POMS - College of Humanitarian Operations and Crisis Management

HOCM is thrilled to share recent work on gender diversity and operational performance in our #HumOpsPapersseries. We are featuring the work of Vijaya Sunder M, Manish Gangwar, and Siddhartha Modukuri, the authors of the paper, "Do Gender-Diverse Teams Deliver Better Operational Performance: An Experimental Study"(https://lnkd.in/drPz_xy7). The authors report: We were driven to research the impact of gender diversity on team operational performance because it remains an underexplored area in operations management, despite its growing importance. The motivation also stems from the increasing emphasis by organizations on diversity for better collaboration, creativity, and efficiency in teams, as well as the recognition of gender diversity in global goals like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our paper contributes to the literature by empirically demonstrating that gender-diverse teams—particularly balanced-gender teams—outperform gender-homogeneous teams in operational performance, especially in conditions of change. This adds to both the routines-based approach in operations management and gender diversity studies, offering evidence that diversity not only enhances routine stability but also improves adaptability to changes, leading to better economic and operational outcomes. We hope to see this research applied in team composition decisions in organizations, where gender balance is not only promoted for compliance or equality but also for the tangible operational benefits it can deliver. Managers can use these insights to optimize team performance by fostering diverse, balanced teams that are better suited to adapt and thrive in dynamic work environments. Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) #GenderDiversity #TeamPerformance #OperationsManagement #Routines #InclusionMatters #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement #DiversityAndInclusion #OperationalExcellence Note: If you're interested in having your recent POM Journal article featured in our #HumOpsPapers series, feel free to contact any of the HOCM board members. Image generated using GenAI: 

HOCM is thrilled to share recent work on diversity and inclusion in humanitarian operations as part of our #HumOpsPapers series. We are featuring the work of Wiljeana Glover, Ph.D., Zhi Li, and Dessislava Pachamanova, the authors of the paper, "Framing Inclusive Practice Options for Financial, Operational, and Community Outcomes"(https://lnkd.in/dajERE2p). The authors report: We propose a new framework called Inclusive Practice Options (IPO). It helps small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) analyze whether and how they can serve customers from all economic backgrounds while staying financially healthy. Serving vulnerable customers could boost a business's financial stability under certain conditions. Being inclusive could be good for business too. Our interest in this topic was sparked by talking to SME owners, especially in healthcare - think clinic owners and practitioners. SMEs have traditionally contributed to the economic and social fabric of their communities, but also may experience, on average, financial instability, lower profits and ultimately lower survival rates in their efforts to serve a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds in part because they do not focus on the effectiveness of their processes. There's a common belief that serving lower-income customers is less profitable. But we thought this might not be the whole story, especially when you look at the bigger picture of how the resources of a small business are used to service customers and how predictable the outcomes are. So, we created a framework that could help these businesses weigh their options more thoroughly. This paper, which is part of a special issue of Production and Operations Management on DEI, introduces "community lift" as a new dimension to consider alongside financial performance and operational fairness to evaluate an SME’s resource allocation. This gives organizations a comprehensive picture of how serving diverse customers impacts them. We showed how businesses can create models to balance these priorities. Our framework also provides a structured way for SMEs to make inclusive operational strategy decisions. Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) Babson College #InclusiveBusiness, #SMEStrategy, #OperationsManagement, #Healthcare Note: If you're interested in having your recent POM Journal article featured in our #HumOpsPapers series, feel free to contact any of the HOCM board members Felipe Aros-Vera, Kezban Yagci Sokat, Mohammad Moshtari, Arian Aflaki, Harwin de Vries, Mario Chong, Iana Shaheen, Lea Ruesch, Telesilla Kotsi. Image generated by AI

HOCM is thrilled to share recent work on better understanding how the stock market reacts to firms who announce their commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as part of our #HumOpsPapers series. We are featuring the work of Fei Li, Chris Lo, Christopher Tang, Yi Zhou, the authors of the paper " Will Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commitment Improve Manufacturing Firms’ Market Performance? A Signaling Theory Perspective on DEI Announcements" (https://lnkd.in/ewMZnwYc ). The authors report: The social movement in the United States has pressured more firms to make public announcements about their commitment to supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). However, there was a lack of empirical research on its implications for manufacturing firms. This research gap compelled us to examine the market reaction to DEI commitments by publicly traded manufacturing companies through the lens of Signaling Theory. By using event study methodology to analyze DEI commitment announcements made by 233 firms between 2014 and 2022, we contribute to the literature by providing empirical evidence that these announcements can generate positive abnormal stock returns, especially when the announcements have strong DEI characteristics. Our findings are useful to firms for developing more effective DEI announcements that contain a high proportion of DEI keywords, particularly those related to diversity. Through these efforts, firms can attract and retain diverse talent, foster innovation, and improve their company’s reputation and financial performance. Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) #dei #esg #fairness #equality #gender #lgbtq #diversity #investment #stockprice #commitment #signaling #manufacturing Note: If you're interested in having your recent POM Journal article featured in our #HumOpsPapers series, feel free to contact any of the HOCM board members Felipe Aros-Vera, Feyza G. Sahinyazan, Ph.D., Irineu de Brito Jr , Arian Aflaki, Harwin de Vries, Mario Chong, Iana Shaheen, Lea Ruesch, Telesilla Kotsi. Image by https://lnkd.in/ejU73Y2Z

