Luk Van Wassenhove

Emeritus Professor of Technology and Operations Management

Email [email protected]

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Cases from same author
Cases with Extra

EcoVadis: A Sustainability Rating Company Goes Global

By Andre Calmon, Luk Van Wassenhove, Anne Nai-Tien Huang

Corporations are increasingly held responsible for the products they source and the sustainability of their supply chains. It was to meet this need that EcoVadis, a sustainability rating agency, was founded in 2007 by Pierre-François Thaler (INSEAD MBA, 1999) and Frédéric Trinel to bridge the information gap between corporate buyers and their suppliers.

Published 20 Jan 2020

Reference 6535

Topic Responsibility

Region Global

EcoVadis: A Sustainability Rating Company Goes Global

By Andre Calmon, Luk Van Wassenhove, Anne Nai-Tien Huang
Published 20 Jan 2020
Reference 6535
Topic Responsibility
Region Global

Corporations are increasingly held responsible for the products they source and the sustainability of their supply chains. It was to meet this need that EcoVadis, a sustainability rating agency, was founded in 2007 by Pierre-François Thaler (INSEAD MBA, 1999) and Frédéric Trinel to bridge the information gap between corporate buyers and their suppliers.

The Trembling Iron Island: The 2018 Sulawesi Earthquake and Tsunami

By Luk Van Wassenhove, Joachim Mikalsen, Wouter Nientker

In the aftermath of the Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami in 2018, lives are at stake, infrastructure is damaged, coordination is limited and information is scarce. It is in this environment that humanitarian organizations have to operate in order to assist affected people in disaster-struck areas.

Published 25 Mar 2019

Reference 6479

Topic Operations

Industry Logistics and Supply Chain, Non-Profit Organization Management

The Trembling Iron Island: The 2018 Sulawesi Earthquake and Tsunami

By Luk Van Wassenhove, Joachim Mikalsen, Wouter Nientker
Published 25 Mar 2019
Reference 6479
Topic Operations
Industry Logistics and Supply Chain, Non-Profit Organization Management

In the aftermath of the Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami in 2018, lives are at stake, infrastructure is damaged, coordination is limited and information is scarce. It is in this environment that humanitarian organizations have to operate in order to assist affected people in disaster-struck areas.

From Fast Fashion to Sustainable Apparel: The Making of the SAC

By Mark Hunter, Andre Calmon, Luk Van Wassenhove

This case focuses on the contribution of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), an American trade organization based on an industry-wide collaboration and a multi-stakeholder approach, to the fashion industry. The Higg Index is a self-assessment tool that aims to measure and reduce the environmental and social impacts of apparel supply chains.

Published 19 Dec 2018

Reference 6437

Topic Responsibility

Industry Textiles, Apparel and Fashion

Region Global

From Fast Fashion to Sustainable Apparel: The Making of the SAC

By Mark Hunter, Andre Calmon, Luk Van Wassenhove
Published 19 Dec 2018
Reference 6437
Topic Responsibility
Region Global
Industry Textiles, Apparel and Fashion

This case focuses on the contribution of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), an American trade organization based on an industry-wide collaboration and a multi-stakeholder approach, to the fashion industry. The Higg Index is a self-assessment tool that aims to measure and reduce the environmental and social impacts of apparel supply chains.

Humanitarian Agility in Action (A): The 2015 Yemen Crisis

By Luk Van Wassenhove, Charles Delagarde, Joachim Mikalsen

Agility is often mentioned but seldom defined or clearly illustrated. This case discusses UNICEF’s response to the sudden disruption of its aid supply chain to Yemen after the bombing started in 2015. It illustrates how a forwarding hub was quickly established in Djibouti and dhow vessels were used to reach small Yemeni ports from there.

Published 15 Dec 2017

Reference 6315

Topic Operations

Industry Facilities Services, Hospital & Health Care, Logistics and Supply Chain

Region Middle-East

Humanitarian Agility in Action (A): The 2015 Yemen Crisis

By Luk Van Wassenhove, Charles Delagarde, Joachim Mikalsen
Published 15 Dec 2017
Reference 6315
Topic Operations
Region Middle-East
Industry Facilities Services, Hospital & Health Care, Logistics and Supply Chain

Agility is often mentioned but seldom defined or clearly illustrated. This case discusses UNICEF’s response to the sudden disruption of its aid supply chain to Yemen after the bombing started in 2015. It illustrates how a forwarding hub was quickly established in Djibouti and dhow vessels were used to reach small Yemeni ports from there.

Humanitarian Agility in Action (B): UNICEF's Response to the 2015 Yemen Crisis

By Luk Van Wassenhove, Charles Delagarde, Joachim Mikalsen

Agility is often mentioned but seldom defined or clearly illustrated. This case discusses UNICEF’s response to the sudden disruption of its aid supply chain to Yemen after the bombing started in 2015. It illustrates how a forwarding hub was quickly established in Djibouti and dhow vessels were used to reach small Yemeni ports from there.

