Cash and Voucher Assistance along Humanitarian Supply Chains: A Literature Review and Directions for Future Research

This study reviews research on cash and voucher assistance (CVA) by applying a humanitarian supply chain management perspective. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify, analyse, and synthesize past academic research. The Content-Context-Process framework was used to structure the content analysis. The findings reveal that the outcomes of CVA programmes are
dependent upon critical context-specific factors which influence feasibility and operability. Humanitarian actors must consider factors that are external to the supply chain (i.e., the nature of disaster, politics, economy, and infrastructure) as well as internal to the supply network (i.e., local market availability and accessibility, supplier/donor interest, supplier/vendor selection and contracting, and beneficiary preference). The delivery process is influenced by these factors, which has an impact on programme responsiveness and cost-efficiency. The results provide insights for humanitarian practitioners to reconsider their supply chain strategies when deciding on the selection and implementation of CVA programmes. Potential gaps in the literature are identified, and ecommendations for further research are listed.