Humanitarian relief chain agility: identification and evaluation of enabling factors

This research paper aims to identify and evaluate the enabling factors of agility capability in humanitarian relief chain network.

The research phases were implemented based on an integrated framework. First, a reference framework of the enablers has been constructed based on a literature review. Then, a hybrid evaluation approach is applied that combines fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) and analytic network process (ANP) to achieve reliable results. It provides a road map to identify and evaluate the interactions between the enabling factors and determines the weights correspond to their relative importance. This approach takes advantage of fuzzy set theory to deal with ambiguities, uncertainties and vagueness inherent in the evaluation process.

Relief chain agility is a vital determinant of the effectiveness to succeed humanitarian missions during and after natural and unnatural disasters such as earthquakes, epidemics and terrorist attacks. Results shed light on the essential enabling factors, relationships among them, and their importance for developing humanitarian relief chain agility enhancing the overall performance quality.

The integrated framework is implemented for the Red Crescent, a nongovernmental organization in Iran, which is trying to optimize the agility of their humanitarian relief chain network. In short, the findings are beneficial for identification and utilization of the essential prerequisites of agility in order to develop an agile humanitarian relief chain.