While both for-profit and non-profit organizations aim to address societal ills, the strategic operations management decisions within these spheres often diverge in both purpose and subsequent outcomes. Grounded in dominant and institutional logics theories, this research employs vignette-based experiments to disentangle the forces shaping strategic decisions for societal betterment in for-profit and non-profit organizations. The investigation seeks to explain whether the managerial mindset or the organization's primary purpose plays a more pivotal role in shaping these decisions. Specifically, the study delves into the intricate influences guiding choices within the collaboration versus competition dilemma, shedding light on the nuanced dynamics at play in the pursuit of societal improvement within diverse organizational contexts.

The Central African Republic (CAR) is one of the poorest countries in the world. Ongoing civil war and underdeveloped transportation infrastructure have led to issues in safe and sustainable water provision. Aligning with UN SDG 6 (ensuring access to water and sanitation for all), Water for Good (WfG) is a US-based sustainable water provision non-governmental organization maintaining approximately 2000 wells in the CAR. Previous statistical analyses of WfG operations have established that logistical factors, such as response times and proximity to urban centres or other pumps, are determinants in the effectiveness of their circuit rider preventative maintenance model. However, it is acknowledged that local and international context in terms of conflict and geopolitical stability weigh heavily on successful water service provision in CAR but this has not been captured in the aforementioned analyses. This study explores the challenges regarding capturing requirements to appropriately model systems-level uncertainties and support time-constrained decision-making.

In low and medium-income countries, the informal sector functions through a system of networks, trust and tacit knowledge transfers. Individuals as well as small and medium enterprises, operating in the informal sector create value by developing novel and appropriate products or services and capture such value by leveraging their social position, nature of relationship with others and their specialized expertise, to secure financial returns. Digital applications and platforms facilitate value creation by informal economy firms (IEFs) through collaborative innovation, lower transaction costs and increased knowledge sharing. However, value capture in the informal sector continues to be a challenge despite the availability of digital platforms. Through an empirical study of rural women artisans in West Bengal, India, and their use of digital platforms, we unearth the challenges they face in value capture. We identify the potential role of intermediaries in mitigating these challenges through three strategies – value reconfiguration, scaling and redistribution.

Food waste, defined as unconsumed and discarded food, represents a significant global challenge. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), an alarming one-third of all food produced globally is wasted. This project seeks to address this issue by focusing on controlling and managing food waste in Higher Education dining halls.