The role of government in humanitarian logistics: a systematic review

Purpose - Although governments are vital stakeholders in nearly every humanitarian disaster, there is an incomplete understanding of the role of government in humanitarian logistics. The purpose of this study is to review the current literature to better understand the government's role in the logistics for humanitarian disasters, including its particular challenges and the unique services it can offer to assist in humanitarian relief efforts. Design/methodology/approach - This study is a systematic literature review based on thematic analysis to summarize the findings from diverse methodologies spanning multiple research disciplines. Findings - The findings of this study propose three key government roles in humanitarian logistics: the host (and regulator), the funder (and responder) and the coordinator. These roles can be assumed simultaneously, but not all are necessarily present in each disaster. A theoretical framework is presented that illustrates these three roles in the context of a humanitarian disaster. Research limitations/implications - This review focuses primarily on natural disasters, given the overall gap in both man-made and complex disasters in the present literature. Additionally, this research focuses heavily on disasters in developing nations rather than developed nations, with a potential implication being the focus on the government's role as a host for external assistance. This study proposes several important avenues for future research based on gaps in the literature. This study also explains the government's greater involvement in humanitarian supply chain management than typical supply chain management. Practical implications - Opportunities and challenges in humanitarian logistics, respective to the three roles of governments, are presented and discussed. Opportunities for future research in this area are also presented. Originality/value - This study advances the humanitarian logistics research domain by increasing the understanding of the foundational critical success factor for humanitarian supply chains and their resilience: the role of government.