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7 months ago in Operations Management By Raghu

What theories actually underpin operations management research?

When people publish research in operations management, what are the foundational theories they're drawing on? I need the intellectual backbone.

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By Vipul Answered 1 month ago

The classics are Resource-Based View (RBV)—firms compete on unique internal capabilities—and Dynamic Capabilities—how they adapt those capabilities over time. Contingency Theory says there's no one best way; it depends on context. Newer frameworks are gaining ground: Behavioral Operations brings psychology into process design, and Stakeholder Theory pushes OM beyond profit to consider workers, communities, and the planet. Theory isn't just ornament. It's how we explain why some operations work and others don't.

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