Abstract The use of part-time employees to support operations has been a contentious topic in the literature. While part-time employees add cost-effective flexibility to operations, their impact on operational outcomes has largely been documented as negative. However, there are a number of sectors (e.g., non-profit) which rely heavily on part-time employees, with anecdotal evidence supporting their role in improving outcomes. Through this research, we seek to shed light on these contradicting perspectives. We do so by investigating the impact of the percentage of part-time employees in the wor ..read more

Journal of Operations Management, Volume 70, Issue 3, Page 341-343, April 2024 ..read more

Abstract This study empirically examines how induced learning through adopting a set of best practices and learning-by-doing improved a hospital's care of ischemic stroke patients using ad hoc teams. While previous studies in healthcare operations management conducted in ad hoc team environments predominantly focused on volume-based learning (learning by doing, team familiarity via interactions among team members), our study focuses on induced learning in ad hoc teams through best practice adoptions. The analysis uses secondary data (Data period: January 2009–March 2017) about stroke patients ..read more

Abstract Can productivity improve if workers identify more with the skills they use in their work environment? This paper reports the results of an experimental design that was peer-reviewed prior to collecting data. The research setting is a global manufacturer using a novel smartwatch-based system for distributing work tasks among factory floor workers. Drawing on the concepts of identification and helping in organizations, we hypothesized that fostering workers' identification with their own skills could serve as a mechanism to enhance helping behavior on the factory floor, which should imp ..read more

Abstract Numerous studies on corporate social responsibility (CSR) indicate that firms adopt CSR practices for various reasons related to their supply chain. However, the necessity to conform to a firm's own industry CSR norm is overlooked. Conforming to one's industry CSR norm—a herding behavior known as CSR conformity—ensures firm in-group legitimacy and preserves internal resources for core business activities. On the other hand, deviating from industry norms sets a firm apart from its peers, making the firm more appealing to supply chain partners. Motivated by this dilemma, this study draw ..read more

Abstract Climate change, primarily driven by greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), is a pressing environmental and societal concern. Carbon neutrality, or net zero, involves reducing carbon dioxide emissions, the most common GHG, and then balancing residual emissions through removing or offsetting. Particularly difficult challenges have emerged for firms seeking to reduce emissions from Scope 1 (internal operations) and Scope 3 (supply chain). Incremental changes are very unlikely to meet the objective of carbon neutrality. Synthesizing a framework that draws together both the means of achieving ca ..read more

Abstract Research at the interface of operations management (OM) and gender bias has mostly focused on operational outcomes such as hiring decisions on behalf of the employer (or firm). Largely overlooked is how the design of operational processes exacerbates (or diminishes) the amount of gender bias exhibited on behalf of the customer in a people-centric operations environment. In this study, we conduct a randomized field experiment with a partner firm to assess gender mismatch and bias in client-consultant exchanges. The experimental design enables us to examine gender bias within dyadic exc ..read more

Journal of Operations Management, Volume 70, Issue 2, Page 181-183, March 2024 ..read more

Journal of Operations Management, EarlyView ..read more

Abstract We explore how organizations leverage algorithms to improve knowledge work in contexts where the tasks require skilled work, as distinct from routine tasks that have traditionally been the focus of academic enquiry. Drawing on a multiple-case study of four business areas in a multinational energy firm undergoing a digital transformation, we find that contrary to what the literature predicts, tasks that require skilled work can also benefit from the adoption of algorithmic solutions. To benefit, business areas engaged in two distinct pathways for transforming knowledge work. The first ..read more