Their book titled 'Humanitarian Logistics' examines how humanitarian logistics and business supply chain strategies can be effectively integrated to create lasting social impact

Abu Dhabi, 09 April 2009 - Two of INSEAD's faculty members teamed up with international humanitarian organisations to publish a book which examines areas in which collaboration between the public and private sectors can help improve responses to humanitarian crises. 

In their book titled 'Humanitarian Logistics' Rolando Tomasini, Research Group Leader at the INSEAD Social Innovation Centre's Humanitarian Research Group, and Luk Van Wassenhove, Henry Ford Chaired Professor in Manufacturing and Academic Director of INSEAD's Social Innovation Centre, take a detailed look at humanitarian operations and the collaboration between private companies and humanitarian organisations.

Speaking at the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Development Conference (DIHAD) held in the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, and on the sidelines of his book launch, Rolando Tomasini said: 'Our research strives to develop humanitarian logistics as a science that further enables the development and sustainability of public-private partnerships. Increasingly, businesses' social impact will be a measurement of success and our book underscores the importance of creating an environment of shared learning.'

The book is based on seven years of extensive research and close collaboration with humanitarian partners - including United Nations agencies, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (to name a few) - and private companies. The countries covered in the book include El Salvador, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan and even Indonesia. Topics addressed include:

  • The importance of supply chain management in disaster relief

  • Building blocks for disaster preparedness strategies

  • Key issues in coordinating response operations with multiple partners

  • The importance of transparency and accountability in the supply chain

  • The challenges and importance of information and knowledge management for humanitarian organisations

  • Corporate social responsibility in the humanitarian sector

  • Steps and risks in setting up a collaborative effort between the humanitarian and private sector to support disaster preparedness or response

Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the World Food Program, comments: 'As the UN's lead logistics organisation, WFP has a responsibility to look for benchmark practices both in the traditional humanitarian community but also in the private sector. However, humanitarian logistics are very different from private sector logistics, but we can learn a great deal from each other, as this book amply demonstrates.'

Van Wassenhove and Tomasini lead INSEAD's Humanitarian Research Group which identifies best practices in disaster preparedness, response coordination and inter-sector collaboration.  The dedicated team of researchers, doctoral students and faculty have developed 30 cases studies, 15 articles, several reports, an MBA elective and an executive education programme for humanitarian agencies.  The Humanitarian Group is one of six research areas within INSEAD's Social Innovation Centre which seeks to develop new business models and market-based mechanisms that deliver sustainable economic, environmental and social prosperity. 

For more information about the book or INSEAD's Humanitarian Research Group, please visit: http://www.insead.edu/humanitarianlogistics

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About the Authors
Rolando Tomasini is Research Group Leader at the INSEAD Social Innovation Centre's Humanitarian Research Group. He joined INSEAD in 2002 to do work on humanitarian logistics and humanitarian private partnership (Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Private Partnerships). Through his secondments, research and consulting projects with different humanitarian organisations in the field and head offices, he has produced several case studies, articles, reports and lectures on the subject. His material is widely used for teaching at business schools all over the world.

Professor Luk Van Wassenhove holds the Henry Ford chair in Manufacturing at INSEAD while serving as the academic director of INSEAD's Social Innovation Centre. His recent research focus is on closed-loop supply chains and disaster management producing several award-winning case studies and articles on both subjects. He publishes extensively in Management Science, Operations Research, The International Journal of Production Research, The European Journal of Operations Research and in many other journals. He also regularly consults for major international corporations.

About INSEAD, The Business School for the World
As one of the world's leading and largest graduate business schools, INSEAD brings together people, cultures and ideas from around the world to change lives and transform organisations. This worldly perspective and cultural diversity are reflected in all aspects of our research and teaching.

With two campuses in Asia (Singapore) and Europe (France), two centres in Israel and Abu Dhabi, and an office in New York, INSEAD extends the reach of its business education and research across three continents. Our 137 renowned faculty members from 35 countries inspire more than 1,000 degree participants in our MBA, Executive MBA and PhD programmes. In addition, more than 9,500 executives participate in INSEAD's executive education programmes. With the INSEAD-Wharton Alliance, we deliver MBA and co-branded executive education programmes on Wharton's U.S. campuses in Philadelphia and San Francisco, as well as on our campuses in Asia and Europe. And our thought leadership platform INSEAD Knowledge features articles and podcasts (audio and video) showcasing the school's leading-edge research.

Today's organisations need leaders with the knowledge and sensitivity to operate anywhere in the world. This is why business turns to INSEAD - to develop the next generation of transcultural leaders. More information about INSEAD can be found at www.insead.edu.

Contacts for press:
Middle East
Rola Tassabehji,
INSEAD Abu Dhabi Centre
Tel +9712 4460808 ext. 113,
Email rola.tassabehji@insead.edu

© Press Release 2009