Chao Wu
Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management
Mike Ilitch School of Business, Wayne State University
My research focuses on nonprofit operations management and behavioral operations. I use field experiments, lab experiments, and analytical modeling to understand how operations can be improved in charity settings and how behavioral factors influence decision-making.
Download CVResearch
Explore my research interests, publications, and ongoing projects in supply chain management.
Teaching
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Recent News
September 29, 2025
Fast Forward – The 2025 AI for Humanity ReportNonprofit AI adoption—risks, readiness, and equity takeaways.
August 8, 2024
The Conversation – How charities with thrift shops can get better stuff from their donors instead of junkField-tested nudges to improve quality of in-kind donations.
June 11, 2025
Nonprofit Science Podcast – Episode 57: Does Volunteering Decrease Donations?When volunteering crowds out giving—and how to design for both.
Research Interests
Nonprofit Operations Management
Workforce configuration, volunteer management, and resource allocation in charity settings.
Behavioral Operations
Understanding how behavioral factors influence operations decisions and outcomes.
Field Experiments
Conducting randomized controlled trials in real-world nonprofit and charity settings.
Analytical Modeling
Developing mathematical models to analyze and optimize operations in nonprofit contexts.