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This study explores the evolving dynamics of participatory accountability within humanitarian contexts, where digitally connected crisis-affected populations demand better accountability from aid organisations, and as a result, shift traditional hierarchies and relationships between humanitarian agencies and beneficiaries.

This study employs a case study approach, focussing on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to investigate how participatory accountability manifests outside formal practices and re-emerges in social media spaces. The study analyses internal organisational challenges and explores the implications of digital platforms on humanitarian practices. The authors employ Chouliaraki and Georgiou's (2015, 2019, 2022) networks of mediation, particularly intermediation and transmediation, to understand how digital expressions translate to offline contexts and reshape meanings and actions.

The study reveals that social media platforms enable beneficiaries to demand participatory accountability beyond traditional practices, democratising humanitarian response and challenging power structures. These effects are multifaceted, introducing enhanced democratic and inclusive humanitarian aid as well as new vulnerabilities. Digital intermediaries and gatekeepers play pivotal roles in curating and disseminating crisis-affected voices, which, when transmediated, result in nuanced meanings and understandings. Positive effects include capturing the potential of digital networks for democratic aid, while negative effects give rise to moral responsibilities, necessitating proactive measures from the ICRC.

This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the impact of digital technology, particularly social media, on participatory accountability. It expands the understanding of the evolving landscape of accountability within the humanitarian sector and offers critical insights into the complexities and dual purposes of participatory accountability in contexts of resistance. Employing Chouliaraki and Georgiou's networks of mediation adds depth to the understanding of digital technology's role in shaping participatory practices and introduces the concept of transmediation as a bridge between digital expressions and tangible actions.

The purpose of this study is to examine various data sources to identify trends and themes in humanitarian supply chain management (HSCM) in the digital age.

In this study, various data sources such as published literature and social media content from Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and forums are used to identify trending topics and themes on HSCM using topic modelling.

The study examined 33 published literature and more than 94,000 documents, including tweets and expert opinions, and identified eight themes related to HSCM in the digital age namely “Digital technology enabled global partnerships”, “Digital tech enabled sustainability”, “Digital tech enabled risk reduction for climate changes and uncertainties”, “Digital tech enabled preparedness, response and resilience”, “Digital tech enabled health system enhancement”, “Digital tech enabled food system enhancement”, “Digital tech enabled ethical process and systems” and “Digital tech enabled humanitarian logistics”. The study also proposed a framework of drivers, processes and impacts for each theme and directions for future research.

Previous research has predominantly relied on published literature to identify emerging themes and trends on a particular topic. This study is unique because it examines the ability of social media sources such as blogs, websites, forums and published literature to reveal evolving patterns and trends in HSCM in the digital age.

Big data analytics has emerged as one of the most used keywords in the digital world. The hype surrounding the buzz has led everyone to believe that big data analytics is the panacea for all evils. As the insights into this new field are growing and the world is discovering novel ways to apply big data, the need for caution has become increasingly important. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a literature review in the field of big data application for humanitarian relief and highlight the challenges of using big data for humanitarian relief missions.

This paper conducts a review of the literature of the application of big data in disaster relief operations. The methodology of literature review adopted in the paper was proposed by Mayring (2004) and is conducted in four steps, namely, material collection, descriptive analysis, category selection and material evaluation.

This paper summarizes the challenges that can affect the humanitarian logistical missions in case of over dependence on the big data tools. The paper emphasizes the need to exercise caution in applying digital humanitarianism for relief operations.

Most published research is focused on the benefits of big data describing the ways it will change the humanitarian relief horizon. This is an original paper that puts together the wisdom of the numerous published works about the negative effects of big data in humanitarian missions.

This study proposes a digital humanitarianism dynamic capability (DHDC) paradigm that explores the direct effects of DHDC on disaster risk reduction (DRR) and the mediating effects of process-oriented dynamic capabilities (PODC) on the relationship between DHDC and DRR.

To validate the proposed model, the authors used an offline survey to gather data from 260 district magistrates in India managing the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results affirm the importance of the DHDC system for DRR. The findings depict that the impact of PODC on DRR in the DHDC system is negligible. This study can help policymakers in planning during emergencies.

