Deploying Collaborative Management Research Approaches in Humanitarian Supply Chains: An Overview and Research Agenda

Abstract

Fluid geopolitical situations in recent years are impacting how humanitarian supply chains are managed. It is, therefore, beneficial to pursue methodological approaches that consider the peculiarities of humanitarian supply chains and deal with the unpredictability. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the appropriateness of deploying collaborative research approaches in humanitarian logistics and supply chains management. The chapter examines how to ensure the rigour, relevance, and reflectiveness, while adopting two collaborative approaches: action research and clinical inquiry. A collaborative research framework for humanitarian logistics and supply chain management is developed. The framework aims at mitigating the shortcomings of lack of collaboration, as well as helping researchers closing the relevance gap between theoretical studies and real-world events.