International and local NGO supply chain collaboration

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the key drivers and challenges to supply chain collaboration in the humanitarian sector; to appraise the relationships between international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and local non-governmental organizations (LNGOs) during disaster relief; and to explore the humanitarian context in regard to supply chain collaboration. Design/methodology/approach Literature from both the commercial and humanitarian sectors is discussed in the context of vertical partnerships. A Jordanian study spanning a network of 26 international and LNGOs is explored via semi-structured interviews. Findings The research provides valuable insights on the challenges facing LNGOs and INGOs when developing partnerships. Contextual factors, including host governmental policies and the social-economic setting of a disaster directly affect the motivations for supply chain collaboration between LNGOs and INGOs. Research limitations/implications The research is built on interviewees with 30 humanitarian professionals working in one country during an extended crisis. The majority of the empirical data are only from one actor’s perspective, thus further research into dyadic and network relationships is required. Approaches to addressing the diverse cultural and decision-making perspectives of LNGOs and INGOs warrant further investigation. Practical implications Recognizing the motives and challenges to vertical partnerships between LNGOs and INGOs will assist the managers, both at the strategic and operational levels, to find solutions and evolve strategies to build effective partnerships. Compromise and consideration for partner’s drivers and cultural views are essential for effective joint humanitarian relief initiatives. Originality/value This paper extends supply chain collaboration to a humanitarian context. Overcoming the challenges facing collaborative efforts and complementary nature of the drivers provide a means to achieve effective partnerships. Despite the uniqueness of the humanitarian context, such as the secondary nature of cost and dynamic demand, the core principles of collaboration still hold.

Horizontal Coordination of I-LNGOs in the Humanitarian Supply Chain: An Evolutionary Game Approach

“…In addition, coordination presents an opportunity for organizational learning. However, Adem et al studied the case of Jordan and suggested that coordination between INGOs and LNGOs is not always encouraged [10]. Coordination between INGOs and LNGOs increases the risks of bypassing local authorities, damaging local NGO ecosystems [63], and causing mission drift for local players [65].…”

“…The stability of partnerships can be destroyed by "free-riding" behavior [65]. Organizational conflict of interest is another factor leading to failure in coordination [5,10]. Competitive advantages of individual NGOs may lead to a loss in resource sharing [61].…”

“…2The literature [53,55,58,60] on the key factors influencing coordination is commonly from static and qualitative perspectives. For instance, Adem et al [10] conducted semistructured interviews of INGOs and LNGOs that had participated in providing humanitarian relief in Jordan to identify the key drivers and challenges in humanitarian supply chain coordination. They also did not consider the impact of the interaction among NGOs.…”

“…Opportunity benefits refer to extra benefits from opportunistic behaviors of NGOs, such as the "free rider" [65,66]. The coordination strategy generates costs from interactive behavior [10]. Table 1 comprehensively overviews the benefits and costs of INGOs and LNGOs in the game model.…”

“…As suggested by many scholars, external forces such as the appropriate macrocontrol measures adopted by the government can also inspire their willingness to coordinate [53,59]. The government functions of legislation and authorization play an important role in accomplishing the social missions of NGOs and establishing equilibrium in different industries [10]. Fathalikhani et al [52] found that properly designed and planned responsibilities for humanitarian organizations by governments can lead to better decision-making and more coordinated management when dealing with time-sensitive situations.…”