Aspects Of Supply Chain Research Articles

Metaverse-supply chain and halal behavior: bibliometric analysis, framework and implications

Purpose This paper aims to review how the metaverse influences and contributes to the halal industry, particularly focusing on halal logistics (HL), halal supply chain management (HSCM) and consumer behavior. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyzed scholarly studies to investigate existing literature and current as well as future trends in the adoption of the metaverse in HL, supply chains and consumer behavior. The study explores the thematic structure of the current knowledge landscape, identifies research gaps and highlights potential directions for future research at the intersection of the metaverse, supply chain and halal behavior. The authors identified 286 papers that examined the integration of the metaverse with HL practices, supply chain management strategies and consumer behavior in alignment with Islamic principles and standards. Findings The results indicate a limited number of studies on the successful adoption of the metaverse in HL, HSCM and behavioral research. This paper has proposed a framework for the metaverse-supply chain and halal behavior. The framework can serve as a reference for scholars and practitioners on how to incorporate advanced technology to engage with and predict market demand. Additionally, the metaverse-supply chain framework can be used to align with halal supply chain practices based on customer needs and preferences. The metaverse integrates the virtual world, enabling halal supply chain networks to enhance virtual reality, digital experiences and business performance. Practical implications The halal industry can showcase products and services through virtual scenarios, avatars and shops. By developing a halal-compliant metaverse, the halal industry can facilitate activities such as online sales, online payments and virtual marketing, thereby enabling a digital business transformation. Embracing the metaverse can improve business efficiency and influence consumer behavior, decisions and compliance with Shariah principles. Originality/value The authors argue that this paper is at the forefront and will serve as a reference for future research. This paper is distinct from existing literature, as it focuses on metaverse adoption and its correlation with a Shariah compliance framework in logistics, supply chain and behavioral aspects. Through its findings, this framework aims to inspire further empirical research and provide guidance and solutions to foster sustainable development in the halal industry.

Strategies Management for Mass Customization in the Apparel Industry: Case of Market Demand and Risk in China

With the development and adjustment of the industrial structure, the manufacturing industry, especially the transformation and upgrading of the apparel industry, is crucial for Chinas high-quality economic development. This paper studies the strategies of cooperation, consumer demand response, and risk identification and control in the mass customization market of the Chinese apparel industry. Firstly, it explores the co-creation strategies among enterprises in mass customization, analyzing cases of efficient resource allocation and cooperation in excellent apparel companies. Secondly, from the consumer behavior perspective, it studies how companies meet personalized needs through combined online and offline marketing models and brand positioning strategies. Finally, analyzing the supply chain, consumers, and internal aspects of enterprises, the risk factors in the mass customization market are identified, and corresponding pre-control measures are proposed. This study aims to provide management suggestions for apparel enterprises in the wave of mass customization, helping small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face market challenges and improve operational efficiency and market competitiveness.

A SWOT Analysis of Organizations in the Agri-Food Chain Sector from the Northern Region of Portugal Using the PESTEL and MEETHS Frameworks

Research on modern agri-food chains aims to enhance flexibility by analyzing supply chain aspects to identify improvement opportunities. A SWOT analysis of 39 agri-food sector organizations using a SWOT analysis organized using the PESTEL and MEETHS categories was conducted to evaluate the stakeholders’ needs in this sector of activity in Northern Portugal. Logistic regressions were used to compute inferential statistics, which were complemented with a qualitative analysis. Cooperatives and primary sector companies often claim superior product quality without clear evidence, while corporations integrated into competitive national markets, like those with smoked products, adapt better to dietary trends. Small- and medium-sized enterprises struggle with competitive wages, leading to high turnover and difficulty retaining skilled workers. High costs hinder many organizations, particularly cooperatives, from adopting modern communication technologies affecting competitiveness. Challenges include identifying market opportunities and managing global competition for raw materials, like wild fish. Fishing and meat sectors depend heavily on modern distribution and are dominated by large retailers. Low labor costs boost competitiveness but reflect the struggle to add value. Larger organizations are more optimistic though many face challenges with the cost and volatility of key products, like pork and milk. This study offers the following key recommendations: invest in technology and innovation while balancing short-term gains with long-term sustainability; strengthen strategic planning and collaboration among corporations, cooperatives, associations, and academic institutions; and adapt to regulatory changes, invest in market and technological capabilities, and address resource limitations. Research and collaboration with policymakers and academic institutions will support tailored solutions, enabling the sector to anticipate challenges and capitalize on opportunities.

