Operations Management and Decision Making in Deployment of an On-Site Biological Analytical Capacity

Deployment of an on-site laboratory to contain an expanding outbreak and protect public health through rapid diagnosis of infected patients and identification of their contacts is a challenging and complex response, further complicated by time limitation and dramatic consequences of failure. Effective operations management and decision-making are critical for a successful Fieldable Laboratory (FL) mission at each phase of the mission. To analyze the principles and challenges of the operations management and associated decision-making process, the FL mission has been broken down into five successive interlinked phases defined as the “FL mission cycle” (FL-MC). Each phase comprises a set of operational functions (OFs) corresponding to the mission activities. Some decisions are associated with a single OF, whereas others are taken across different OFs and FL-MC phases. All decisions are treated as logical entities inherently linked to each other and to the whole situational context within the FL operational domain. Being part of the laboratory information management system (LIMS), the FL domain ontology is developed as the main knowledge management tool supporting the decision-making process. This is an essential way to promote interoperability and scalability between different FL modules and health care capacities during cross-border biological crises

Digital Peacekeepers, Drone Surveillance and Information Fusion: A Philosophical Analysis of New Peacekeeping

In June 2014 an Expert Panel on Technology and Innovation in UN Peacekeeping was commissioned to examine how technology and innovation could strengthen peacekeeping missions. The panel\u27s report argues for wider deployment of advanced technologies, including greater use of ground and airborne sensors and other technical sources of data, advanced data analytics and information fusion to assist in data integration. This article explores the emerging intelligence-led, informationist conception of UN peacekeeping against the backdrop of increasingly complex peacekeeping mandates and precarious security conditions. New peacekeeping with its heightened commitment to information as a political resource and the endorsement of offensive military action within robust mandates reflects the multiple and conflicting trajectories generated by asymmetric conflicts, the responsibility to protect and a technology-driven information revolution. We argue that the idea of peacekeeping is being revised (and has been revised) by realities beyond peacekeeping itself that require rethinking the morality of peacekeeping in light of the emergence of \u27digital peacekeeping\u27 and the knowledge revolution engendered by new technologies

The role of information management in the standardization of humanitarian logistics, what impact it has in the emergency structure, a case study analysis of man-made crises in Maiduguri.

openLe crescenti crisi provocate dall'uomo hanno causato la perdita di vite umane, proprietà e risorse. La prontezza e la capacità di risposta delle organizzazioni non governative hanno lo scopo di ridurre al minimo queste perdite. INTERSOS è un importante operatore di emergenza che opera in contesti multi e intersettoriali per raggiungere i gruppi sociali più vulnerabili. Tenendo conto di ciò, l'obiettivo è quello di esplorare in che misura la loro gestione delle conoscenze abbia portato a miglioramenti significativi nella gestione della crisi umanitaria nel nostro caso di studio: Maiduguri (Stato di Borno, Nigeria) e si fonde con quella di altre organizzazioni, al fine di proporre un modello che potrebbe ottimizzare la loro maturità di gestione della conoscenza attraverso le risorse sociali incorporate nella loro struttura e sottolinea il ruolo cruciale della logistica e della gestione della catena di approvvigionamento nel contesto umanitario. Nello specifico, il documento confronterà la risposta sul campo, attraverso l'analisi dei report degli ultimi anni di INTERSOS, nella risposta alle emergenze causate dall'uomo; ciò avverrà attraverso lo studio approfondito dei casi, attraverso le informazioni fornite periodicamente dagli operatori dell'organizzazione sulla base degli indici parametrici MEAL (monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning). L'efficienza della risposta in queste dinamiche non è esclusivamente circostanziale, ma dipende in larga misura dalle iniziative e dai complementi di molteplici agenzie che regolano le procedure in campo umanitario, ad esempio: HNPW, HLN, SPHERE e altre. Lo studio prenderà in considerazione la forma di aiuto dipendente dal contesto (Nfi, kit per la dignità, assistenza in denaro), ma anche la difficoltà di approccio in queste situazioni, dovuta in primo luogo al controllo delle politiche internazionali e a pratiche spesso troppo vincolanti per gli operatori umanitari, nonché alla difficoltà di mantenere una storia di dati uniforme e funzionale.The ever-increasing man-made crysis have been causing the loss of lives, properties and resources. The preparedness and response ability of non-governmental organizations is aimed to minimize these losses. INTERSOS is an important emergency actor that operates in ecosystems of multi and cross-sector stakeholders in order to reach the most vulnerable social groups. Having this in mind, the goal is to explore to what extent their knowledge management led to significant improvements in the management of the humanitarian crisis in our case study: Maiduguri (Borno State, Nigeria) and merges with that of other organizations in order to propose a model that could optimize their knowledge management maturity through social resources embedded into their structure and underlines the crucial role of logistics and supply chain management in the humanitarian context. Specifically, the paper will compare the field response, through the analysis of INTERSOS last years reports in emergency response to human caused crises; this will be accomplished through the in-depth, case study through the information that is provided periodically by the organization operators based on MEAL (monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning) parametric indices. Response efficiency in these dynamics is not exclusively circumstantial but depends greatly on the initiatives and complements of multiple agencies that regulate procedures in the humanitarian field for example: HNPW, HLN, SPHERE and others. The study will consider the context-dependent form of aid (nfi, dignity kits, cash assistance) but also the difficulty of approach in these situations due first to international policy control and practices that are often too constraining for humanitarian workers, as well as the difficulty of maintaining a uniform and functional data history

