. Despite roughly 67% of American women wearing plus sizes, most retailers offer limited or no extended-size options. Drawing on operational factors, such as differential production costs, and behavioral factors, such as consumer sensitivity to price discrimination, the essay develops an analytical model to uncover the mechanisms shaping fashion retailers鈥� sizing decisions, as well as their broader social implications.
The second essay takes a data-driven approach to size-inclusive assortment design. Using proprietary sales data from a major European fashion retailer, the study documents a recurring gap between pre-season inclusivity commitments and mid-season assortment displays. We develop a static assortment optimization approach that balances profitability and fairness, demonstrating that size non-inclusivity can be reduced by nearly 30% at the cost of a marginal revenue decline of approximately 1.5%, offering retailers a concrete and economically viable pathway toward more socially responsible assortment management.
The third essay examines retailer-reseller partnerships in the second-hand fashion market. With an estimated market value of $250 billion in 2025 and growing at nearly 2.7 times the pace of traditional retail, the fashion resale economy presents both a strategic opportunity and a competitive challenge for established brands. The essay develops an analytical framework to study the conditions under which store-in-store collaborations are mutually profitable, while modelling the risk of cannibalizing primary sales and evaluating the broader environmental and social implications of such partnerships.
Together, the three essays advance a multidimensional understanding of sustainability in fashion retail, spanning social equity, environmental responsibility, and collaborative governance. By combining analytical modelling with empirical evidence, the dissertation contributes both to theory and practice, equipping managers and policymakers with tools to navigate the fashion industry鈥檚 sustainability transformation.
