Collaborative relationships between logistics service providers and humanitarian organizations during disaster relief operations

Jennifer Bealt,Jair Camilo Fernández Barrera,S Afshin Mansouri

doi:10.1108/jhlscm-02-2015-0008

Jennifer Bealt, Jair Camilo Fernández Barrera + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1108/jhlscm-02-2015-0008

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Abstract

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore barriers and benefits of establishing relationships between humanitarian organizations (HOs) and logistics service providers (LSPs) in order to improve humanitarian disaster relief operations (DROs). The perceptions of a variety of actors are explored to determine key factors which influence collaboration.Design/methodology/approach– This study comprises of qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches. A comprehensive literature review was undertaken alongside an online survey with a variety of respondents. Descriptive statistics, data visualization and qualitative data analysis were implemented to analyse survey results. A follow-up survey and interviews with LSPs validated the results.Findings– The research presents the opinions of a variety of actors involved in DROs and reveals barriers which affect HO/LSP collaboration. Explanations for these barriers and possible solutions to mitigate them are disclosed. The findings also uncover gaps between research and practice; providing new insights into behaviour in the humanitarian field.Practical implications– The authors provide an in-depth understanding of the barriers and challenges faced in this field and suggest a reevaluation of corporate decision making in order to increase trust between LSPs and HOs. The authors identify future research topics including the impact of donors and military organizations on HO decision making, and analysis of variables which may affect the formation of collaborative partnerships.Originality/value– The authors introduce a unique empirical insight into the perspectives of HOs, LSPs and academics and offers suggestions for mitigating the numerous barriers associated with successful collaborative partnerships between HOs and LSPs.

Highlights

Interest in humanitarian logistics (HL) in the academic community has grown during the last decade; in part due to the increase in the number of sudden natural disasters globally
In order to explore this further, participants were asked to indicate how successful they were in establishing collaborative relationships in previous operations, and what they felt the main barriers to establishing relationships were; 58 per cent of participants reported establishing successful relationships, while 42 per cent did not
This is in contrast to logistics service providers (LSPs) which adhere to high standards; highlighting that trust is lacking from both sides

Summary

Introduction

Interest in humanitarian logistics (HL) in the academic community has grown during the last decade; in part due to the increase in the number of sudden natural disasters globally. Research has revealed that the role of logistics in DROs is paramount to the success of humanitarian projects and programs (Whiting and Ayala-Öström, 2009; Van Wassenhove, 2006). It is estimated that more than 40 per cent of this spend is wasted; fuelled by factors such as duplication of efforts, and lack of time to carry out effective analysis (Day et al, 2012; Van Wassenhove, 2006)

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