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Luk Van Wassenhove

Emeritus Professor of Technology and Operations Management

Biography

Professor Van Wassenhove currently focuses on aligning business models and new technologies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, e.g. closed-loop supply chains, circular economy, and disaster and health logistics. He recently co-edited special issues on humanitarian operations for the Journal of Operations Management, the Production and Operations Management Journal and the European Journal of Operational Research.

Professor Van Wassenhove is Fellow of the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS 2005). In 2006, he received EURO’s Gold Medal. He is Distinguished Fellow of the Manufacturing and Services Operations Management Society (MSOM 2009), and Honorary Fellow of the European Operations Management Association (EUROMA 2013). In 2018 he was elected Fellow of INFORMS and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Thessaloniki.

At INSEAD Emeritus Professor Van Wassenhove holds the Henry Ford Chair in Manufacturing, as emeritus. He created the INSEAD Social Innovation Center and acted as academic director until 2010. He currently leads INSEAD’s Humanitarian Research Group and its Sustainable Operations Initiative.

Latest posts

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Leadership & Organisations

Making Stress Work for Organisations

F. J. Nitsch, L. V. Wassenhove

Moderate stress boosts performance. But can companies determine “optimal" stress levels for their employees?
1 comment

Operations

Disaster Response: Finding Order in Turmoil

A. Kayyal, I. Parsa, B. Urlu and L. Van Wassenhove

When disaster strikes, governments are faced with difficult, urgent decisions – but preparedness can make a difference.

Operations

Why Has the Humanitarian Sector Been Slow to Localise?

L. Frennesson, L. Van Wassenhove

Despite a collective strategic intent to localise, progress has been slower than expected.

Operations

What Businesses Can Learn From Humanitarian Operations

Luk Van Wassenhove

Navigating uncertain and dynamic environments and overcoming resource and information scarcity are nothing new to humanitarian organisations.

Responsibility

Business Not as Usual: Companies Stepping Up in Crisis

B. Urlu, E. G. Gülserliler, L. Van Wassenhove

In times of humanitarian disasters, the private sector must step up. Businesses can hardly be functional when society comes to a halt.
1 comment

Operations

Planning Matters: Coordination in Humanitarian Relief

I. Parsa, L. Van Wassenhove

In disaster response, humanitarian operations take place under high levels of stress and time pressure. There is no room for bureaucracy and ambiguity.