The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Steel Industry Center

The Steel Industry Center is a member of The Sloan Industry Centers, a group currently comprised of 15 Centers, each dedicated to a single industry. The Steel Industry Center was established to promote focused research on issues of critical importance to the competitiveness of the U.S. steel industry, as a way of building a bridge between the industry and education. Faculty members from Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, and several other institutions have collaborated since the beginning of the Center on research projects that are of importance to the profitability of steel firms. In turn, the knowledge gained in this work has been used in teaching graduate and undergraduate students. The research includes benchmarking and productivity analysis that has crossed national boundaries, statistical and economic modeling of regional markets for ferrous scrap, detailed studies of modern HR practices, and the linking of management practices to firm strategies.

The faculty members involved represent a wide range of disciplines. They include distinguished scientists and engineers, as well as economists and specialists in business administration. Whatever their discipline, the faculty members have had two elements common to their work: A dedication to students and a dedication to using practical research to help improve industry practice and enhance the competitiveness of steel firms.

Learn more about our three working groups and how to get in touch with us:

(1) Manufacturing, Technology, and Innovation
(2) Management and Economics
(3) Human Resource Management