Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Dublin Institute of Technology

ARROW@DIT
Articles School of Management

1-1-2010

(Le)agility in Humanitarian Aid Supply Chains
Kirstin Scholten
Dublin Institute of Technology, [e-mail]

Pamela Sharkey Scott
Dublin Institute of Technology

Brian Fynes
Smurfit School of Business, University College Dublin

Recommended Citation
Scholten, K., Sharkey Scott, P., Fynes, B. Le)agility in humanitarian aid (NGO) supply International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management Volume: 40 Issue: 8/9 2010

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(Le)Agility in Humanitarian Aid Supply Chains
Kirstin Scholten and Pamela Sharkey Scott Faculty of Business, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland, and Brian Fynes Smurfit School of Business, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Abstract Purpose - This paper explores the concept of agility in the context of supply chains of humanitarian aid (HA) organizations, particularly Non Government Organizations (NGOs). This responds to the increasing pressure on NGOs to use their resources more strategically if they are to gain donor trust and long term commitment.

Design/ Methodology/Approach - A literature based approach that extends the commercial supply chain concept of agility to NGOs is combined with the first exploratory semi structured interviews of these concepts with five NGO supply chain directors.

Findings – The commercial concept of agility when responding to disaster relief holds strong potential for increasing efficiency and effectiveness, but this application is restrained by the absence of supporting Information Technology (IT) and the relegation of supply chain management (SCM) to the ‘back office’ by NGOs. This has potential implications for

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