22,802 research outputs found
Research Directions in Information Systems for Humanitarian Logistics
This article systematically reviews the literature on using IT (Information Technology) in humanitarian logistics focusing on disaster relief operations. We first discuss problems in humanitarian relief logistics. We then identify the stage and disaster type for each article as well as the articleâs research methodology and research contribution. Finally, we identify potential future research directions
Building Information Modeling as Tool for Enhancing Disaster Resilience of the Construction Industry
As frequencies of the disasters are increasing, new technologies can be used to enhance
disaster resilience performance of the construction industry. This paper investigates
the usage of BIM (Building Information Modeling) in enhancing disaster resilience of
the construction industry and in the establishment of the resilient built environment.
In-depth literature review findings reveal BIMâs contribution to the disaster resilience in the
pre-disaster and post-disaster phases especially through influencing the performance of
the supply chain, construction process, and rescue operations. This paper emphasises
the need for BIMâs integration to the education and training curriculums of the built
environment professionals. Policy makers, construction professionals, professional
bodies, academics can benefit from this research
The Role of Transportation in Campus Emergency Planning, MTI Report 08-06
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina created the greatest natural disaster in American history. The states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama sustained significant damage, including 31 colleges and universities. Other institutions of higher education, most notably Louisiana State University (LSU), became resources to the disaster area. This is just one of the many examples of disaster impacts on institutions of higher education. The Federal Department of Homeland Security, under Homeland Security Presidential Directiveâ5, requires all public agencies that want to receive federal preparedness assistance to comply with the National Incident Management System (NIMS), which includes the creation of an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). Universities, which may be victims or resources during disasters, must write NIMSâcompliant emergency plans. While most university emergency plans address public safety and logistics management, few adequately address the transportation aspects of disaster response and recovery. This MTI report describes the value of integrating transportation infrastructure into the campus emergency plan, including planning for helicopter operations. It offers a list of materials that can be used to educate and inform campus leadership on campus emergency impacts, including books about the Katrina response by LSU and Tulane Hospital, contained in the reportÂŽs bibliography. It provides a complete set of Emergency Operations Plan checklists and organization charts updated to acknowledge lessons learned from Katrina, 9/11 and other wideâscale emergencies. Campus emergency planners can quickly update their existing emergency management documents by integrating selected annexes and elements, or create new NIMSâcompliant plans by adapting the complete set of annexes to their universityÂŽs structures
Big data and humanitarian supply networks: Can Big Data give voice to the voiceless?
This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright © 2013 IEEE.Billions of US dollars are spent each year in emergency aid to save lives and alleviate the suffering of those affected by disaster. This aid flows through a humanitarian system that consists of governments, different United Nations agencies, the Red Cross movement and myriad non-governmental organizations (NGOs). As scarcer resources, financial crisis and economic inter-dependencies continue to constrain humanitarian relief there is an increasing focus from donors and governments to assess the impact of humanitarian supply networks. Using commercial (`for-profit') supply networks as a benchmark; this paper exposes the counter-intuitive competition dynamic of humanitarian supply networks, which results in an open-loop system unable to calibrate supply with actual need and impact. In that light, the phenomenon of Big Data in the humanitarian field is discussed and an agenda for the `datafication' of the supply network set out as a means of closing the loop between supply, need and impact
Cross-collaborative supply chains. How logistics services contribute to social responsibility.
Abstract
Purpose - The collaboration between profit and nonprofit entities has become a burning topic in
supply chain management studies and corporate strategies. The worldâs largest logistics service
providers (LSPs) have been developing several practices improving social responsibility while
collaborating with nonprofit actors. In particular, their core competences and offered services
become extremely relevant in the context of humanitarian logistics initiatives. A key purpose of
this article is to examine the projects currently undertaken by LSPs in humanitarian logistics.
Methodology/Approach - This research follows a qualitative approach based on multiple case
studies.
Findings - The paper provides an overview of the leading LSPsâ involvement in humanitarian
logistics and presents an analysis of their current âbest practicesâ services in disaster relief with
high impact in terms of social responsibility.
Research Limitations/implications - There has been increased interest on the part of international
academic and professional communities in humanitarian logistics. This study constitutes
a platform for benchmarking analysis of logistics services to assure effective implementation of
social responsibility principles.
Originality/Value of paper - Humanitarian logistics is a rather new field in logistics management.
This paper addresses the innovative socially responsible initiatives undertaken by the
main international LSPs in the area of humanitarian logistics.
Keywords - logistics services, logistics service providers, humanitarian logistics and supply
chain management, disaster relief, social responsibility, profit/nonprofit collaboration
Type of paper - Research pape
The impact of Mean Time Between Disasters on inventory pre-positioning strategy
Purpose - This paper addresses the impact of Mean Time Between Disasters (MTBD) to inventory pre-positioning strategy of medical supplies prior to a sudden-onset disaster
Humanitarian Supply Chain/Logistics: Roadmap to Effective Relief Effort
Between the years of 2000 and 2012, natural disasters caused 1.7 trillion dollars in damage and affected 2.9 billion people (dosomething.org). In Americas (ranked second globally in terms of natural disasters) between 2007 and 2016, disasters caused 255,033 deaths, 898,816 injuries and damages worth 175 billion in damage with 8,700 lives (Munich RE, 2017). The above numbers reflect the amount of physical destruction only but do not include indirect losses such as unemployment, environmental consequences, and business disruptions. Therefore, the full impact of these catastrophic events is much greater than these numbers suggest. Response to and management of disaster relief supply chain is different from that of commercial supply chain/logistics in many aspects. Since humanitarian relief efforts depend to a large extent on international donors and the donors usually respond well to emergency, a well thought out long term strategic plan to relive human suffering is not well established. But studies indicate that investment in the planning stage of humanitarian supply chain is much more effective and saves many lives than spending on the operation side of relief efforts.
This paper explores alternative ways to respond and manage humanitarian relief efforts utilizing the principles of commercial supply chain. More specifically, this paper addresses/outlines the process to improve relief outcomes by investing in the prepared stage of humanitarian supply chain
Operations research in disaster preparedness and response: The public health perspective
Operations research is the scientific study of operations for the purpose of better decision making and management. Disasters are defined as events whose consequences exceed the capability of civil protection and public health systems to provide necessary responses in a timely manner. Public health science is applied to the design of operations of public health services and therefore operations research principles and techniques can be applied in public health. Disaster response quantitative methods such as operations research addressing public health are important tools for planning effective responses to disasters. Models address a variety of decision makers (e.g. first responders, public health officials), geographic settings, strategies modelled (e.g. dispensing, supply chain network design, prevention or mitigation of disaster effects, treatment) and outcomes evaluated (costs, morbidity, mortality, logistical outcomes) and use a range of modelling methodologies. Regarding natural disasters the modelling approaches have been rather limited. Response logistics related to public health impact of disasters have been modelled more intensively since decisions about procurement, transport, stockpiling, and maintenance of needed supplies but also mass vaccination, prophylaxis, and treatment are essential in the emergency management. Major issues at all levels of disaster response decision making, including long-range strategic planning, tactical response planning, and real-time operational support are still unresolved and operations research can provide useful techniques for decision management.-JRC.G.2-Global security and crisis managemen
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