He received his DBA and MBA in operations management from Indiana University and his BBA from Texas Christian University. Dr. Fliedner has published in numerous premier business journals and is a member of several professional societies. In 2010, he received the distinguished Fellows lifetime service award from the Midwest Decision Sciences Institute. In 2011 and again in 2014, he received a three-year Research Fellowship from the Pawley Lean Institute at Oakland University. In 2011, in collaboration with Business Expert Press, he published his book titled Leading and Managing the Lean Management Process which received the prestigious Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award.