Cooperation, collaboration and coordination in relief chain management: A meta-analysis

In recent years, an increasing number of natural and man-made disasters has demonstrated that a working disaster management is crucial in order to alleviate the suffering of the affected population. Cooperation, coordination and collaboration within the relief network is essential for overcoming these destructive actions. To give an overview about the scientific state-of-the-art and to reveal potential research gaps within this scientific field, we analyze the current literature related to relief chain operations in order to improve humanitarian aid performance. In particular, we attempt to explore the structure and origin of scientific progress, focusing on cooperation, collaboration and coordination in the field of relief chain management. The identification of the most influential academic papers and important scientific contributions in this research area is another key aspect of our scientific analysis.