Drivers and Indicators of Performance in Relief Chain: An Empirical Study

Abstract

Relief and rehabilitation is an important component of disaster management. Success of this humanitarian intervention is dependent upon a combination of factors; logistics is among the important ones. The purpose of this article is to discuss key drivers of performance while managing disaster relief logistics. This research uses two-stage research designs. The first stage incorporates exploratory research through interviews with experts and focus group discussions. In the second stage, a survey was conducted among those affected by the Kosi floods (2008) in Bihar. A non-random sampling plan was adopted. Results show that there is empirical evidence that the key drivers identified in the present research positively influence the performance of relief operations. This work can also help practitioners and policy makers identify important parameters related to relief logistics. The study was confined to India and only focuses on sudden onset disasters.