The Pre-positioned Warehouse Location Selection for International Humanitarian Relief Logistics

• Main Authors: Sae Yeon Roh, Young Ran Shin, Young Joon Seo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2018-12-01
• Series: Asian Journal of Shipping and Logistics
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2092521218300762

This study aims to identify the most appropriate pre-positioned warehouse location for international humanitarian relief organisations. A two-step methodology is structured using fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS to evaluate pre-positioned warehouse locations for humanitarian relief organisations. The empirical case study analysis of a humanitarian relief organisation is conducted to illustrate the use of the proposed framework for ranking alternative locations. This framework provides a more accurate, effective, and systematic decision support tool for stepwise implementation of warehouse location selection in humanitarian relief operations to increase efficiency. National stability is considered the most crucial factor for warehouse selection followed by host country cooperation. Location A was identified as the optimal warehouse location, with Locations D and E being relatively close. However, the organisation operates at Location A due to the national stability and government incentives such as land costs and customs exemption. Keywords: Humanitarian Relief Organisation, Pre-positioned Warehouse, Fuzzy AHP, Fuzzy TOPSIS