MGMT3018, Operations and Materials Management: Humanitarian Operations

This report examines the critical role of humanitarian operations within operations management, using the 2011 Japan tsunami as a case study. It highlights how effective operations management is crucial for disaster response, resource allocation, and aid distribution. The report emphasizes the importance of preparing for natural disasters and providing prompt humanitarian aid, including the use of information systems for monitoring threats. It discusses the need for efficient and effective delivery of resources and services, the significance of transparent operations management, and the role of various stakeholders, including governmental and non-governmental organizations, in coordinating humanitarian efforts. The report also underlines the importance of considering vulnerable groups like children, elders, and low-income individuals during humanitarian operations. The case of Japan's response to the 2011 tsunami serves as an example of international cooperation and the mobilization of resources for reconstruction and revitalization. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of humanitarian operations for ensuring human security and protecting the lives and dignity of disaster victims.

Running Head: OPERATION AND MATERIAL MANAGEMENT
OPERATION AND MATERIAL MANAGEMENT

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Q14.
Natural and complex disasters have been seen as highly destructive events in territorial
regions of Japan. In the year 2011 Tsunami caught Japan and was responsible for a death count
of approximately twenty thousand and nearly twenty-five hundred went missing. Along with the
death and life loss investment in the previous decades on socio-economic developments were
also lost. The news and facts regarding the great Tsunami event of 2011 speeded fast throughout
the world with the help of modern communication channels. This lead to a fast initiation of relief
operations. The messages and information received from aid communities and press focused
global attention onto the major health effects from Tsunami. This information confirmed and
asked for every possible help Japan and its citizen could get from outside in the form of
humanitarian operations, assistance or aid. As Japan is known to be as a highly developed region,
the cost and expenses for the relief and humanitarian operations are very high and it also drains
the major resources for Japan's long term developments and health care related targets and goals.
Humanitarian operations became most necessary for vulnerable groups of citizens like children,
elders (old aged), lactating and pregnant mothers and groups having low income and resources.1
These vulnerable groups were most affected and threatened by slow humanitarian operations.
Since disasters like these uses and consumes a large number of resources from global and
national levels both, its necessary that all the governments and agencies (non-governmental) had
to be considered along with most effective and efficient humanitarian operations and assistance.
As the disaster was a major one and needed humanitarian help globally the resources supplies
and assistance were collected from throughout the world.
Humanitarian operations or humanitarian assistance/aid is usually considered for saving
lives, alleviating sufferings and for protecting and maintaining the dignity of individuals. The
major goal of humanitarian operations is protecting lives, safety and dignity of the vulnerable
from the disaster, which includes IDPs, refugees, and victims of disaster events.2 Humanitarian
1 Bealt, Jennifer, Jair Camilo Fernández Barrera, and S. Afshin Mansouri. "Collaborative
relationships between logistics service providers and humanitarian organizations during disaster
relief operations." Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management 6, no. 2
(2016): 118-144.
2 Zobel, Christopher W., Nezih Altay, and Mark P. Haselkorn. "Humanitarian research and
managing humanitarian operations." In Advances in managing humanitarian operations, pp. 1-7.

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operation is conducted so that these disaster victims can stand on their own again in life. From
the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, it was known that Japan's government considered humanitarian
operations not only as a measure for emergency response but also to help with rescue and relief
operations, assistance for reconstruction and recovery along with risk reduction for upcoming
disasters. Humanitarian operations is a vital part of operations management and its effort in order
to ensure the security of human life. On the other hand, human security focuses on individuals
and protect them from threats and ensures survival. As Japan is one of the nations which
endorses human security as one of its major pillars for its foreign policy, Japan will keep
extending its humanitarian operations in a proactive and appropriate manner, while considering
the account of recent developments relating to humanitarian crises. With the unprecedented
event of Tsunami in Japan in 2011, Japan's commitment to humanitarian operations remained
unshaken. After the Tsunami disaster occurred in 2011 numerous countries extended assistance
to Japan, this assistance and help were not only provided from developed countries and regions
but also from developing countries.3 This reflected Japan's achievement and its recognition for
international cooperation and assistance in many forms.
Without the help of operations and humanitarian management from the international
community, reconstruction and revitalization of Japan would not have been possible. As for the
reconstruction and rehabilitation of Japan's Tsunami affected regions and areas, it was necessary
to mobilize the resources from place to place and majorly it was necessary to address
humanitarian crises along with a many other difficulties and challenges along with the
international community for help and relief.4 In order to implement sustained and steady
humanitarian operations or assistance, it is essential that the taxpayers or public have a complete
understanding of need and value of such operations. This can only be achieved if the government
or regulating authority makes its best efforts for efficient and effective delivery of resources and
Springer, Cham, 2016.
3 Bealt, Jennifer, and S. Afshin Mansouri. "From disaster to development: a systematic review of
community‐driven humanitarian logistics." Disasters 42, no. 1 (2018): 124-148.
4 Larson, Paul D., and Cyril Foropon. "Process improvement in humanitarian operations: an
organisational theory perspective." International Journal of Production Research 56, no. 21
(2018): 6828-6841.

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services in such time of need. In order to accomplish this, it's very necessary to have transparent
operations management and humanitarian management.
Humanitarian operations hence are a very important part of operations management for
any disaster like Japan's 2011 tsunami crises. Humanitarian operations may help with cash
grants, supplies donations, technical assistance, packed food, health and medical supplies,
especially by NGOs.5 This also includes implementation of proper communication channels like
PAHO/WHO and other agencies for fulfilling the urgent requirements of people affected by the
disaster. Hence without proper humanitarian management in a disaster affected area, this can
lead to loss of life and improper and ineffective use of resources and supplies.
5 Banomyong, Ruth, Paitoon Varadejsatitwong, and Richard Oloruntoba. "A systematic review
of humanitarian operations, humanitarian logistics and humanitarian supply chain performance
literature 2005 to 2016." Annals of Operations Research (2017): 1-16.

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References
Banomyong, Ruth, Paitoon Varadejsatitwong, and Richard Oloruntoba. "A systematic review of
humanitarian operations, humanitarian logistics and humanitarian supply chain performance
literature 2005 to 2016." Annals of Operations Research (2017): 1-16.
Bealt, Jennifer, and S. Afshin Mansouri. "From disaster to development: a systematic review of
community‐driven humanitarian logistics." Disasters 42, no. 1 (2018): 124-148.
Bealt, Jennifer, Jair Camilo Fernández Barrera, and S. Afshin Mansouri. "Collaborative
relationships between logistics service providers and humanitarian organizations during disaster
relief operations." Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management 6, no. 2
(2016): 118-144.
Larson, Paul D., and Cyril Foropon. "Process improvement in humanitarian operations: an
organisational theory perspective." International Journal of Production Research 56, no. 21
(2018): 6828-6841.
Zobel, Christopher W., Nezih Altay, and Mark P. Haselkorn. "Humanitarian research and
managing humanitarian operations." In Advances in managing humanitarian operations, pp. 1-7.
Springer, Cham, 2016.