Humanitarian Supply Chain

According to research International Disaster Database has proved that there has been an increase of disasters globally both natural and human-made which are resulted by various factors. It has resulted in an emergence of new companies both public and private however, they are adequately not enough yet. Relief organizations and private companies need to cooperate to improve the efficiency of supply chains and help in delivering help for those who are in need effectively. Wal-Mart’s is an excellent example of a company that has invested in humanitarian supply especially during a hurricane in Katrina. The company effectively contributed to helping the communities that were affected which consequently resulted in creating a good image of the company’s name but most importantly it generated help for the affected communities. (Burkart et al., p31) Companies should cooperate or develop partnerships which will effectively create more programs to increase aid in domestic disaster response. 

Due to a sudden start of events in most disasters, there is less time for preparing staffs for the mission.  Companies should develop strategies such as having a group of staff set in locations that are significantly prone to disasters compared to others, for instance, the Asia Pacific the region is more prone to calamities such as floods, earthquakes, and typhoons. (Yadav, Devendra K & Akhilesh Barve P 321) Another challenge for organizations is recruiting staff members it’s a complicated process which requires individuals technical abilities. It’s difficult to determine whether an individual is fit in handling the stress and pressure that comes along with the missions which involve the ability to remain calm.  There are various challenges for both the organizations and the people affected, and the government should develop strategies that will manage the vulnerabilities involved. Generally, coordination is essential in humanitarian supply chain organizations.

Works cited

Burkart, Christian, Maria Besiou, and Tina Wakolbinger. “The funding—Humanitarian supply chain interface.” Surveys in Operations Research and Management Science 21.2 (2016): 31-45.Yadav, Devendra K., and Akhilesh Barve. “Modeling post-disaster challenges of humanitarian supply chains: A TISM approach.” Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management17.3 (2016): 321-340.