Table 4.
Systematization of articles’ contributions
| Study | Contribution summary |
|---|---|
| Akhtar et al. (2012) | This study reported the importance of the development of skills and competences for supply chain coordinators in humanitarian relief chains, such as relationship management skills, leadership, education, research abilities, and performance measurement skills. In addition, it mentioned that a shortage of skilled workers is very common in disaster areas, such as logistics managers, project managers, supply chain managers, engineers, and trained operational staff |
| Anparasan and Lejeune (2017) | This work explored a framework to identify best practices to address challenges during an epidemic outbreak. It identified the significance of the limited availability of qualified personnel. Some NGOs are reported to have personnel who lacked the required skills for properly performing the operations |
| Arroyo (2014) | This paper investigated accountability and responsibility in post-earthquake Haiti. It showed that local workforce and NGOs have expressed frustrations regarding the practice of recruiting professionals and offering salaries. This concern was raised because the demand for qualified personnel significantly exceeded local capacity during the crisis, and international NGOs competed for the few professionals available against local NGOs, which could not match the salaries offered by INGOs |
| Baharmand et al. (2017) | This study evaluated the transportation risks involved in humanitarian supply chains for logistics service providers. It was reported that providing trained human resources is a means of mitigating the risks related to unethical behaviors in HSC |
| Bollettino and Bruderlein (2008) | This article explored distance learning for training professional staff in the humanitarian field. It is argued that training is needed to ensure that staff members understand the mission and protocol of their organizations, and that distance learning is being adopted as a means of delivering the training and disseminating humanitarian principles to personnel. According to the authors, training through distance learning has also been used as a way to enhance accountability to beneficiaries and donors |
| Botchie et al. (2019) | This paper explored the critical success factors for operations in post-disaster management. It reported that human resource management is a critical factor, and that the way HR are organized within the aid organization affects their ability to respond effectively to disaster. Furthermore, training of fieldworkers is also considered to be critical |
| Garcia et al. (2018) | This research studied volunteer management under high-load conditions in humanitarian crises. It showed that volunteer management in disaster response needs to be able to deal with changing circumstances and rapidly adapt, meaning that different types of volunteers with different skills are required in certain contexts |
| Ghasemian Sahebi et al. (2017) | This work analyzed HSC barriers and found that HR-related barriers such as shortage of experienced and skilled humanitarians, burn-out among rescuers and humanitarian volunteers, loss of rescuers during disasters, and limited awareness of rescuers were significant challenges |
| Gonçalves (2011) | This research developed a model addressing the trade-off that exists between providing assistance and building capacity in humanitarian organizations. It addressed the impact that stress in the field has on the ability of HOs to retain staff, and also highlighted the importance of limiting staff turnover as a complementary strategy to the traditional relief and recovery efforts |
| Gralla et al. (2015) | This paper analyzed a successful humanitarian logistics training exercise. It is argued that there is a strong need for training efforts in HSC to develop logistics skills, and teamwork is particularly required |
| Heaslip et al. (2019) | This study developed a competency framework for humanitarian logisticians to assist in linking competencies to career progression. It was reported that humanitarian aid organizations can increase local knowledge through the delivery of training programs that reflect local contexts. In addition, these institutions need to establish closer ties with local networks and strengthen more general HR retention practices to maintain the motivation of existing humanitarian logisticians and their teams. It is also worth highlighting that this study mentions that contextual factors can lead to differences in HR requirements for humanitarian logisticians |
| Jahre and Fabbe-Costes (2015) | This research focused on the use of standards for improving responsiveness in the humanitarian context. The most relevant standards found were the preparation of staff before they deploy to the mission and guidelines for hiring, securing, and organizing personnel. It was also reported that a lack of knowledge in using the defined standards might be due to an absence of proper training |
| Jahre et al. (2012) | This paper analyzed how to reduce supply chain complexity to improve humanitarian health issues. It reported that the main stakeholders are not competent in logistics and supply chain management, lacking skills and abilities |
| Jahre et al. (2016a) | This work proposed a warehouse location model for humanitarian operations that includes factors such as access to human resources, political context and the security situation |
| Jahre et al. (2016b) | This study suggested a framework for logistics preparedness in humanitarian organizations. It was argued that human resources must be trained in order to support logistics preparedness |
| Kabra and Ramesh (2015) | This paper explored the barriers to coordination in HSC management (HSCM). It indicated that exchange programs and training for humanitarian logisticians in the commercial realm, the development of a long-term relationship with commercial organizations, and strategic tie-ups with organizations that have corporate social responsibility programs are important for enhancing coordination in HSC |