APPLYING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR IMPROVING SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND THREAT MONITORING AT SEA AS KEY FACTOR FOR SUCCESS IN NAVAL OPERATION

The vast and dynamic maritime domain demands constant observance and accurate information for successful naval operations. However, traditional methods struggle to keep pace with the ever-increasing complexity and data overflow. The paper explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents a transformative opportunity, significantly impacting naval operation by enhancing Situational awareness (SA) and Threat monitoring (TM). It is analyzed the impact of AI across three key areas: enhanced data processing and analysis, improved anomaly detection and predictive capabilities, and real-time decision support. By analyzing key principles, tactics, and procedures for AI implementation, it is explored the process how these capabilities can convert into practical applications and benefits. Examples like AI-powered maritime surveillance and predictive systems for naval assets demonstrate solid benefits of this technological progress. Additionally, in the paper are envisioned future operational scenarios where AI-driven autonomous systems and dynamic route optimization become commonplace. The analysis demonstrates how AI can be a critical factor in moving naval operations into a new era of efficiency and proactive threat management. However, responsible development and ethical considerations remain of paramount importance

Using an Integrated Humanitarian Supply Chain EPR System to Improve Refugee Flow Management:A Conceptual Framework and Validation

Effective coordination of relief efforts of organizations in the Humanitarian Supply Chain (HSC) is a challenge facing various organizations and stakeholders. Despite the importance of information sharing along the HSC, limited previous studies attempted to develop feasible information systems capable of facilitating the effective resource planning and inter-organizational coordination for better relief actions. This study proposes an integrated HSC Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that utilizes the capabilities of the existing Maritime Transport Security Information Systems so as to improve lean operations of HSCs, and to optimize resources planning and usage during the stochastic assignment of accepting refugees and accommodating them in their journey to safer destinations. This paper introduces the conceptual framework of this integrated ERP system and validates the feasibility of this framework in the context of the Greek refugee crisis, involving perspectives of stakeholders in the Greek refugee crisis

On the Value of Accurate Demand Information in Public-Private Emergency Collaborations

In cases where the private sector struggles to cope with the impact of a disaster, authorities try to reduce the burden on the population and set up supply chains to distribute essential goods. Therefore, they estimate demand and location of the affected people and open points of distribution to supply goods from, e.g. public buildings or sports facilities. However, the location of these points of distribution depends heavily on accurate demand estimations. Combined with a high time pressure that prevents the collection of detailed data, inefficient decisions result. However, these decisions improve significantly if private actors share their market knowledge. Since this information is strictly confidential for companies and at the same time requires a lot of coordination effort from public actors to acquire, the quantification of the benefits of the collaboration is important for both sides. Moreover, the time at which the information is received and the way the information is utilized regarding different intervention intensities is supposed to be crucial. Therefore, we develop a framework to quantify the consequences of shared information for both actors and apply it to a case study for a tap water contamination in the city of Berlin. We highlight that both actors benefit from the collaboration and that the time the information is received has a comparably low effect on the total supply. Moreover, we show that private actors can reduce the impact of market interventions on their processes significantly by actively collaborating with authorities

A versatile force: the future of Australia's special operations capability

This study aims to provide an understanding of the Australian Defence Force\u27s special operations capability and what it offers to government in both peace and wartime. Summary Over the past decade, the demands of the ADF’s global and regional operations saw an unprecedented growth in Australia’s special operations capability. Indeed, Special Operations Forces became the ‘capability of choice’ for the Australian Government. However, as the ADF enters a period of transition from almost constant high-tempo operations to what might be a ‘soft power decade’, there’s a need to consider the future of the capability. Against this background, this study aims to inform policy decisions by providing an understanding of the special operations capability and what it offers to government in both peace and wartime. It argues against possible temptations to cut the capability. In a changing strategic environment, Special Operations Forces will continue to be an important instrument of Australian defence policy. The study entails a number of concrete policy recommendations to strengthen and readjust the special operations capability for a new era

Emergency Messaging to General Public via Public Wireless Networks

Warnings to the broad population in an emergency situation, irrespective of location and condition, is a public policy responsibility. Public wireless networks offer now the opportunity to deliver emergency warnings in this way with explanations, because in many countries the mobile penetration rates are higher than any other access form .The paper summarizes the analysis of the selection process between Short messaging services (SMS) and Cell Broadcast messaging in the context of Denmark based on end user requirements and stakeholder roles. It demonstrates the many technical, cost-benefit and other trade-offs needed in supporting the population now with a dependable and wide-spread technology.SMS;cell broadcast (CB);emergency warnings;public wireless networks