The arrival of the gig economy has led to an unprecedented explosion of person-to-person task outsourcing: driving, food pickup, and shopping can all be done by someone other than the consumer. Such outsourcing potentially creates new challenges for gig workers: knowing the most efficient route,...

A significant proportion of the world's population has no access to grid-based electricity and so relies on off-grid lighting solutions. Rechargeable lamp technology is gaining popularity as an alternative off-grid lighting model in developing countries. In this paper, we explore consumer...

Amazon has been making significant investments to expand its fulfillment network that receives merchandise from vendors and third-party sellers, and then picks, packs, and ships customer orders. Media and policy attention have increasingly focused on this growing distribution network. We show a...

Driving is an integral component of many operational systems, and any small improvement in driving quality can have a significant effect on accidents, traffic, pollution, and the economy in general. However, making improvements is challenging given the complexity and multidimensionality of...

In commemorating Morris Cohen’s illustrious research career, in this paper we examine the genesis and legacy of the research on Performance-Based Contracting, the subject Morris focused on in the years since 2004. Based on the written notes and voice recordings from the early days of research,...

Globally, 1.5 billion people live off the grid, their only access to electricity often limited to operationally-expensive fossil fuel generators. Solar power has risen as a sustainable and less costly option, but its generation is variable during the day and non-existent at night. Thanks to...

Are we contributing positively to the society at large by research that we conduct in the field of Operations Management? Currently, the answer is probably closer to “no” than to “yes”. We often do not realize it but there is very real cost of conducting our research non-responsibly. In...