Exploring the role of power on procurement and supply chain management systems in a humanitarian organisation: a socio-technical systems view

Abstract

As major disasters vary in both severity and incidence, making appropriate humanitarian responses critical, disaster relief supply chains increasingly incorporate both social and technical aspects into their operations. Power relations and their implications appear to have been overlooked in existing research into humanitarian supply chain management systems; thus, this research examines the extent to which power influences the decision-making process of the purchasing function. We use socio-technical systems theory to uncover the role of power in this context. As a result of this research, a new framework is developed to provide a concise yet holistic approach to understanding power using a real-life case study from the humanitarian realm. The outcomes suggest that local culture can determine power relations in disaster relief operations via vested interests and lobbying with foreign donors.

Keywords:

• power
• procurement
• supply chain management
• humanitarian aid
• humanitarian organisation
• relief operations
• decision-making process
• socio-technical systems
• disaster

Acknowledgement

This paper expands on ideas contained in a research paper presented by the authors at the 22nd International Symposium on Logistics (ISL 2017), Data Driven Supply Chains, held in Ljubljana, Slovenia between 9–12th July 2017.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Nidam Siawsh http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7559-5449