HOCM is thrilled to share recent work on better understanding the trade-offs between equity and efficiency in the case of stormwater management systems as part of our #HumOpsPapersseries. We are featuring the work of Milad Baghersad, Christopher Zobel, Mehdi H. Farahani, and Ravi Behara, the authors of the paper, "Trade-offs Between Equity and Efficiency in Prioritizing Critical Infrastructure Investments: A Case of Stormwater Management Systems" (https://lnkd.in/eYa4xjPR). The authors report: Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the U.S. and increasing rainfall trends and urbanization are only intensifying the challenges associated with managing it. One of these challenges is the allocation of limited funds for improving critical infrastructures. The task of prioritizing such investments is particularly complex due to the need to incorporate equitable solutions that protect vulnerable communities while also addressing climate-related deep uncertainty. This paper, which is part of a special issue of Production and Operations Management on DEI, presents a new analytical optimization model that allows decision makers to trade off efficiency and equity when prioritizing critical infrastructure investments, using a regret-based approach to address the uncertainty of future sea-level rise. The motivation for the research was the critical importance of helping to address the impacts of uncertain sea-level rise on socially and economically vulnerable populations living in coastal areas. The model can be applied in a variety of contexts and the hope is that more decision makers, particularly at the local and federal government level, will realize the value of incorporating both horizontal and vertical equity into the process of selecting critical infrastructure investments. Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) #criticalinfrastructure #resourceallocation #socialvulnerability #horizontalequity #verticalequity #flooding #sealevelrise #climatechange #deepuncertainty Note: If you're interested in having your recent POM Journal article featured in our #HumOpsPapers series, feel free to contact any of the HOCM board members Felipe Aros-Vera, Kezban Yagci Sokat, Mohammad Moshtari, Arian Aflaki, Harwin de Vries, Mario Chong, Iana Shaheen, Lea Ruesch, Telesilla Kotsi. Image by AP https://lnkd.in/etFbqTKC.

HOCM is thrilled to share recent work on better understanding the trade-offs between equity and efficiency in the case of stormwater management systems as part of our #HumOpsPapersseries. We are featuring the work of Milad Baghersad, Christopher Zobel, Mehdi H. Farahani, and Ravi Behara, the authors of the paper, "Trade-offs Between Equity and Efficiency in Prioritizing Critical Infrastructure Investments: A Case of Stormwater Management Systems" (https://lnkd.in/eYa4xjPR). The authors report: Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the U.S. and increasing rainfall trends and urbanization are only intensifying the challenges associated with managing it. One of these challenges is the allocation of limited funds for improving critical infrastructures. The task of prioritizing such investments is particularly complex due to the need to incorporate equitable solutions that protect vulnerable communities while also addressing climate-related deep uncertainty. This paper, which is part of a special issue of Production and Operations Management on DEI, presents a new analytical optimization model that allows decision makers to trade off efficiency and equity when prioritizing critical infrastructure investments, using a regret-based approach to address the uncertainty of future sea-level rise. The motivation for the research was the critical importance of helping to address the impacts of uncertain sea-level rise on socially and economically vulnerable populations living in coastal areas. The model can be applied in a variety of contexts and the hope is that more decision makers, particularly at the local and federal government level, will realize the value of incorporating both horizontal and vertical equity into the process of selecting critical infrastructure investments. Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) #criticalinfrastructure #resourceallocation #socialvulnerability #horizontalequity #verticalequity #flooding #sealevelrise #climatechange #deepuncertainty Note: If you're interested in having your recent POM Journal article featured in our #HumOpsPapers series, feel free to contact any of the HOCM board members Felipe Aros-Vera, Kezban Yagci Sokat, Mohammad Moshtari, Arian Aflaki, Harwin de Vries, Mario Chong, Iana Shaheen, Lea Ruesch, Telesilla Kotsi. Image by AP https://lnkd.in/etFbqTKC.

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the HOCM Best Paper Competition at #POMS2024! A big congratulations to all the participants for their outstanding contributions and to our winners for their work in humanitarian operations management. 🏆 Winner: Cognitive Biases in Cryptocurrency Donations: The Influence of Market Changes and Urgency by Gloria Urrea, Sebastian Villa, Eunae Yoo, and Gordon Burtch. An exploration of cognitive biases in cryptocurrency donations that has offered valuable perspectives on donor behavior and its implications for humanitarian funding. 🥈 Runner-Up: AI-Powered Philanthropy: Effects on Volunteer Productivity by Vinit Tipnis, Eunae Yoo, Gloria Urrea, and Fei Gao. An innovative research that has provided new insights into how artificial intelligence can enhance volunteer productivity, paving the way for more effective humanitarian efforts. Thank you to all who attended and participated in the competition! #research #volunteer #crypto Production and Operations Management Society (POMS)