| Kabra et al. (2015) | This research explored barriers to coordination in humanitarian supply chain management. It identified as significant challenges inefficient training of SC members, shortage of expert logisticians, low priority given to retention of skilled and experienced employees and resistance to change and adopting new skills |
| Lamb (2018) | This study investigated the factors that affect healthcare delivery in humanitarian missions. It was found that collective pre-deployment training for the workforce was able to generate competence, confidence and team cohesiveness to deal with the challenges of humanitarian missions. In addition, it was clarified that these factors can help to build personnel's resilience to the stressors associated with the mission |
| Lewin et al. (2018) | This paper highlighted the importance of the humanitarian supply chain and proposed ways to overcome challenges. It was explained that HSC face a critical human resource gap because demand is significantly exceeding the available professional resources. In this sense, it was recommended to strengthen multi-sector local logistics networks, which include private, public, local civil society and other logistics companies, in order to expand the national human resource pool of logisticians available to respond to humanitarian demand |
| Lu et al. (2013) | This research explored the learning mechanisms used by humanitarian organizations to acquire sufficient knowledge for their logistics operations. According to the authors, learning mechanisms can improve knowledge acquisition and retention in organizations, and complement formal logistics education and training for their relief staff. The study highlighted the advantages of learning by hiring, which normally happens during the resource mobilization stage, such as quick access to critical knowledge for operations |
| Mari Ainikki Anttila (2014) | This work explored the development of crisis management and peace building in the context of humanitarian logistics based on personnel's experiences. The findings revealed that interaction and communication abilities are required from personnel and institutions. In addition, courses and training before the mission are considered important by the workforce and ideally should focus more on mission-related objectives and cultural issues |
| McLachlin and Larson (2011) | This article focused on advancing thought and practice on humanitarian supply chain relationship building. It is argued that building relationships in HSC is difficult considering that it involves people and that HSC has a largely volunteer workforce, low level of logistics training, and a decentralized workforce |
| Meduri and Srinivas Rao (2019) | This study identified the competencies required in humanitarian logistics management. Based on relief workers’ opinions, it was found that personal competencies are often required but relief operation training usually does not address these competencies |
| Pateman et al. (2013) | This paper examined challenges involved in collaboration and coordination in the context of the HSC through the lens of international HRM practices. It explained that IHRM principles are relevant for humanitarian workers since they involve expatriates working internationally, and these must therefore be recruited, selected, prepared, developed and remunerated according to legal employee relations constraints. Regarding recruitment, organizations must consider workers’ technical ability, but also the capacity of adapting to different cultural environments and of handling the stresses of humanitarian crises. High turnover was mentioned as a challenge in humanitarian operations and for that it is important to properly recruit and train humanitarian workers and to consider their previous experiences. In terms of preparation, the authors clarify that pre-departure training is critical to ensure the success of the workforce in operations |
| Polater (2020) | This research investigated airports’ role as logistics centers in humanitarian supply chains. It indicated that obtaining, retaining and productively managing manpower are significant elements in airport surge management. The findings also underlined the importance of retaining available people in operations, by increasing staff motivation through carrying out successful shift management, twinned-post covering for suitable positions, personnel replacement, managers having hard and soft skills, providing orientation and mentorship for additional staff, creating a suitable environment for staff and their families and creating a culture of social responsibility. Additionally, it was indicated that financial incentives are not considered as the main motivating factor to attract people to participate in disaster operations, but that creating a corporate culture and a sense of social responsibility among all related stakeholders before a disaster takes place is crucial. It was also highlighted that continuous training and exercises with related institutions and organizations should be implemented before a disaster takes place |
| Rajakaruna and Wijeratne (2019) | This article analyzed the relationship between skills and performance within the humanitarian logistics context. Human resource management skills are considered important and it was found that there is a positive relationship between the skills researched and humanitarian logistical performance |
| Rajakaruna et al. (2017) | This research focused on identifying the skills of humanitarian logisticians in Sri Lanka. It was found that skills related to HRM are highly important for humanitarian logistics management |
| Shafiq and Soratana (2020) | This paper presented a lean model to assess the readiness of humanitarian organizations for adopting lean management. It was found that HRM factors such as the availability of skilled workers, workforce empowerment and investment of funds for training are important to implement lean practices in HSC |
