LOG904-151 Disaster Relief Operations: Operations and Capabilities. (Autumn 2022)

About the course

Disaster relief continues to attract attention as a theme in academic research within the broader field of supply chain and operations. This was motivated in the early 2000s by an escalation of natural and man-made disasters resulting in a plethora of research articles and books drawing on work from commercial logistics and supply chain. Yet, disaster relief is a complex and thorny topic which is very difficult to deal with within the boundary of a single scholarly discipline. Research stemming from various arenas, including sociology and the humanities, has sought to make sense of diverse aspects of disaster relief. But, despite these efforts academic research has a long way to go.

 

Large-scale, ‘CNN disasters’ (e.g., the Asian tsunami in 2004, the Haiti earthquake in 2010 and the West Africa Ebola outbreak in 2014) are often defined and measured using factors such as the ferocity of the event, the scale of loss-of-life, economic cost, and scale and effectiveness of the response. These, however, are the tip of a humanitarian iceberg with most of the available resource deployed in on-going, long-term situations which are more forecastable and stable by comparison.

 

The humanitarian system is extremely complex yet often oversimplified. Exponentially growing demand for assistance is augmented on the humanitarian system, heaping pressure on operations and supply chain systems, and for every call to ramp up aid in the aftermath of sudden onset disasters there are many more cries for assistance that don’t attract the public’s attention.

 

The ‘business’ of humanitarianism drives competition for funds and publicity, and stakeholders often operate in isolation, a phenomenon articulated by one former supply chain director as ‘holons’ (as in Koestler’s [1967] description of “self-reliant and autonomous units, dependent on the greater whole of which they are a part”). Understanding the challenges and enhancing the effectiveness of disaster relief and humanitarian work is regarded as vital to enhancing the efficacy of future relief efforts.

The course is connected to the following study programs

• Master of Science in Logistics
• Experience-based Master in Logistics
• Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Logistics
• Exchange programme - Master's level
• Master of Science in Sustainable Transport and Urban Mobility

Recommended requirements

No previous knowledge of humanitarianism or disaster relief operations is required for this seminar, however knowledge of the underpinning theories of operations, supply chain/logistics is assumed.

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

Knowledge: To apply the principles of operations management, including supply chain management, to the problems faced in disaster relief and explore the principles of resource competency by studying the principles of the resource-based view (RBV) as applied to the disaster relief sector and extend your understanding of this to include the emerging capabilities theory which considers fast-changing and uncertain environments

Skills: To critically analyse case studies for in-class discussion plus apply theory presented in the lectures (and from other courses) to create a coherent response to the assessment questions.

General competence: To prepare and discuss solutions to complex challenges using various media including written and verbal forms of communication through both interaction with an industry practitioner and asynchronous assessment.

Forms of teaching and learning

Our seminars will introduce the concepts and challenges associated with operations and supply chain within the sector, as well aspects of operational strategy. The selected case studies will facilitate student-led discussion, cumulating in assessed work by the student groups on day five. The seminars will draw upon, as far as possible, a blend of traditional lecture-style information presented by the tutor followed by discussion-based case studies specifically chosen to illustrate relevant management and/or organisational scenarios related to the topic. Students are strongly encouraged to contribute to all discussions as fully as possible.

Examination

Form of assessment: Home assessment. Group panel discussion which pre-recorded and uploaded to Inspera

• Proportion: 50%

• Duration: 7 minutes

• Grouping: Group

• Grading scale: Letter (A - F)

• Support material: PowerPoint, Prezi, or Google Slides. Details to be shared on Day One. Deadline Friday 23.59.

 

Form of assessment: Home assessment. Individual report

• Proportion: 50%

• Duration: 1,000 words

• Grouping: Individual

• Grading scale: Letter (A - F)

• Support material: MS Word submitted via Inspera. Details to be shared on Day One. Deadline Saturday 23.59

Syllabus

TBA