Facility location optimization with market segmentation for additive manufacturing material supplier network using quantum annealing

The determination of the material suppliers for additive manufacturing (AM) centers is a typical facility location problem (FLP). Current methods for solving the FLP in AM network design mainly focus on improving the cost, distance, and supply chain aspects and neglect market segmentation. However, AM feedstock suppliers need to understand the market size they serve so they can better prepare their inventory plans. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a new approach for the FLP with geographic market segmentation of AM material supplier networks, in which the facility locations and market segments of AM material suppliers are optimized in a multi-objective optimization problem. In order to confirm the feasibility of the proposed method, a simplified design case for a German state has been carried out.

A comparative analysis of supply chain management between Portugal and Ireland

PurposeThis study investigates how insurance intermediaries in Portugal and Ireland evaluate supply chain management (SCM) practices within the insurance industry, specifically focusing on potential regional variations in their assessments.Design/methodology/approachA comparative research design was employed, collecting data through surveys administered to insurance brokers in Portugal and Ireland. These countries were chosen due to their well-developed intermediary-based insurance markets.FindingsThe results show that some dimensions of supply chain management are significantly different between Portugal and Ireland. Nevertheless, the insurance brokers from the two countries also share similar views on key aspects of supply chain management.Practical implicationsThis study offers valuable insights for insurance industry management, particularly regarding the dynamics of the insurer-intermediary relationship and the importance of catering to intermediary needs. The findings also highlight potential areas for European Union policy consideration, such as addressing potential asymmetries within the insurance sector across member states.Social implicationsImproved relationships and collaboration within the insurance supply chain can lead to enhanced access to insurance products and more tailored services for consumers.Originality/valueThis research addresses two key gaps in the literature. Firstly, it examines the insurer-intermediary relationship from the intermediary perspective, a viewpoint often neglected in prior research. Secondly, the study investigates and confirms the existence of regional variations in insurance SCM practices across two European countries.

A Comparative Study of Fertilizer Prices Purchased by Farmers from Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) and Other Agencies in Andhra Pradesh

Rythu Bharosa Kendras - a one stop solutions for all agriculture & allied issues, was launched by state government of Andhra Pradesh in 2020. It addresses various issues and provide services to the farmers at the village level. Fertilizers are one among the services offered at Rythu Bharosa Kendras. The current study was carried out during the year 2022 and 2023 to find any significant variation in the average price of the fertilizers purchased by the farmers from Rythu Bharosa Kendras versus other agencies in Tirupati and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh. A representative sample of 120 farmers in two districts of Andhra Pradesh i.e., Tirupati and Chittoor were selected for the study. Through a pre-structed interview schedule, prices of fertilizers purchased by the farmers from Rythu Bharosa Kendras vs other agencies were collected. In the study area, other agencies from where farmers purchased fertilizers included private fertilizer wholesalers, retailers, fellow farmers, non-institutional financers, etc. To study the average price comparison, the set of fertilizers that were commonly purchased at Rythu Bharosa Kendras and other agencies were selected. They were Urea, Diammonium phosphate (DAP), Muriate of Potash (MOP), N20:P20:K0:S13 (N:P:K:S fertilizer grade), N10:P26:K26 (N:P:K fertilizer grade). From the data collected and through descriptive statistical analysis it was clear that for all the common fertilizers the average amount of fertilizer per bag at Rythu Bharosa Kendras was comparatively lower than that of fertilizers purchased at other agencies. The average price variation of fertilizer per bag at Rythu Bharosa Kendras to other agencies for Urea, DAP, MOP, N20:P20:K0:S13 grade, N10:P26:K26 grade were Rs. 27.5, Rs. 40, Rs. 33, Rs. 44 & Rs. 92 with a variation in percentage by 10.3%, 2.96%, 2.84%, 3.26% & 6.31% respectively. By ensuring the prompt availability of required set of fertilizers in line with the cropping pattern of the farmers and by streamlining the supply chain aspects of fertilizes, especially from fertilizers hub to Rythu Bharosa Kendras, will be beneficial & results in cost optimization to the farmers.