| Sharifi-Sedeh et al. (2020) | This study explored factors behind the pre-positioning of relief items (PRI). According to the findings, pre-positioning and warehousing of relief items necessitate a well-trained and experienced workforce, reinforcing the necessity of quality training. In this sense, it is argued that one of the key aspects is human resource management, since PRI requires knowledgeable, skillful, and experienced staff. However, it highlighted that a shortage of skillful staff and high turnover are critical challenges |
| Sheppard et al. (2013) | This work identified how local populations can enhance their capacity to prepare and respond to the logistical challenges faced in a natural disaster. The results showed that the early post-disaster response was frequently carried out by untrained volunteers from the local population, pointing to a shortage of trained personnel. In addition, it explained the importance of developing skills and expertise in general disaster management and in logistics to enhance the preparedness of local people for response activities. It also reinforced the necessity of having a national center in training for disaster management |
| Siawsh et al. (2019) | This research sought to understand the influence of power in the decision-making process in the humanitarian context. It suggested that professional training is seen as the foundation for humanitarian actors to develop the necessary expertise for their work |
| Stuns and Heaslip (2019) | This paper evaluated the effectiveness of humanitarian logistics training and the factors that influence its success. It argued that training programs of humanitarian logisticians for disaster relief operations is a demanding task, since each response operation is different due to the various forms of disasters in different contexts, all around the world. In this sense, the study shows that besides logistical concepts, it is important that training measures include adaptive thinking skills, management skills and prepare logisticians to work under pressure. Furthermore, it is mentioned that humanitarian logistics training tends to concentrate on logistics functions and focus more on problems with operational level than on the strategic level related to supply chain design and improvement. Thus, the scope of training programs lacks management training and development of soft skills, such as relationship building, coordination, local sourcing and understanding of local cultures |
| Suresh et al. (2019) | This paper sought to identify the factors which influence the agility of humanitarian operations. It was found that the most influential factors are multi-skilled and flexible people, informal learning and development, completeness and change of culture |
| Tatham and Rietjens (2016) | This study outlined key challenges in the civil–military network related to logistical aspects of disaster preparation and response. It argued that HR are important assets that have contributed to disaster response, particularly personnel skilled in needs assessment, civil–military liaison and coordination functions |
| Tatham et al. (2013) | This research provided an overall picture of competencies and skills in humanitarian logistics from an international perspective. It was found that a key challenge for HSC is adapting education and training to suit the high variety of sector-specific competences in humanitarian logistics. such as fund raising, donor compliance, coordination, asset management, security, budget management, customs, fleet management, reporting, procurement, inventory management, information and communication technology, compliance and standards as well as transport. Furthermore, the results showed that: (a) there is still a lack of access to logistics training and education for humanitarian logisticians; (b) training content should be tailored to the conditions of specific countries; (c) skills such as leading negotiations, supply-chain coordination and basic legal knowledge remain as gaps; (d) training should increase supply of basic education and also continuing education programs in humanitarian logistics |
| Tint et al. (2015) | This paper introduced applied improvisation as a tool for training humanitarian aid workers. It mentioned that important skills for a humanitarian worker in an emergency are to stay focused, remain open to choices, be flexible and adaptable as to how to achieve results, be creative, enhance collaboration and manage uncertainty. Additionally, it argued that training aid workers in critical skills for disaster readiness is a vital aspect of humanitarian intervention |
| Yadav and Barve (2015) | This research addressed the critical success factors of humanitarian supply chains which emerge during disaster preparedness and the immediate response phase. Human resources development was mentioned as a core strategy to enhance the capacity of disaster-prone communities to adequately prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters. In this sense, the study points out the importance of capacity building of people in terms of education in the local community |
| Yadav and Barve (2016) | This study sought to identify challenges for HSC in relief following extreme disasters. It mentions that there is a lack of trained staff and limited resources in the local agencies, which affects the success of activities such as damage data assessment, proper coordination during emergency situations and donation management. In addition, the research points out that training could improve the capacity building of vulnerable communities and help to achieve sustainability in disaster response. Finally, it clarifies that the lack of trained staff can hamper the coordination of HSC |
| Yadav and Barve (2019) | This study investigated preparedness activities in cases of natural disasters. It was found that human resource management activities are the most needed preparedness activities to mitigate the risks and to achieve long-term benefits in disasters in the Indian context. It mentions that training plays an essential role in promoting coordination and effective response during emergency situations, as well as the arrangement of security and volunteers for safe transportation and distribution of relief aid. Finally, the paper explains the importance of strategic collaboration with national and international disaster relief organizations |