Sponsored by The Stephenson Disaster Management Institute (SDMI) and
E.J. Ourso College of Business Information & Decision Sciences
For more information, please visit the LSU web site.
The frequency and severity of humanitarian catastrophes have sharply increased in recent decades. Disasters arise from natural events (earthquakes, hurricanes, cyclones, tsunamis, wildfires) and human causes (genocide, war, political unrest other effects of human strife). Research suggests that societies will face even more frequent and worse disasters. The challenge facing the global community is to become more effective in providing humanitarian relief during these large-scale catastrophes.
 (AP Photo/Stephen Walton) |
The consequences of disasters are tremendous. Apart from the financial damage, disasters cause unbelievable suffering. Recent disasters, both in the U.S. and abroad, have demonstrated the complexity of the administrative challenges facing governments, international organizations, and NGOs. It appears that efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to stricken areas often fail. Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunami have shown that even modern societies still find it hard to deliver relief supplies in a timely and effective manner (the challenges are infinitely harder in countries that deny access to international relief efforts). At the same time, recent disasters also witnessed isolated successes: some organizations managed to bring supplies to stricken areas where others failed.
The objective of this conference is to identify the key supply chain factors that underlie effectiveness in relief efforts. The findings of this conference will help improve the functioning of supply chains under duress. This conference will bring together researchers and practitioners who will discuss how crisis decision-makers and supply chain managers can make better use of the resources available for humanitarian relief and supply during crises and disasters. In addition, they will look for innovative ways that may help improve disaster supply chain management.
Conference papers
The conference invites papers that address the challenges of designing and maintaining supply chains that will work during disasters. We are particularly interested in papers that identify success and failure factors, formulate models of effective supply chains, offer decision tools that improve effectiveness and help map vulnerabilities in supply chain networks.
This conference should be of interest to both academics and managers with an interest in the design and management of humanitarian supply chains. This conference will offer a venue for dialogue between the academy and practice, between public and private sectors, and between national and international communities. Participants will contribute to the emerging science of disaster supply chain management.
Topics for consideration include (but are not limited to):
- Quantitative models of emergency supply chain performance
- Case studies of success and failure
- Decision models that enhance the effectiveness of supply chains in the wake of disasters
- Decision support systems for improving humanitarian supply coordination
- Mechanisms for identifying vulnerabilities and mitigating risk in supply chains
- Collaboration models for improving international supply chain coordination
- Models for matching supply and demand
- Extended abstracts (around 1 page) for presentations should be submitted as email attachments to Peter Kelle, ISDS, LSU qmkell@lsu.edu (due by September 15, 2008).
Selected papers will be considered in a Special Issue of the International Journal of Production Economics with guest editors: Arjen Boin, Louisiana State University and D. Clay Whybark, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Completed papers for this special issue should be submitted before December 1, 2008. Peer reviewing will be completed by February 1, 2009 and revisions of papers will be due by March 15, 2009. Publication of the Special issue is targeted for December 2009.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Relevant readings
Supply Chain Security: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Has Enhanced Its Partnership with Import Trade Sectors, but Challenges Remain in Verifying Security Practices, GAO-08-240. [PDF]
The Unique Marriage of Emergency Response, Supply Chain Management and Food Security, Dr. Edmund McGarrell, Michigan State University. [PDF]
HUMLOG is an international research network on humanitarian logistics. The aim of the HUMLOG Group is to research the area of humanitarian logistics in disaster preparedness, response and recovery with the intention of influencing future activities in a way that will provide measurable benefits to persons requiring assistance. Read more . . .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Information
For further information about the conference, please contact:
Lisa Smith
Stephenson Disaster Management Institute
Louisiana State University
1103 Patrick F. Taylor Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Phone: 225-578-5138
Fax: 225-578-8741
Email: lssmith@lsu.ed
