Business model canvas for humanitarian operations of logistics service providers*

Abstract

For years, humankind has been facing various disasters of which logistics has a crucial role for alleviating sufferings of vulnerable people, who are isolated and in need of basic supplies. Owing to the increasing importance of logistics in humanitarian operations, logistics service providers (LSPs) have recently become more prominent. Yet, only a few LSPs have the capabilities and mechanisms to offer operational solutions for humanitarian relief. Also, the conducted extensive literature review makes evident that the existence of a limited number of normative research reveals a barrier about what LSPs can bring into the humanitarian field. Accordingly, why LSPs are particularly important in the humanitarian supply chain and how LSPs manage their activities and resources in humanitarian operations become the main questions to be addressed. Thus, this study seeks to explore humanitarian operations of LSPs from different dimensions, enabled by Business Model Canvas (BMC). In this sense, the obtained findings clarify both similar and different viewpoints of diverse LSPs when mapped against the BMC. Consequently, the categorised interrelated information presented through the cross-case synthesis provide novelty to advance insights both on strategic missions of LSPs in humanitarian relief operations and on the usage of BMC beyond its common commercial implementations.

Keywords:

• Business model canvas
• humanitarian logistics
• logistics service providers
• stakeholders
• strategic mission

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Berk Kucukaltan

Dr. Berk Kucukaltan completed his Ph.D. in business management at Brunel University London, with the Dean’s Prize for Innovation and Impact in Doctoral Research in the Brunel Business School. He currently has an Assistant Professor position at Trakya University, Turkey and also holds a visiting fellow position at the School of Management, University of Bradford, UK. His research interests stretch across strategic management, performance management, strategic decision-making, logistics, innovation management, and entrepreneurship subjects. In addition to his editorial board memberships in several journals listed in the Web of Science, he has a large number of publications in ABS-listed journals and in widely-known conferences.

Zahir Irani

Professor Zahir Irani is a Pro-Vice Chancellor and Dean of Management, Law and Social Sciences in the Triple Accredited (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA) Faculty at the University of Bradford, (UK). Prior to this role, he was the Founding Dean of College (Business, Arts and Social Sciences) at Brunel University (UK) and has previously worked for the UK Government as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Cabinet Office. He has published extensively in 3* and 4* academic journal in the areas of Information Systems and Operations Management. He has also attracted research funds from the EU (FP7, H2020), EPSRC, ESRC, QNRF and various industry sources. He tweets at: @ZahirIrani1.

A. Zafer Acar

Professor A. Zafer Acar is the Dean of FEAS at Piri Reis University, Turkey. After two master studies on logistics and business management, he received his PhD from Gebze Technical University on business management. He has a 20-year experience as logistics officer in the Turkish Army. As an academic, his research interest includes business strategy, logistics and supply chain management, competitiveness, and innovativeness. He also serves as committee member, advisor, and reviewer to several international academic conferences and journals. His articles have been published in many prestigious journals.