The Sustainability of Operations: Past, Present, Future

How we organize our production, our distribution, and our services is conveniently summarized in the word "operations".The efficiency and robustness of carrying out operations have become standard criteria by which operations can be measured.And indeed, the subject of operations has received its share of scientific interest, and corresponding books.Until now, however, only few books consider operations from a global sustainability point of view.This book does: it discusses planetary boundaries and focusses on social inclusion.And no book has started at the very basics, i.e., at the roots of how human beings started to organize "things".This book does: it even starts with discussing operations of ecosystems prior to the existence of humankind.This text clearly reveals how operations are impacting planetary boundaries and social inclusion; and this text clarifies how operations came to be as they are.Based on rigorous definitions of relevant concepts, the text takes the reader from the origin of operations to the present day.The author is not afraid to expand the traditional scope of operations (production, logistics, distribution) to include non-human operations.Various episodes in the development of operations are described: from the global cotton supply chain to the impact of the development of script -seemingly distinct developments are brought together in a coherent story.Not only have human beings shaped operations, the book shows how operations influenced human beings.In the last chapter pathways towards a sustainable future are explored.