Analysis of the Development of Green Logistics Based on Blockchain

There has been a wave of technological change and industrial transformation at home and abroad, and blockchain technology has played a non-negligible role in the change. "Blockchain + logistics" has become a hot topic in society. Blockchain technology is a typical decentralized technology, which can effectively make up for the weak links in the logistics industry, so as to provide strong technical support for the development of green logistics. Therefore, this article analyzes the development of blockchain in green logistics, and discusses them one by one from the aspects of transportation, distribution, recycling logistics, and supply chain.

A Cluster-Based Bibliometric Analysis of the Emerging Technological Landscape in Logistics using Vosviewer

Emerging technology presents itself as a futuristic solution since its early development stage in the industry. Concurrently, the industry has proposed framework implementations as well as efforts to integrate emerging technologies in the supply chain, particularly in logistics. This study aimed to unveil the applicability of either supply chain or logistic functions in the present industry. This study used Publish and Perish to mine academic document data based on the keyword ‘Logistic’ and ‘Emerging technology’ in the past five years. Furthermore, the retrieved data were compiled and processed as a bibliographical map to visualize relevant clusters as the bottom-line discussion for this study. Five clusters had different items/keywords associated with them, excluding clusters three and four which were discussed in tandem. Cluster one revealed that AI and blockchain could support manufacturers for a circular economy business model through reverse logistics operations in the pandemic. Cluster two was a bigger picture discussing enhancement efficiency and risk reduction in the supply chain using AI, blockchain, and IoT. Clusters three and four had overlapping keywords specifying the discussion of blockchain implementation for the Agri-industry in China. Finally, cluster five reaffirmed the conceptualism of emerging technology integration for transportation from other clusters. Despite a unanimous agreement on the potential use of emerging technologies, challenges were also found, such as complex implementation, uncertain investment, and technology immaturity accompany. Thus, as the implication of this research, it reveals the capabilities and issues of the implementation of emerging technologies within multiple aspects of logistics and supply chain.

Analysis Of Ship Main Engine Procurement Process In The Shipyard Industry Using Supply Chain Operation Reference Method (SCOR) (Case Study: PT XYZ)

As a sector playing a crucial role in ship construction and repair, the shipbuilding industry faces significant challenges in material procurement, where materials constitute 50-70% of the total project cost. One of the materials requiring paramount attention is the ship's main engine. Effective supply chain management is critical to enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in the procurement process of ship engines. However, supply chain performance measurement research, especially in ship engine procurement, still needs to be improved. Therefore, this study aims to identify relevant performance metrics, analyze critical performance indicators, and provide recommendations based on the SCOR (Supply et al.) framework to improve ship engine procurement. The research results present 24 metrics distributed into four performance attributes based on SCOR 12.0, with 22 selected metrics aligned with the company's context. Analysis using the AHP method indicates that the reliability attribute has the highest weight (0.296), with the metric "Percentage of procurement received on time as per request" being the top priority (weight 0.143). This study provides a holistic view of crucial aspects of the ship engine procurement supply chain, supporting companies in enhancing their performance in the procurement process.

An integrated FBWM-FCM-DEMATEL model to assess and manage the sustainability in the supply chain: A three-stage model based on the consumers’ point of view

While sustainability is recognized as a crucial aspect of supply chain (SC) management, its implementation within a SC is often fraught with challenges. These challenges encompass possible causal relationships and trade-offs among sustainable SC (SSC) practices, spanning all three dimensions of sustainability. Furthermore, the increasing importance of consumers’ point of view in the rapid and widespread communication era highlights the imperative to integrate this view into the SC’s sustainability efforts. This paper proposes a comprehensive model for assessing and managing the implementation of sustainability in the SC while effectively tackling these challenges and requirements. Specifically, across three distinct stages, the model enables (1) identifying the SSC practices from the consumers’ point of view and ranking them based on their contribution to the overall sustainability; (2) determining the causal relationships among the practices and assessing the sustainability status of the SC; and (3) prioritizing the practices and developing improvement scenarios to improve the overall sustainability of the SC. To support its objectives, the proposed model employs social media analysis and scenario planning, along with three key techniques, including the Fuzzy Best-Worst Method (FBWM) for ranking the practices, Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) for determining the possible causal relationships among the practices and assessing the sustainability status, and Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) for segmenting the practices based on their cause-and-effect relationships. Finally, the paper presents an empirical study in which the proposed model is applied to a mobile phone and smartphone (MPSP) SC, representing one of the most commonly consumed products in contemporary human life.