Thank you to all the participants and speakers at the HOCM mini-conference. Your collective expertise greatly enriched our discussions on several complex but crucial topics: - Funding in Humanitarian Crises: 90% of an organization's humanitarian budget is dedicated to protracted crises, presenting unique challenges distinct from those of sudden-onset disasters. - Localization Challenges: The necessity of localization is evident, but its effective operationalization poses significant obstacles. - Role of Private Sector: Private sector funding is crucial for scaling up successful pilot programs in humanitarian operations. - Information Overload: During crises, the overwhelming amount of information can sometimes be too much for humanitarian actors to manage efficiently. The audience's positive feedback highlights how inspiring and thought-provoking the contributions of Deepti Tanuku, Sarah Penniman-Morin (Robbins-Penniman), MSPH, MEng, Martin Kitsch, Florent Chane, and Claire Barnhoorn were. A big thank you to Harwin de Vries and Lea Ruesch for their outstanding efforts as VPs of Meetings.

Are you at #POMS2024? Be sure to attend the HOCM Best Paper Competition this afternoon for an engaging lineup of presentations exploring cutting-edge research in humanitarian operations management. Here’s what’s scheduled: - AI-Powered Philanthropy: Effects on Volunteer Productivity. Vinit Tipnis, Eunae Yoo, Gloria Urrea, and Fei Gao. - Cognitive Biases in Cryptocurrency Donations: The Influence of Market Changes and Urgency. Gloria Urrea, Sebastian Villa, Eunae Yoo, and Gordon Burtch. - Pushing the Limits: Changing Service Architectures in Humanitarian Response Operations. Lauren Bateman, MPH and Erica Gralla. - Raising Voice and Speaking Up to Leaders: A Catalyst for Identity Leadership and Innovation in Humanitarian Operations. Lea Ruesch, Mojtaba Salem, and Ilka Gleibs. 📅 Date & Time: Saturday 27th from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM 📍 Location: Lake Superior A A big thank you to Arian Aflaki and Mohammad Moshtari for their outstanding efforts as VPs of Awards. Hope to see you there! Which presentation are you looking forward to the most? Share your thoughts below!

Attend the upcoming POMS HOCM mini-conference to engage with leading experts including Deepti Tanuku, Sarah Penniman-Morin (Robbins-Penniman), MSPH, MEng, Martin Keitsch, Florent Chane, and Claire Barnhoorn. They will explore the future of localization and data analytics in humanitarian operations. The panel will contribute to a broader discussion titled "Humanitarian Operations in the Coming 25 Years: Trends, Challenges, Visions, and Solutions". Also the mini-conference will feature insightful keynotes: - Is Supply Chain the Key to Achieving the Grand Bargain’s Commitment to Localization? One INGO’s Journey to Operationalizing Localization by Sarah Penniman-Morin (Robbins-Penniman), MSPH, MEng, Chief Global Supply Chain Officer at the International Rescue Committee. - Building New Partnership Models for Humanitarian Collaboration by Deepti Tanuku, Head of Partnerships at International Medical Corps. - Harnessing Academic Research for Humanitarian Data Solutions by Martin Keitsch Head of Preparedness and ICT Community Solutions at the Logistics Cluster.

HOCM is thrilled to share recent work on diversity and inclusion in humanitarian operations as part of our #HumOpsPapers series. We are featuring the work of Brooke A. Gazdag, PhD, Niels Van Quaquebeke and Maria Besiou, the authors of the paper, "Diversity and Inclusion Under Pressure: Building Relational Resilience into Humanitarian Operations" (https://lnkd.in/eEncPEUn). The authors report: How can inclusion, even in high-pressure situations, effectively build a bridge between different groups and make these relationships more resilient to withstand the storms of a crisis? Expat and local humanitarian workers work together to prepare for and recover from disasters. These groups differ along various dimensions, ultimately creating a diversity faultline, like in geology where faultlines often result in earthquakes, or in this case interpersonal conflicts. For that reason, inclusion must be actively managed with equitable employment, integration of differences, and inclusion in decision-making –before disaster strikes. We wanted to bring the conversation around inclusion to a context where it is both difficult to implement and has the potential to have a big impact. By contextualizing a framework of inclusion from organizational behavior to the humanitarian organization context, we hope to inspire humanitarian organizations to invest in inclusion in the preparation phase to bring out the rich knowledge of the diverse groups. Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) Kuehne Logistics University #Inclusion #Diversity #Humanitarian #Expats #Locals #Disaster Note: If you're interested in having your recent POM Journal article featured in our #HumOpsPapers series, feel free to contact any of the HOCM board members Felipe Aros-Vera, Kezban Yagci Sokat, Mohammad Moshtari, Arian Aflaki, Harwin de Vries, Mario Chong, Iana Shaheen, Lea Ruesch, Telesilla Kotsi. Image created using DALL·E by OpenAI, generated on March 30, 2024.