Blockchain in humanitarian operations management: A review of research and practice

Humanitarian operations management (HOM) defines the broad domain that deals with of crisis events and human suffering, a plethora research has contributed to this field. Over recent years, blockchain technology been signaled throughout literature as tool can support HOM result technology's enhanced features such security auditability. In bid explore application in HOM, we systematically review current deployed practices. Our covers 64 articles provide contributions which categorize into four focus areas: (i) overview (ii) identity personal data management, (iii) humanitarian logistics, (iv) communications. The majority surveyed on potential benefits enablers barriers its adoption. A limited number theoretical frameworks insights how be utilized improve operational efficiency, promote trust, foster collaborations among relief agencies. With exception few pilot programs have setting, find work addressing use not yet tested field, therefore, little empirical evidence exists prove blockchain's capabilities HOM. This paper reports major scientific advancements practical applications for well promising future directions practitioners researchers. • Review papers focusing (HOM). Identification discussion state-of-the-art deployments Classification based characteristics align challenges directions.