Armed conflicts, natural disasters and environmental degradation result in human misery, and the common response is to want to help. Responding effectively to humanitarian disasters is far from straightforward, however, and relief workers often find themselves in a world of uncoordinated, highly competitive agencies where the -why- and -how- to provide relief is far from clear.

Managing Humanitarian Relief is aimed at the relief worker who in the midst of these complex situations is putting together a program of action to help people in extreme crisis. It provides...

The challenges facing humanitarian logistics are huge. Refugee camps present enormously challenging environments in which sudden spikes in demand, difficult to access locations, disruptions due to conflict or disasters, as well as normal supply chain problems are commonplace. This means that orders for medical and other supplies can take weeks and sometimes months to fulfill, severely impeding humanitarian operations. There is also a lack of or slow adoption of technology routinely used elsewhere. In addition, humanitarian logistics are also expensive. When customs clearance, transportation,...