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Key Challenges to Sustainable Humanitarian Supply Chains: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

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  • Koppiahraj Karuppiah

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, Tamil Nadu 626126, India)

  • Bathrinath Sankaranarayanan

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, Tamil Nadu 626126, India)

  • Syed Mithun Ali

    (Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh)

  • Sanjoy Kumar Paul

    (UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia)

Abstract

COVID-19 has had a major impact on health, economic, social, and industrial activities. It has disrupted supply chain management and affected the movement of essential supplies to a large extent. This study aims to identify and evaluate the challenges hampering sustainable humanitarian supply chain management (SHSCM). Twenty critical challenges to SHSCM are identified using a comprehensive literature review, and three strategies were developed. The challenges and strategies were verified using expert input. The challenges were evaluated using the neutrosophic analytic hierarchical process (AHP) method. The neutrosophic TODIM (an acronym in Portuguese for interactive multicriteria decision making) method was then used to select the best strategy. The findings reveal that facility location problems, short lead times for emergency supplies, spread of rumors, rapid emergence of new clusters, and doubt concerning the available remedy are five critical challenges in SHSCM during COVID-19. Public–private partnerships are identified as the best strategy in SHSCM. Finally, this paper discusses the implications to sustainable development goals in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era.

Suggested Citation

  • Koppiahraj Karuppiah & Bathrinath Sankaranarayanan & Syed Mithun Ali & Sanjoy Kumar Paul, 2021. "Key Challenges to Sustainable Humanitarian Supply Chains: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:5850-:d:560307
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Cathaysa Martín-Blanco & Montserrat Zamorano & Carmen Lizárraga & Valentin Molina-Moreno, 2022. "The Impact of COVID-19 on the Sustainable Development Goals: Achievements and Expectations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-25, December.
    3. Abrar Mahjoob & Yousef Alfadhli & Vincent Omachonu, 2023. "Healthcare Waste and Sustainability: Implications for a Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-20, May.
    4. Koppiahraj Karuppiah & Bathrinath Sankaranarayanan & Syed Mithun Ali, 2022. "Modeling Impacts of COVID-19 in Supply Chain Activities: A Grey-DEMATEL Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-21, October.
    5. Abhijit Majumdar & Rohit Agrawal & Rakesh D. Raut & Balkrishna E. Narkhede, 2023. "Two years of COVID-19 pandemic: Understanding the role of knowledge-based supply chains towards resilience through bibliometric and network analyses," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 1105-1121, September.
    6. Prima Denny Sentia & Syaimak Abdul Shukor & Amelia Natasya Abdul Wahab & Muriati Mukhtar, 2023. "Logistic distribution in humanitarian supply chain management: a thematic literature review and future research," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 323(1), pages 175-201, April.
    7. Denis Jelačić & Andreja Pirc Barčić & Leon Oblak & Darko Motik & Petra Grošelj & Matej Jošt, 2021. "Sustainable Production Management Model for Small and Medium Enterprises in Some South-Central EU Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, May.

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