مرتضی حاجیان

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to investigate communication, information exchange, cooperation, and trust networks in Iran's Humanitarian Supply Chain at both inter-organizational and interpersonal levels. METHODS: This applied research was conducted based on a descriptive survey design. The statistical population of this research included the organizations and people involved in relief operations performed in three recent disasters: the fire-induced collapse of the Plasco building, Shahran gas explosion, and the flash flood in the Tehran subway. In order to analyze networks, a questionnaire containing network analysis questions was designed. Upon the completion of the questionnaires, the data of each network were entered systematically into a matrix on an excel spreadsheet. Such indexes as degree centrality, betweenness centrality, intersection points, isolation points, and network density were calculated by Ucinet and NetDraw software packages; therefore, the networks were analyzed. FINDINGS: Based on the results obtained from the analysis of communication, information exchange, and cooperation networks, the network density was 21%, indicating a low level of organizational relationship. At this level of communication, information exchange and cooperation were obtained at 11.5% and 16.5%, respectively. The analysis of the trust network also illustrated that the density of this network was 26.6%, suggesting that out of 21% of connections, there was about a quarter of possible trust. This is suggestive of low levels of inter-organizational Trust. CONCLUSION: Building trust in Iran's humanitarian service supply chain can be very effective in the acceleration of service supply, organization, and success of relief operations

INTRODUCTION: Due to the increasing trend of natural and manmade disasters in the contemporary world, especially in Iran, as well as the variety and high number of disasters in recent years, the issue of managing the humanitarian services supply network has become very important. The purpose of this study is to design and evaluate the model of trust building in the humanitarian services supply network, considering the importance of building trust in these networks and theoretical poverty in this field. METHODS: For doing this study, three recent major disasters in Tehran province, Iran, (Plasco accident, city explosion and metro flood) were selected and had been studied and the trust building model in humanitarian service supply network is designed using Corbin and Strauss grounded theory version 2015 based on interviews with 8 humanitarian experts in that three disasters. Then, the relationships between the model components were investigated by Structural Equation Modeling with a researcher-made questionnaire distributed among 128 individuals participating in the above events. FINDINGS: The final model is designed in three phases of conditions, actions, and consequences based on grounded theory. Poor community structures and community management systems are a major obstacle to trust building and political power interventions, insufficient funding, uncertainty of the responsible person, unsuccessful performance, lack of coordination and cooperation of the responsible working groups, and lack of readiness are the main factors of distrust. The main components of the model are highly correlated and the components have significant relationships. CONCLUSION: The research final model can solve the existing problems in Iran's humanitarian services supply network by building trust among organizations, members of the network and finally among the public. Building trust enhances intra-network collaboration, and achieves the success and goals of the relief network through establishing greater coordination and cohesion. The dominance of the political factors in the relief network is also a major obstacle to obtaining the needed information and making good cooperation by those present in the network and thus, the involvement of political actors in the humanitarian supply network should be prevented.