Abstract
PurposeThis “thought paper” is written by the special issue editors as a part of the five papers accepted and published in response to the special issue call for papers on logistics and SCM in the context of relief for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue on “refugee logistics” and analyse the nature and challenges of displacement from a displaced person’s perspective. The paper also argues for a more critical appreciation of the role and value that research in logistics, operations and supply chain management (LOSCM) can play in the delivery of services and care for refugees and IDPs from the perspective of preparedness and logistics planning of humanitarian organisations. The paper further outlines basic challenges to undertaking innovative, boundary pushing valuable and impactful research on “refugee logistics” given the difficult ideological, political and policy context in which “refugee logistics research” will be undertaken. The paper also advocates for more critical research in humanitarian logistics (HL), that explicitly acknowledges its ontological, epistemological and methodological limitations even when ethically sound. The paper concludes by suggesting a future research agenda for this new sub-field of humanitarian logistics research.Design/methodology/approachConceptual paper utilising viewpoints, literature reviews as well as original ideas and thoughts of the authors.FindingsThe new field of “refugee logistics research” is important. It has been neglected in humanitarian logistics research for too long. Hence, there needs to be more research in this sub-field of humanitarian logistics.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a “thought paper”. It is the basic conceptual ideas of the authors. While it is not based on empirical work or data collection, it is based on a comprehensive literature research and analysis.Social implicationsThis paper advocates for the universal human rights of IDPs and refugees and their dignity, and how LOSCM can contribute to upholding such dignity.Originality/valueIt contributes indirectly to logistics policy and refugee policy as well as logistics service quality and advocacy for human rights and human dignity.
Highlights
Background and introductionRefugee studies, as a broad multi-disciplinary field of academic inquiry, have become a major focus of scholars and policymakers around the world (Cameron, 2014)
The paper concludes by briefly suggesting a future research agenda for this new sub-field of humanitarian logistics research
This “thought paper” has argued for more critical appreciation of the strategic role and strategic value that research in LOSCM can play in helping and caring for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in spite of the difficult ideological and political environment and policy context in which such “refugee logistics research” will be undertaken
Summary
As a broad multi-disciplinary field of academic inquiry, have become a major focus of scholars and policymakers around the world (Cameron, 2014). This is because refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are statistically an important. Journal of Humanitarian Logistics © Richard Oloruntoba and Ruth Banomyong.
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