A Look at the Supply Chain Management of Citrus Wine in Nueva Vizcaya: The Citrus Capital of the Philippines

This study aimed to document the supply chain management activities of citrus wine, the challenges faced by key players in the supply chain of Malabing Literacy Organization, Inc. (MALOI), and to provide recommendations for addressing these challenges. Using a qualitative descriptive design and a case study approach, the researchers found that effective fertilizer application, pest and disease control, and using quality seeds significantly enhance the value of citrus fruits. MALOI’s citrus wine is crafted from an exclusive, all-natural recipe without chemical additives and adheres to fair trade and global market safety regulations. Processors handle bottling, corking, and labeling, utilizing freezers for citrus fruit storage and wine racks for the finished products. Middlemen deliver the wines using Capitol’s service car or minibuses, distributing to sub-consignment stores, government entities, and directly to clients in the Bayombong, Kasibu, and Solano areas. Promotion occurs through Facebook, referrals, and trade events. Currently, the primary challenge for key players is the fermentation process of citrus wine, which is exacerbated by a lack of cooperation among members in various supply chain aspects. The researchers emphasize the importance of fostering teamwork and a positive work environment, along with thoroughly examining fermentation conditions to enhance the production of high-quality citrus wines for the market.

Secure and Efficient Crop Tracking in Agriculture using Block chain

Crop tracking and traceability are crucial aspects of the modern agriculture supply chain, ensuring the safety and authenticity of products for consumers while improving efficiency and reducing waste. This paper presents a secure and efficient solution for crop tracking in agriculture by leveraging blockchain technology. The proposed system employs distributed ledger technology to record and verify the journey of crops from the field to the consumer, enhancing transparency and accountability. We explore the integration of smart contracts to automate key supply chain processes, such as quality assessment and payment settlement. Our solution not only strengthens the security of crop data but also streamlines the supply chain, reducing administrative overhead. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach through a practical implementation, highlighting the benefits of blockchain in agriculture supply chain management.

Supply chain research overview from the early eighties to Covid era – Big data approach based on Latent Dirichlet Allocation

In recent years, supply chain research has grown at a tremendous pace. Many review papers use systematic literature reviews to describe longer-term trends and perspectives. However, many of these studies analyze a limited number of documents, which does not always guarantee representativeness of results. This paper presents a smart bibliometric literature review of supply chain research. The objectives are: (i) to identify supply chain research interest and research impact across subject areas; (ii) to capture trends of supply chain research in the last four decades; (iii) to identify research domains related to supply chain and development of these research domains over time; (iv) to explore the impact of COVID-19 on areas of supply chain research. Authors process 116,759 documents related to supply chain research, published between 1969 and 2021, retrieved from the Scopus database. After providing statistics regarding research interest and research impact, they use a corpus of abstracts to perform topic modeling. Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) with Gibbs sampling, 13 research domains related to supply chain research are identified: Ecology; Food supply chain; IT support of supply chain; Retail-oriented supply chain; Risk and disruptive aspects of supply chain; Performance management; Value management and social aspect; Production; Sustainability & development; Models & optimization; Effective inventory management; Supply chain management systems; Supplier and logistic analytics. We also present the individual areas of supply chain research during COVID-19 pandemic.