Published 15 Dec 2017

Reference 6315

Topic Operations

Industry Facilities Services, Hospital & Health Care, Logistics and Supply Chain

Region Middle-East

Humanitarian Agility in Action (B): UNICEF's Response to the 2015 Yemen Crisis

By Luk Van Wassenhove, Charles Delagarde, Joachim Mikalsen
Published 15 Dec 2017
Reference 6315
Topic Operations
Region Middle-East
Industry Facilities Services, Hospital & Health Care, Logistics and Supply Chain

Agility is often mentioned but seldom defined or clearly illustrated. This case discusses UNICEF’s response to the sudden disruption of its aid supply chain to Yemen after the bombing started in 2015. It illustrates how a forwarding hub was quickly established in Djibouti and dhow vessels were used to reach small Yemeni ports from there.

Supply Chain Hubs in Global Humanitarian Logistics

By Jon M. Stauffer, Alfonso Pedraza Martinez, Luk Van Wassenhove

Decentralized supply chains - with a greater number of hubs and depot locations – are designed to be more responsive to disasters around the globe by getting primary relief items such as food, water and medicines to beneficiaries quickly. This case explores the centralized vs. decentralized tradeoff for the secondary support supply chain of an international humanitarian organization (IHO).

Published 30 Jan 2017

Reference 6266

Topic Operations

Industry Logistics and Supply Chain

Region Global

Supply Chain Hubs in Global Humanitarian Logistics

By Jon M. Stauffer, Alfonso Pedraza Martinez, Luk Van Wassenhove
Published 30 Jan 2017
Reference 6266
Topic Operations
Region Global
Industry Logistics and Supply Chain

Decentralized supply chains - with a greater number of hubs and depot locations – are designed to be more responsive to disasters around the globe by getting primary relief items such as food, water and medicines to beneficiaries quickly. This case explores the centralized vs. decentralized tradeoff for the secondary support supply chain of an international humanitarian organization (IHO).

The Nation Media Group (A): The Path to Growth

By Mark Hunter, Luk Van Wassenhove

The Nation Media Group began with the campaign for Kenyan independence, and struggled to survive through decades of dictatorship. Beginning in the 1990s the Group sought to grow by launching new editorial products. Challenges of editorial standards, recruitment and objectives, and finding and serving audiences, repeatedly emerged.

Published 27 Jul 2015

Reference 6150

Industry Printing, Publishing

Region Africa

The Nation Media Group (A): The Path to Growth

By Mark Hunter, Luk Van Wassenhove
Published 27 Jul 2015
Reference 6150
Topic Strategy
Region Africa
Industry Printing, Publishing

The Nation Media Group began with the campaign for Kenyan independence, and struggled to survive through decades of dictatorship. Beginning in the 1990s the Group sought to grow by launching new editorial products. Challenges of editorial standards, recruitment and objectives, and finding and serving audiences, repeatedly emerged.

The Nation Media Group (B): Launching the Business Daily

By Mark Hunter, Luk Van Wassenhove

The Nation Media Group began with the campaign for Kenyan independence, and struggled to survive through decades of dictatorship. Beginning in the 1990s the Group sought to grow by launching new editorial products. Challenges of editorial standards, recruitment and objectives, and finding and serving audiences, repeatedly emerged.

Published 27 Jul 2015

Reference 6150

Industry Printing, Publishing

Region Africa

The Nation Media Group (B): Launching the Business Daily

By Mark Hunter, Luk Van Wassenhove
Published 27 Jul 2015
Reference 6150
Topic Strategy
Region Africa
Industry Printing, Publishing

The Nation Media Group began with the campaign for Kenyan independence, and struggled to survive through decades of dictatorship. Beginning in the 1990s the Group sought to grow by launching new editorial products. Challenges of editorial standards, recruitment and objectives, and finding and serving audiences, repeatedly emerged.

Cycleon Re-Boot: From Niche Player to Global Service Integrator

By Luk Van Wassenhove, Robert Crawford

Cycleon moved from a non-asset company centered around IT solutions for consumer returns to a reverse logistics service provider that facilitates the take-back and processing (repair and refurbishment) of different types of returns. This case describes the strategic decisions taken by the CEO during the transformation and expansion of Cycleon in the past 10 years.

Published 24 Apr 2015

Reference 6121

Industry Logistics and Supply Chain, E-Commerce

Region Europe

Cycleon Re-Boot: From Niche Player to Global Service Integrator

By Luk Van Wassenhove, Robert Crawford
Published 24 Apr 2015
Reference 6121
Topic Strategy
Region Europe
Industry Logistics and Supply Chain, E-Commerce

Cycleon moved from a non-asset company centered around IT solutions for consumer returns to a reverse logistics service provider that facilitates the take-back and processing (repair and refurbishment) of different types of returns. This case describes the strategic decisions taken by the CEO during the transformation and expansion of Cycleon in the past 10 years.

