Suggested strategies and best practices in private supply chain disaster response

Abstract

In times of disaster, demand for goods and services in affected areas spikes. Private companies generally have contingencies in place for business continuity; however, most lack a strategic approach to join the general population's relief efforts. Why are some companies more effective within disaster relief supply chains than others? How can a company approach this area of opportunity? This thesis explores what a disaster is and how disaster management works; recognizing what stakeholders participate during disaster recovery efforts; and extrapolating best practices applied during past disasters by companies that have been deemed successful. Based on the strategies identified during our research, we came up with a framework of nine best practices and suggest how to apply it across a range of ten industries.