RAPID/Collaborative Research: Field Investigation on the Comparative Performance of Alternative Humanitarian Logistic Structures

快速反应研究赠款（RAPID）旨在研究Au地震后出现的替代人道主义后勤结构的比较性能。2010年1月12日海地地震后的人道主义挑战提供了重要的经验教训，最终可能成为人道主义物流领域的分水岭。值得注意的是，虽然一些突出的努力在向需要帮助的人分发用品方面出现了重大延误，但其他一些不为人知的行动却效率很高。了解解释成功程度的因素，并评估成功的因素的可扩展性，可以为克服阻碍海地努力的挑战的人道主义后勤新模式打开大门。该项目寻求这些重要问题的答案。在此过程中，该小组将利用灾后头两周收集的数据，用更多数据验证初步调查结果，并为将调查结果纳入支持救济流动和行动的模型奠定基础。 主要目标是：（1）确定在海地和支持这一努力的地区出现的替代性人道主义后勤结构的初步布局和基本特征;（2）深入了解这些结构的效力水平、积极和消极特点、提供的人力、其业务的覆盖面和范围等;（3）收集关于关键和非关键供应的实际流量及其随时间变化的动态模式的数据;以及（4）记录经验教训，这一项目将首次系统地说明为支持救济工作而出现的其他人道主义后勤结构，重大极端事件后的早期恢复工作。通过这种表征产生的结果将：（1）增强对极端事件环境中组织和组织的理论理解;（2）为这些不同方法的高级建模奠定基础。由于改善人道主义救济行动可以减少灾害中的人类痛苦和生命损失，解决这些问题具有国家和国际意义。 具体而言，该项目将：（1）促进关于人道主义后勤问题的多学科合作;（2）将学生纳入多学科和国际研究进程，特别强调招收代表性不足的学生;（3）产生将纳入灾害和后勤课程的研究结果;（4）产生具有实际效益的调查结果，广泛传播给从事人道主义后勤工作的组织，包括海地的利益攸关方。

This Grant for Rapid Response Research (RAPID) is intended to study the comparative performance of the alternative humanitarian logistic structures that emerged in response to Port au Prince earthquake. The humanitarian challenge following the January 12, 2010 Haiti earthquake provides important lessons that may end up serving as a watershed moment for the field of humanitarian logistics. Quite notably, while some prominent efforts experienced major delays in the distribution of supplies to the people in need, other unheralded operations did so with great efficiency. Understanding the factors that explain degree of success, and assessing the scalability of the successful ones, could open the doors to new paradigms of humanitarian logistics that overcome the kind of challenges that hampered efforts in Haiti. The project seeks answers to such important questions. In doing so, the team would build upon data collected in the first two weeks after the disaster, validate initial findings with additional data, and create the foundation for the integration of findings into models to support relief flows and operations. The main objectives are to: (1) to identify a preliminary topology, and the basic features of the alternative humanitarian logistic structures that have emerged in Haiti and in areas supporting the effort; (2) to gather insight into their level of effectiveness, positive and negative traits, manpower provided, coverage and extent of their operations, among others; (3) to gather data about the actual flows of critical and non-critical supplies, and their dynamic patterns over time; and (4) to document lessons learned, both positive and negative.This project would provide the first systemic characterization of the alternative humanitarian logistic structures that emerge in support of relief/early recovery efforts after a major extreme event. The findings produced by such characterization would: (1) enhance theoretical understandings of organizations and organizing in extreme event environments; and (2) set the stage for advanced modeling of these various approaches. Since improving humanitarian relief operations can reduce human suffering and loss of life in disasters, solving these problems is of national and international import. Specifically, the project will: (1) promote multidisciplinary collaboration on the humanitarian logistics problem; (2) integrate students to a multidisciplinary and international research process, with a particular emphasis on recruiting underrepresented students; (3) generate findings that will be integrated into disaster and logistics courses; (4) generate findings with applied benefits that will be broadly disseminated to organizations engaged in the practice of humanitarian logistics, including those stakeholders in Haiti.