Determinants of HADR mission success: exploring the experience of the Malaysian army

Abstract

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore issues in humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR) missions and examine the effects of selected factors on mission success. The paper focusses on organisational perspectives of the Malaysian army due to their extensive experience in HADR operations.Design/methodology/approach– Interactions among three broad factors namely human resource, logistics and coordination, as well as their effects on mission performance, were examined. A qualitative approach was chosen because it allowed for an exploratory yet a more in-depth analysis of the issues.Findings– Results suggest that while the effects of logistics and coordination on mission success appear to be direct, human resource influences it in a more indirect manner. Additionally, from a military viewpoint, HADR teams are also challenged by factors which are less controllable such as public support and local infrastructure.Research limitations/implications– The study has contributed to knowledge by proposing a more refined model of HADR operations performance which highlights relationships not adequately studied before. Based on the model, a quantitative study can be undertaken in the future to determine the relative effect of each factor.Practical implications– Among the areas of HADR operations that will benefit from the study are human resource and cross-cultural management, communication and interpersonal relations and information technology.Originality/value– Military perspectives of HADR missions are shared in the paper, which enrich current understanding of issues faced in such operations. The paper should also serve as an impetus for greater empirical research among scholars concerned with organisational perspectives in HADR operations performance.