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Systematization of Humanitarian NGOs from a Logistical Viewpoint

An Exploratory Study in Germany

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Logistics Management

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Logistics ((LNLO))

Abstract

Logistics is an important factor in humanitarian aid operations, whether after the outbreak of a natural disaster or during man-made crises. The speed and effectiveness of the various actors depend, among other things, on the appropriate design of the operations, which is why the scientific interest in this field has increased considerably in recent years. Unfortunately, there is a gap between science and practice [1]. One reason for the lack of applicability in humanitarian logistics research can be seen in the diversity of humanitarian actors. As there is no systematic characterization of humanitarian NGOs regarding aspects relevant from a logistical perspective, this paper aims at providing a suitable overview. A classification scheme is developed that includes the four dimensions of the mandate and sector, as well as the internal network structure and the various forms of on-site cooperation. The results can help to better align scientific research in humanitarian logistics and to foster practical exchange between the pertinent humanitarian organizations.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The full list of these organizations can be found in the appendix.

  2. 2.

    If the data from 2017 were not available at the time of this study, the corresponding data from previous years were used, which happened nine times.

  3. 3.

    A detailed description of the individual structures is given in Sect. 4.2.

  4. 4.

    In addition, the organisations are also assigned to other areas of activity, such as development cooperation, human rights or nature, and environmental protection [30].

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair of Business Management, esp. Logistics, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069, Dresden, Germany

    Christian Hein

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  1. Christian Hein
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Correspondence to Christian Hein .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Business Administration, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany

    Christian Bierwirth

  2. Department of Business Administration, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany

    Thomas Kirschstein

  3. Department of Business Administration and Economics, University of Applied Sciences Merseburg, Merseburg, Germany

    Dirk Sackmann

Appendix

Appendix

Full list of organizations analyzed:

figure a

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Hein, C. (2019). Systematization of Humanitarian NGOs from a Logistical Viewpoint. In: Bierwirth, C., Kirschstein, T., Sackmann, D. (eds) Logistics Management. Lecture Notes in Logistics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29821-0_15

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