Warehouse Location Decision Factors in Humanitarian Relief Logistics

Abstract

The importance of preparedness is emphasised as humanitarian supply chain gets even more sophisticated. Among the different forms of preparedness for disaster relief management, pre-purchasing of stock in a pre-positioned warehouse is considered to be best for maximising the effectiveness of humanitarian aid supply chains. However, there have been very few studies that consider the business-focused application of the multi-criteria location problem to the pre-positioning of warehouses for humanitarian relief organizations. Therefore, this study empirically identifies the key factors considered for selecting humanitarian relief warehouse location as criteria in AHP. Results indicate that the cooperation attribute is the most important factor when selecting facility location in humanitarian relief, followed by national stability, cost, logistics and location. Theoretical and managerial implications of the research findings for humanitarian relief logistics are discussed. Copyright © 2013, The Korean Association of Shipping and Logistics.