Purpose -The purpose of this article is to investigate the nature of the humanitarian aid supply chain and discuss the extent to which certain business supply chain concepts, particularly supply chain agility, are relevant to humanitarian aid. Design/methodology/approach -The paper identifies elements of good practice in conventional business supply chains and applies them to the humanitarian aid supply chain, making use of published practice-based literature and web sites associated with humanitarian aid. Particular emphasis is placed on the concept of "agility" in supply chain management. A model of an agile supply chain for humanitarian aid is developed. Findings -Humanitarian supply chains have similarities with business supply chains, but there are significant differences. Many humanitarian supply chains have a short and unstable existence with an inadequate link between emergency aid and longer-term developmental aid. Unlike many business supply chains, typical emergency aid appeals assign inventory to a particular destination at the supply chain source. Practical implications -This research note is a starting-point for empirical studies to test the agile humanitarian supply chain model. Originality/value -This paper seeks to integrate humanitarian aid practice with concepts in the academic supply chain literature. In particular, proposes that humanitarian donors need convincing of the value of supply chain processes.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to explore, analyse and discuss the published concepts of "the customer" and "customer service" in the context of managing international emergency relief chains. Design/methodology/approach -This is a literature-based approach that extends concepts usually applied in a commercial context to the area of humanitarian aid and emergency relief chains in particular.Findings -Based on the most common associations of the terms in the literature, the paper proposes adopting a customer and customer-service perspective in managing international emergency relief chains. An understanding of the various perspectives of customers described in this paper provides a starting point in the development of emergency relief chains that can deliver customer service and satisfaction to all concerned. Practical implications -As managers of emergency relief chains strive to improve the performance of their organizations and supply chains in a highly challenging environment, the paper provides a useful and enhanced understanding of the roles that the "customer" and "customer service" play in their operations strategies. Although it is sometimes assumed that all participants in emergency relief chains are highly co-operative, this is often not the case. Therefore, the concept of "humanitarian competitive advantage" is also presented to enable a better practical focus for managers of emergency relief chains. Originality/value -The paper is believed to be the first to apply the terms "customer" and "customer service" systematically in a humanitarian context and thereby propose a customer service perspective in emergency relief chains.

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Purpose – This paper aims to provide a commentary and an overview of developments in the field of humanitarianism that could impact theoretical understanding of agility in humanitarian aid supply chains over the past decade. Design/methodology/approach – Authors review papers published on agility in humanitarian aid supply chains from 2006 to 2015 in the four leading Emerald-published logistics and supply chain management journals. These are: Supply Chain Management: An International Journal (SCMIJ); International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management (IJPDLM); International Journal of Operations and Production Management (IJOPM); and Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management (JHLSCM). This paper presents an overview and update of developments that have the potential to influence current thinking and understanding about agility in humanitarian aid supply chains, and humanitarian aid supply chains in general. Findings – Humanitarianism and the environment of Humanitarian organisations are evolving. Such evolution has potential impacts on theoretical discussions and understanding of agility in humanitarian aid supply chains and humanitarian aid supply chains in general. Research limitations/implications – This is not a critical literature review but an overview. The paper is based on four logistics and supply chain management journals only. However, the paper is based on the work published over a decade. Practical implications – Points scholars and practitioners to the impacts of Humanitarian Organisations using the relief-development continuum on supply chain design decisions including the pursuit of agility. Social implications – It may be the time to consider the relief-development continuum in fresh light and its implications for agility in humanitarian aid supply chains. Originality/value – This paper seems to be the first paper that highlights the influence of the relief-development continuum model on humanitarian aid supply chain design strategies.