Function-Based Approach for Disaster Relief Logistics in Germany

Several times in the last few years, natural disasters have demonstrated the vulnerability and susceptibility of complex societies and organizations to crisis situations caused by interdependences on a global scale. When crises are associated with the occurrence of disasters, disaster relief organizations with a focus on disaster relief management are deployed. These organizations often face different logistical requirements specific to each disaster scenario. Thus, every crisis requires the consideration of its unique variables and factors. Depending on the scenario, a situation may become too complex for the management of logistics to be made using traditional methods. In spite of the increasingly complex requirements, existing approaches for disaster relief logistics are based on empirical knowledge and often designed with a short-term view. Methods to plan and to take preventive measures or to learn from past operations are insufficient. A holistic approach is missing. To close this gap, this paper proposes a holistic function-based approach, complementing current procedures with a logistic concept adapted from the industry. First, the tasks and challenges in disaster relief logistics are presented, before the requirements for logistics are derived. This is followed by a comparison of the requirements in disaster management with the requirements in industrial supply chains. Subsequently, the supply chain functions necessary to manage scenarios in disaster relief logistics are described. Finally, an example is used to further explain the presented functions.