LOG904-151 Disaster Relief Operations and Supply Chain (Autumn 2025)
- ECTS Credits:
- 2.5
- Responsible faculty:
- Avdeling for logistikk
- Campus:
- Molde
- Course Leader:
- Arild Hoff
- Teaching language:
- English
- Study level:
- {code=HN, name=Second degree level}
- Duration:
- ½ year
Table of contents
Contents
Disaster relief supply chain and operations has attracted increasing academic attention since the early 2000s, with research articles emerging over a quarter century that has witnessed some of the most catastrophic humanitarian disasters in modern times bringing about unique challenges for organisations, actors, and communities.
Humanitarian aid is a complex and thorny subject, yet the public’s understanding of the humanitarian system is often oversimplified. With increased demand for assistance augmented on the humanitarian system, pressure is heaped on supply chain systems. And, for every call to assist with aid, there are many more ongoing projects related to disaster that don’t gain our attention.
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 in Logistics
- Experience-based Master in Logistics
- Master in Sustainable Energy Logistics
- Exchange programme - Master's level
Recommended knowledge
No previous knowledge of humanitarianism or disaster relief is required for this seminar.
The student's learning outcomes after passing the exam
We will take a broad case-based approach to the operations of disaster relief organisations exploring the background to the sector’s work and how this has changed over recent decades, including typologies and definitions of disasters, principles of humanitarianism, challenges and risk sources. You will apply the principles of operations and supply chain management, including resource-based challenges and the emerging capabilities theory, to explore fast changing and uncertain environments. You will apply the learning through written and verbal forms of communication with an industry practitioner and asynchronous assessment.
Forms of teaching and learning
- Lectures and discussion seminars introducing the humanitarian system.
- Case study on the MSF response to the Ebola outbreak in 2014.
- ‘Medicines, Materials, and Mobilisation: A practitioner seminar with MSF Supply’
Seminars will take place Monday to Friday, 09.15 – 12.00. Friday is reserved for assignment support.
Exam
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 Saturday 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