The Palm Oil Dilemma

By Renato Orsato, Horacio Falcao, Luk Van Wassenhove, Renata Loew Weiss, Mona Parikh McNicholas, Giovanna Sanches

This case explores the events leading to the creating of a multi-stakeholder platform, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The promotion of palm oil as an alternative to fossil fuels has increased demand, hence the “palm oil dilemma”: to produce oil more sustainably or save the forests?

Published 25 Aug 2014

Reference 5904

Topic Responsibility

Region Global

The Palm Oil Dilemma

By Renato Orsato, Horacio Falcao, Luk Van Wassenhove, Renata Loew Weiss, Mona Parikh McNicholas, Giovanna Sanches
Published 25 Aug 2014
Reference 5904
Topic Responsibility
Region Global

This case explores the events leading to the creating of a multi-stakeholder platform, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The promotion of palm oil as an alternative to fossil fuels has increased demand, hence the “palm oil dilemma”: to produce oil more sustainably or save the forests?

Humanitarian Agility in Action (A): The 2015 Yemen Crisis

By Luk Van Wassenhove, Charles Delagarde, Joachim Mikalsen

Agility is often mentioned but seldom defined or clearly illustrated. This case discusses UNICEF’s response to the sudden disruption of its aid supply chain to Yemen after the bombing started in 2015. It illustrates how a forwarding hub was quickly established in Djibouti and dhow vessels were used to reach small Yemeni ports from there.

Published 15 Dec 2017

Reference 6315

Topic Operations

Industry Facilities Services, Hospital & Health Care, Logistics and Supply Chain

Region Middle-East

Humanitarian Agility in Action (A): The 2015 Yemen Crisis

By Luk Van Wassenhove, Charles Delagarde, Joachim Mikalsen
Published 15 Dec 2017
Reference 6315
Topic Operations
Region Middle-East
Industry Facilities Services, Hospital & Health Care, Logistics and Supply Chain

Agility is often mentioned but seldom defined or clearly illustrated. This case discusses UNICEF’s response to the sudden disruption of its aid supply chain to Yemen after the bombing started in 2015. It illustrates how a forwarding hub was quickly established in Djibouti and dhow vessels were used to reach small Yemeni ports from there.

Max Foundation (A): Saving Children’s Lives Through Business Model Innovation

By Martijn Thierry, Luk Van Wassenhove

Case A describes how a couple who lost a child create a social venture - the Max Foundation - by applying sound business principles to maximize the impact per-euro-spent. Case B discusses the growth challenges facing the organisation today.

Published 31 Aug 2011

Reference 5788

Topic Responsibility

Industry Education Management

Region Asia

Max Foundation (A): Saving Children’s Lives Through Business Model Innovation

By Martijn Thierry, Luk Van Wassenhove
Published 31 Aug 2011
Reference 5788
Topic Responsibility
Region Asia
Industry Education Management

Case A describes how a couple who lost a child create a social venture - the Max Foundation - by applying sound business principles to maximize the impact per-euro-spent. Case B discusses the growth challenges facing the organisation today.

Safety in Numbers: Reducing Road Risk with Danida’s Multi-sector Partnership

By Luk Van Wassenhove, Aline Gatignon

The Fleet Safety project was developed in response to the needs of the members of the Fleet Forum, an informal collaborating body and independent knowledge centre for fleet management in the humanitarian sector.

Published 27 Mar 2009

Reference 5589

Topic Operations

Region Global

Safety in Numbers: Reducing Road Risk with Danida’s Multi-sector Partnership

By Luk Van Wassenhove, Aline Gatignon
Published 27 Mar 2009
Reference 5589
Topic Operations
Region Global

The Fleet Safety project was developed in response to the needs of the members of the Fleet Forum, an informal collaborating body and independent knowledge centre for fleet management in the humanitarian sector.

Moving the World: The TPG-WFP Partnership - Looking for a Partner

By Rolando Tomasini, Luk Van Wassenhove, Ramina Samii

The case narrates the internal processes of choosing and implementing a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. It illustrates the process of choosing a cause, selecting partners, creating a working plan, and finally getting the company's executive board's commitment.

Published 06 Jan 2004

Reference 5187

Topic Responsibility

Industry Logistics and Supply Chain, Transportation/Trucking/Railroad

Region Global

Moving the World: The TPG-WFP Partnership - Looking for a Partner

By Rolando Tomasini, Luk Van Wassenhove, Ramina Samii
Published 06 Jan 2004
Reference 5187
Topic Responsibility
Region Global
Industry Logistics and Supply Chain, Transportation/Trucking/Railroad

The case narrates the internal processes of choosing and implementing a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. It illustrates the process of choosing a cause, selecting partners, creating a working plan, and finally getting the company's executive board's commitment.

Supply Chain Management