Evaluating solutions to overcome humanitarian supply chain management barriers: A hybrid fuzzy SWARA – Fuzzy WASPAS approach

Abstract

This study intends to explore humanitarian supply chain management barriers (HSCMBs) and evaluate solutions for overcoming these barriers to improve humanitarian supply chain management (HSCM) implementation. This study aims to evaluate the solutions to overcome HSCMBs using a hybrid framework that consists of fuzzy step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) and a fuzzy weighted aggregated sum product assessment (WASPAS). This study identifies 29 HSCMBs and 20 solutions to overcome these HSCMBs through a literature review and brainstorming session conducted among experts. Fuzzy SWARA is applied to compute the weight of HSCMBs and evaluate the relative importance of each HSCMB. Fuzzy WASPAS is applied to rank the solutions to overcome HSCMBs for efficient and effective HSCM implementation. The outcome of this study suggests that “Long term strategic planning for humanitarian operation” is the highest-ranked and most immediate solution, followed by “Collaboration, cooperation, and coordination among humanitarian supply chain actors” to overcome HSCMBs. Disaster relief aid agencies and stakeholders may focus on the solutions to overcome HSCMBs for effective humanitarian aid operations and to improve strategies of HSCM. This study helps humanitarian logisticians to formulate improved strategies for better operational performance in pre and post-disaster phases.