Technological innovation has reshaped the way humanitarian organizations (HOs) respond to humanitarian crises. These organizations are able to provide immediate aid to affected communities through digital humanitarianism (DH), which involves significant innovations to match the specific needs of people in real-time through online platforms. Despite the growing need for DH, there is still limited know-how regarding how to leverage such technological concepts into disaster management. Moreover, the impact of DH on DRR is rarely examined.

The present study examines the impact of the dynamic capabilities of HOs on DRR by applying the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capability theory (DCT).

The study explores the role of dialogic public communication and information quality (IQ) in evaluating the operational performance of donation-based crowdfunding (DBC) tasks. These tasks are primarily used to support disaster relief operations. The authors also test the influence of cognitive trust and swift trust as moderating variables in explaining the relationship between both IQ and dialogic communication with operational performance.

The authors used a primary survey to test the hypotheses. A total of 203 responses were collected from multiple crowdfunding platforms. The authors used archival data from task creators on donation-based crowdfunding platforms, and a structured questionnaire is also used to collect responses. Data are analyzed using Warp PLS 6.0. Warp PLS 6.0 works on the principle of partial least square (PLS) structured equation modeling (SEM) and has been used widely to test path analytical models.

The authors found out that the operational performance is explained significantly by the quality of information and its association with dialogic public communication. The results support the arguments offered by dialogic public communication theory and trust transfer theory in assessing the operational success of DBC. The study also confirms that cognitive trust positively moderates the relationship between IQ and organizational public dialogic communication and operational performance. It is also revealed that the duration of the DBC task has no significant control over dialogic public communication.

The study lays practical foundations for task creators on DBC platforms and website designers as it sets the importance of both IQ and dialogic communication channels. The communication made by the task creator and/or the DBC platforms with the donors and potential donors in the form of timely and appropriate information forms the key to the success of any DBC task. The study also helps task creators choose a suitable platform to improve performance.

The authors propose a unique framework by integrating two theoretical perspectives: dialogic public relation theory and trust transfer theory in understanding the operational performance of donation-based crowdfunding tasks. The authors address DBC tasks catering to disaster relief operations by collecting responses from task creators on DBC platforms. The study uniquely positions itself in the area of information and communication.

This article examines the leadership vision, values and vigilance of an emerging markets logistics firm in managing customer and humanitarian concerns and critical supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study explores how an emerging markets firm has contributed to global supply chain mobility and vaccine distribution in the pandemic – keeping cargo moving – drawing on vision, values and vigilance, including attention to the innovation momentum of the firm.

The article concentrates on an exemplar firm, leader and management team to illustrate challenges of helmsmanship during the pandemic for an emerging markets firm, Agility, that operates worldwide in numerous developed and developing economy markets. The article develops a case study analyzing how Agility has met the simultaneous challenges for innovation and transformation in the digital revolution and navigation through the crisis times of the global pandemic. The analysis derives from direct management communications, corporate documents and media sources.

The vision, values and vigilance of the leadership, with emphasis on digital innovations and disruptions, digital supply chains, humanitarian partnerships, focusing both globally and on emerging markets, and nurturing smaller as well as larger businesses, have enabled the firm to thrive. Given the importance of global supply chains during COVID-19, Agility is a pivotal example of partnering with governments and pharmaceutical companies worldwide in delivering the new array of vaccines, as well as personal protective equipment and other medical supplies, in the battle against the pandemic. Agility in addition illustrates the strategic value of partnering with other logistics firms in humanitarian collaborations as well as in business strategy transactions.

The article contributes to the emergent research stream on leadership, innovation and internationalization in the Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council and Middle East North Africa (GCC/MENA) region and more generally on the strengths and proficiencies of emerging market firms and leaders. Future research could examine additional firms, industries or regions of the world during the pandemic or other crisis contexts. Further data sources and analyses can be used in validating and extending the findings.

Digital supply chains, humanitarian partnerships and an emphasis on digital communications, storage and transportation innovations can benefit firms from all regions of the world during the global pandemic and other crises, as well as in normal operations.