Application of fuzzy methods in green and sustainable supply chains: critical insights from a systematic review and bibliometric analysis

PurposeThe main purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive review and critical insights of the application of fuzzy methods in modeling, assessing and understanding the various aspects of green and sustainable supply chains (SSCs).Design/methodology/approachThe present study conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis of 252 research articles. This study employs various tools such as VOSviewer version 1.6.10, Publish or Perish, Mendeley and Excel that aid in descriptive analysis, bibliometric analysis and network visualization. These tools have been used for performing citation analysis, top authors' analysis, co-occurrence of keywords, cluster and content analysis.FindingsThe authors have divided the literature into seven application areas and discussed detailed insights. This study has observed that research in the social sustainability area, including various issues like health and safety, labor rights, discrimination, etc. is scarce. Integration of the Industry 4.0 technologies like blockchain, big data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT) with the sustainable and green supply chain (GSC) is a promising field for future research.Originality/valueThe authors' contribution primarily lies in providing the integrated framework which shows the changing trends in the use of fuzzy methods in the sustainability area classifying and consolidating green and sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) literature in seven major areas where fuzzy methods are predominantly applied. These areas have been obtained after the analysis of clusters and content analysis of the literature presenting key insights from the past and developing the conceptual framework for future research studies.

Circular economy practices in supply chain finance: a state-of-the-art review

PurposeSupply chain finance is an emergent research area dealing with the financial performance of a firm throughout its supply chain. It has been drawing significant attention among industrial practitioners and researchers. However, there is need to identify improvements in supply chain finance (SCF) practices to ensure sustainable growth. In recent years, circular economy practices are being adopted worldwide with a motivation to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Moreover, integration of circular economy practices in the financial aspects of supply chain is still in infant age.Design/methodology/approachAdoption of circular SCF in firms enhances both restorative and regenerative capacities of the firm. In this regard, this study aims to review articles on circular practices in SCF. The study identified 329 articles related to circular practices and sustainable practices in SCF from the Scopus database. The shortlisted articles were reviewed and discussed.FindingsThe findings of the study help to recognize the most influential and productive research in circular SCF in terms of journals and trends. Further research is recommended to explore this area in depth to recognize potential integrating factors that help in smooth acceptance of circular finance in supply chains.Originality/valueBibliometric and network analyses were performed to identify research trends and networks in the field of circular SCF. In addition, emerging research themes in the field of circular SCF were identified and discussed, and research propositions are proposed to delineate future research directions.

Designing a vaccine supply chain network considering environmental aspects

In the fight against SARS-COV-2, the vaccine has become a ubiquitous preventive measure. Vaccination programs for COVID-19 are inadvertently creating large amounts of bio-medical and plastic waste, negatively impacting the environment. This perspective takes a critical stance regarding the waste generated by vaccines and the subsequent knock-on effects. Vaccine production and storage have contributed to global warming due to their environmental impacts. The vaccine supply chain (VSC), essential in global health due to its high relevance to humans, must be optimally designed and implemented to ensure high service levels at minimal cost and environmental concerns. This investigation aims to demonstrate a pattern of the green vaccine supply chain network (GVSCN) when the coronavirus was circulating. The presented model can illustrate a balance between environmental protection and economic growth during the epidemic. This model is sensitive to the economic and environmental impact structures. The cost includes the standard and hygiene costs. This study provides a multi-objective mixed-integer programming (MOMIP) problem. The multi-objective gray wolf optimizer (MOGWO) algorithm is utilized to address the developed model. The novelty and our contributions to the investigation on this topic are i) Suggesting a green vaccine supply chain network application model to demonstrate useful the trade-offs between two green supply chain aspects, ii) Designing the hygienic and safe network for the vaccine supply chain, iii) Developing economic indicators in the pandemic conditions, iv) Analyzing the impacts of vaccine supply chain activities on economy and environment. An actual case in Iran is also studied to probe the effectiveness of the proposed model.

High-technology within the supply chain: a systematic review

PurposeThis study systematically reviews the current state of research on the application of high technology in supply chain management (SCM). It identifies key topics, trends and influential scholars in this field, providing a knowledge structure for future research. This study contributes to advancing the understanding of how high technology can be leveraged to enhance SCM, guiding and informing future research endeavors.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive bibliometric analysis was conducted on 1,523 published articles retrieved from Web of Science. Through co-occurrence analysis of the titles, abstracts and keywords, the authors investigated popular research trends and topics. Through co-citation and co-authorship analyses, the authors identified leading research clusters, productive researchers and countries of the research.FindingsThere is a significant increase in publications by scholars from the USA, China and India on the impact of high technology on supply chains, particularly on food supply chains. Most articles examine the barriers and challenges of applying blockchain technology to different aspects of supply chains. Active contributions predominantly originate from scholars in the USA and China. The top five largest clusters are “supply chain management,” “scoping review,” “blockchain technology”, “food supply chains” and “management perception.”Originality/valueThis study represents the first systematic review establishing a comprehensive framework of knowledge on high technology and supply chains. Highlighting key research areas, tracing the evolution of research and explaining the knowledge structures pertaining to the role of high technology in supply chains, this study contributes to the existing literature and its findings hold practical implications for scholars and practitioners.

