Advances in theory and their empirical application in humanitarian supply chain management research

In disaster relief network, several humanitarian organisations participate and coordinate their efforts. Coordination remained a key hurdle as the use of theoretical concepts at strategic level to provide understanding of the phenomena has yet to be explored. This research is aimed to examine the empirical applicability of two strategic management theories in the new research stream of humanitarian supply chain management (HSCM). The study includes series of thoughts using the previous literature and additional support from the case studies to examine what social network and resource dependence theory can bring to this research stream. The paper concludes that the research in humanitarian supply chain can borrow these two theories and their related characteristics for a better coordination in disaster relief network. Three propositions are formulated and two complementary theories are recommended for further investigation.