Humanitarian Logistics

Citation

Steele, P. and Beamon, B. (2012), "Humanitarian Logistics", Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Vol. 2 No. 1, pp. 9-11. https://doi.org/10.1108/20426741211226028

A practitioner perspective

I was excited to learn about the publication of a new book about humanitarian logistics. During a long career, I have struggled to find publications relevant to the humanitarian context but I am pleased that publishers are now giving the sector the attention it deserves.

“Humanitarian Logistics” highlights the importance of the professionalization of humanitarian logistics and it is an important step toward that goal. It will be popular with students, teachers, and academics: anyone who is looking for an introductory text about the complexity and challenges of logistics in the humanitarian sector. It is not a practical guide but practitioners may find something to interest them also.

Tomasini and van Wassenhove based the publication on their work at the INSEAD business school. van Wassenhove holds the Henry Ford Chair of Manufacturing at INSEAD where he created the INSEAD Social Innovation Centre and acted as academic director until September 2010. Tomasini joined INSEAD in 2002 to help develop research in the area of disaster management. The book reflects the subjects of research at INSEAD: the UN agencies (Joint Logistics Centre and World Food Program); the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent; and FUNDESUMA. Some readers may wish for a broader perspective that includes other NGOs to give a more balanced view of the humanitarian sector.

The authors begin by explaining the humanitarian principles and the complex situations that supply‐chain managers have to work in. In the following chapters they introduce key concepts of logistics and supply‐chain management including preparedness, coordination, information management, knowledge management, and building a successful partnership. Their book reflects the evolution from “logistics as an activity to supply chain management as a necessary function in integrating complex global networks.”

The book neglects the relationship between the humanitarian supply chain and the development supply chain: between short‐term emergency relief and long‐term development. In particular, I would have liked to read about the development supply chain and preparedness to respond to potential crises and about the post‐crisis transition from recovery to development.

Since the Asian Tsunami, there has been much effort to improve humanitarian logistics. I hope that future editions of “Humanitarian Logistics” will include recent advances such as the UN Cluster Reforms, the Humanitarian Logistics System, Helios, and the Humanitarian Logistics Certification Program.

Chapter seven is devoted to partnerships between humanitarian and corporate organizations. This seems to me to be the area in which the authors are most knowledgeable. They are comfortable presenting many ideas based on their own research that can benefit both the humanitarian and private sectors. It is a new area that is still evolving and, personally, I learnt a lot from this chapter. I hope that Tomasini and van Wassenhove will continue to research and write about the role of private‐sector partnerships in humanitarian logistics and what factors contribute toward a successful relationship. I would like to know more about what the private sector has brought to the table and how its contribution can be measured.

Readers who expect a guide to logistics activities such as transport or warehousing will be disappointed: this is not a manual for logisticians. What readers will find is a clear presentation of the key concepts of the humanitarian supply chain. The book is easy to read and presented in a simple language suitable for those whose first language is not English. The book size and layout also make it an easy read. Those with much experience of humanitarian logistics may prefer a book with more depth. Nonetheless, given the importance of the topic and the value of the material, many will find this a worthwhile read and it could inspire a new generation of supply‐chain managers in the humanitarian sector.

Pamela Steele, Executive Doctorate Researcher, Cranfield University, UK

A researcher and educator's review

Luk van Wassenhove has made a substantial and sustained contribution to humanitarian relief logistics research and practice, and seeks to continue this work in this single volume, written with Rolando Tomasini, intended to develop a general understanding of logistics in a humanitarian setting. First, the authors describe fundamental supply‐chain management concepts, and then move on to describing humanitarian relief and its unique logistical challenges. The authors conclude by analyzing opportunities for shared learning through collaboration between the domains of commercial supply‐chain management and supply‐chain management in humanitarian logistics.

The subject matter is important; logistical methods employed during a disaster could mean the difference between life and death. The topic is also challenging; the relief domain engages a diverse set of actors with differing (often conflicting) motives, abilities, philosophies, leadership, and power. The exposition of the book is somewhat informal throughout, making it accessible to most readers. While the book seems to be geared toward logistics managers in relief organizations, it may also prove beneficial to new researchers and educators in the field, as it highlights many of the unique characteristics and key issues in relief logistics. An aspect of the book that I found particularly helpful was the use of examples, used liberally throughout to highlight and clarify key points.

The theme of the book is integration. The importance of integration at all levels and during all aspects of disaster preparedness and relief execution are emphasized throughout all seven chapters, and this theme is woven within the various topics of discussion. The first chapter is a general primer on commercial supply‐chain management: key concepts, flows, design, and management. The chapter then describes the unique characteristics of a humanitarian supply chain, and opportunities for cross‐learning between commercial and humanitarian supply chains. The second chapter describes the humanitarian domain; in particular, the chapter defines the term “humanitarian,” describes the three principles of humanitarianism (humanity, neutrality, and impartiality), and highlights key challenges in humanitarian relief. In the third chapter, the authors use a particularly impressive and interesting set of key examples to help explain how strategic planning (preparedness) is necessary for successful relief operations (relief execution, or response). The authors go on to describe the challenges to and critical components in effective preparedness. Coordination is the focus of the fourth chapter. Again, through the use of excellent examples, the authors highlight the need for coordination, the coordination hierarchy, and the challenges to effective coordination. The fifth chapter focusses on information management, in particular, the three dimensions of relief chain information (visibility, transparency, and accountability), detailing the importance of each. Chapter six focusses on the creation, management, importance, and sharing of knowledge in the relief chain, and concludes with an explanation of why knowledge sharing is difficult in humanitarian relief. Successful partnerships in the humanitarian supply chain are the foci of the seventh and final chapter. This chapter describes the nature and benefits of cross‐sector (i.e. commercial and humanitarian supply chain) partnerships, paying particular attention to the types of partnerships and why such partnerships can be challenging. Finally, the authors include a research agenda as an epilogue to the book.

Overall, the book is intended to be elementary, primarily containing the fundamentals of relief logistics. However, the authors’ use of examples, gleaned from years of experience in the humanitarian relief sector, bring a unique richness to these fundamentals. As a researcher, I would have appreciated inclusion of a greater number of refereed journal articles associated with each of the topics covered, thereby appealing to a wider audience. However, as a humanitarian logistics educator, I am certain that I will find much of this book useful for inclusion in my class. This book is an important contribution to the field of humanitarian relief; within a single volume, it provides the most comprehensive overview I know that describing the characteristics and challenges of managing flow in a relief environment. It will, no doubt, prove to be useful for new researchers in humanitarian relief, managing practitioners, educators, and students.

Dr Benita Beamon, University of Washington, USA