Exploring Nonprofit Operations and Supply Chain Management

This book explores nonprofit organizations (NPOs) from an operations and supply chain management (OM/SCM) perspective. Traditionally, OM/SCM research has concentrated on for-profit businesses in sectors like retail and manufacturing. In contrast, nonprofit sectors such as food banks, nursing homes, educational institutions, social services, and humanitarian relief have been less studied but are the focus of this book. The study of NPO activities forms the nascent and novel field of Nonprofit Operations and Supply Chain Management.

This distinctive book compiles research on the emerging field of NPO operations and supply chain management. From an operational perspective, it analyses how NPOs operate based on not-for-profit incentives, where some specific operational decisions such as fundraising, resource allocation, workforce scheduling, or transportation are studied in detail. From a supply chain perspective, the book highlights the diverse actors involved, including suppliers, donors, NPOs, and beneficiaries. It emphasizes the complexity of the donation channel in nonprofit supply chains, detailing various participants who either facilitate donation flow or ensure aid reaches beneficiaries. The book covers a range of topics from theoretical frameworks to practical applications, such as not-for-profit goals, ownership transitions, cash and in-kind donation management, and volunteer coordination in both offline and online environments.

This co-edited volume presents a collection of recent innovative research on nonprofit OM/SCM from top global scholars and practitioners. It is mainly aimed at graduate students and researchers in supply chain management, operations management, and operations research. Additionally, academics from other fields studying nonprofit organizations and professionals in the nonprofit sector will find it valuable.