Emerging markets represent the majority of global population and economic growth, as well as of pandemic cases and mortality risk, signifying the importance of leadership, collaboration and innovation around issues such as vaccine delivery into emerging markets regions of the world.

The article takes a revelatory case perspective in the pandemic crisis context from a unique foundation of immersive field research and data access in the GCC/MENA) region.

The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to investigate the role of big data and predictive analytics (BDPA) and social capital on the performance of humanitarian supply chains (HSCs); second, to explore the different performance measurement frameworks and develop a conceptual model for an HSC context that can be used by humanitarian organizations; and third, to provide insights for future research direction.

After a detailed review of relevant literature, grounded in resource-based view and social capital theory, the paper proposes a conceptual model that depicts the influence of BDPA and social capital on the performance of an HSC.

The study deliberates that BDPA as a capability improves the effectiveness of humanitarian missions to achieve its goals. It uncovers the fact that social capital binds people, organization or a country to form a network and has a critical role in the form of monetary or non-monetary support in disaster management. Further, it argues that social capital combined with BDPA capability can result in a better HSC performance.

The proposed model integrating BDPA and social capital for HSC performance is conceptual and it needs to be empirically validated.

Organizations and practitioners may use this framework by mobilizing social capital, BDPA to enhance their abilities to help victims of calamities.

Findings from study can help improve coordination among different stakeholders in HSC, effectiveness of humanitarian operations, which means lives saved and faster reconstruction process after disaster. Second, by implementing performance measurements framework recommended by study, donors and other stakeholders will get much desired transparency at each stage of HSCs.

The findings contribute to the missing link of social capital and BDPA to the existing performance of HSC literature, finally leading to a better HSC performance.

When catastrophic disasters recently occurred, digital volunteer networks formed by the public emerged across the globe. They aggregated, analyzed and visualized disaster data. Those volunteer networks sometimes shared their data with formal response organizations. Such data sharing and integration increased the capacity of formal response organizations for dealing with disasters. However, despite the emergence and contributions of digital volunteer networks, the literature has been focused primarily on the role of formal response organizations such as emergency management agencies and the Red Cross. The purpose of this paper is to describe how technical and organizational factors influence collaboration between digital volunteer networks and formal response organizations.

This research employs a case study method, focusing on the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

This study found that information technology and a shared understanding of disaster situations and how to address disasters are key determinants of collaboration between digital volunteer networks and formal response organizations.

This research is expected to contribute to building an integrated emergency response system in the information age.

Studies which look at disaster affected people’s use of communications technologies often fail to take into account people’s communication rights in their analyses, particularly their right to freedom of expression. The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to this issue by exploring the link between freedom of expression, community participation and disaster risk reduction in the use of digital feedback channels offered by aid and government agencies in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan.

Ethnographic fieldwork was undertaken in the Philippines between 2014 and 2015 in Tacloban City and Sabay Island, both in the Visayas, which have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan. A total of 101 in-depth interviews were conducted with affected people, local and national officials, community leaders, civil society groups, telecommunications companies and humanitarian agencies.

The interviews reveal that majority of disaster-affected Filipinos chose not to engage with formal feedback platforms offered by government and aid agencies out of fear of giving critical feedback to those in authority. They were concerned about the possibility of losing their entitlement to aid, of being reprimanded by government officers, and of the threat to their lives and of their loved ones if they expressed criticism to the government’s recovery efforts. Nonetheless, 15 per cent used backchannels while 10 per cent availed of the formal means to express their views about the recovery.

The paper sought to draw links between people’s lack of engagement with the formal feedback mechanisms offered by government and aid agencies in the wake of Haiyan and the restrictive sociopolitical environment in the Philippines. Further research could be undertaken to examine how freedom of expression plays a role in disaster prevention and mitigation. Research into this area could potentially provide concrete steps to help prevent the occurrence of disasters and mitigate their impacts.

Freedom of expression and its place in disaster risk reduction is rarely explored in disaster studies. The paper addresses this oversight by examining the lack of engagement by communities affected by Haiyan with digital feedback channels provided by aid agencies and government. The findings suggest that despite the provisions for community participation in DRR under the Philippine Disaster Law, people are prevented to express criticism and dissent which puts into question the spirit and purpose of the law.