Innovators and transformers – filling the void: informing operations management research and practice by applied neuroscience

PurposeHistorically, operations management research and practice have largely overlooked the variability among individual workers, often treating them as interchangeable components. This paper explores the potential benefits of incorporating neurobiological response monitoring to advance human-centric approaches in these domains.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on existing evidence of using neurobiological responses to study human factors, this study identified three conceptual areas of added value for operations management research: identifying mechanisms underlying workers' performance, objectively complementing self-reports through implicit responses measurement, and enabling continuous, real-time data collection. A proof-of-concept experiment in a laboratory setting, which replicated a factory assembly line, demonstrated the added value of neurobiological response monitoring in operational contexts (annex).FindingsBuilding on the three conceptual areas of added value, we propose a set of research questions aimed at advancing understanding in operational domains shaped by human variability. Adopting a human-centric perspective, we focus on four dimensions: productivity, flexibility, safety and well-being.Practical implicationsIntegrating neurobiological response monitoring into operations management provides a novel lens for human-centric management, enabling workforce variability to become a competitive advantage. Managers must address privacy and acceptance concerns by framing neurobiological response monitoring as mutually beneficial, while building skills and governance structures to translate neurobiological data into actionable decisions.Originality/valueBy introducing neurobiological response monitoring to operations management, this paper addresses overlooked human variability and answers calls for methodological innovation. It contributes by outlining conceptual added value and practical implications for researchers and managers.