Big data-Industry 4.0 readiness factors for sustainable supply chain management: Towards circularity

Big data-Industry 4.0 interaction is expected to revolutionize the existing supply chains in recent years. While increased operational efficiency and enhanced decision-making are the primary advantages studied widely, the sustainable aspects of digital supply chain in the circular economy era have received limited attention. The previous literature rarely explores the industry readiness for a digital supply chain. Thus, the present study objectives to explore Big data-Industry 4.0 readiness factors for sustainable supply chain management. A detailed literature analysis was performed to identify a total of seventeen readiness factors for sustainable supply chain management. A team of six experts were consulted to perform the pairwise comparison for the identified potential readiness factors. This study adopts a fuzzy best-worst method to prioritize the readiness factors according to their degree of influence. The results from the study reflect that “readiness towards information system infrastructure”, “Internet stability for developing I4.0 infrastructure”, and “circular process and awareness” are the most significant readiness factors. The potential recommendation of this study includes the increased attention from sustainable supply chain stakeholders on developing infrastructure, including knowledge building exercise and training process focused on circular economy process. The findings from the study will assist sustainable supply chain stakeholders to frame strategies and action plans during the digitalization of supply chains.

Managing food security using blockchain-enabled traceability system

PurposeFood insecurity is a major concern for developing economies. Operational inadequacies get introduced with unorganized interactions among stakeholders in the food supply chain, affecting social, economic, environmental and operational (SEEO) aspects of a nation. This study analyzes India's largest food safety net program, Public Distribution System (PDS) and develops a perception-based model, mapping the root causes (of food insecurity) with possible solutions. The novelty lies in leveraging blockchain in the implementation of food traceability system.Design/methodology/approachSoft system methodology (SSM) is used to identify and analyze problems in PDS, leveraging the learning and inquiry process. It relies on system thinking and action research to create a defendable and rational model, which helps in proposing recommendations for addressing the problem.FindingsBlockchain-enabled food traceability system increases transparency, thus enabling the fulfillment of basic food necessities for beneficiaries.Practical implicationsThe proposed model enables policymakers to build a profound understanding of existing operational issues and provides insightful recommendations for making informed decisions to deal with the grave issue of food insecurity.Originality/valueUnlike previous studies, this research attempts to understand operational inefficiencies during interactions among stakeholders. It proposes a perception-based conceptual model for the final implementation at the ground level. It also reveals significance of three systems: a delivery system, an enabling system empowering delivery system and a criteria system to control and monitor processes. This study thus bridges an important gap in the literature by proposing a blockchain-driven traceability system, under the control of criteria system, through the integration of system-thinking and action-research approach.

Effective and Efficient Relief Supply Chain Management: A Case Study of Flood Relief-2022 in Sindh

In the backdrop of recent floods in Pakistan, this study focuses to identify the challenges faced in the aid distribution supply chain and envision best practices from Business Supply Chains for use across the relief projects. The argument is that relevant aspects of business supply chain can be applied for operational efficiency of relief supply chain. Using a mixed method approach, seven organizations based in Karachi were selected using purposive sampling method and data was collected using questionnaire having both open and closed ended questions. The quantitative data was analyzed using Microsoft excel and qualitative data was analyzed by thematic analysis. The findings of the study show that all the stakeholders agreed that coordination and collaboration in relief work can increase the effectiveness. The main challenges faced by them were inadequate financial resources, accessing the affected areas, duplication of the relief operation in same areas, as some of the areas got the attention of all relief actors while others got missed at a given time. The research suggests that by adapting CPFR model, Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment in the supply chain approach, combined effort and practices can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of relief work.