Enhancing service delivery in humanitarian relief chains: the role of relational capital

Abstract

Purpose – The study examined the influence of relational capital on inter-cluster coordination and service delivery of humanitarian organisations; the mediating and moderating role of inter-cluster coordination on the relationship between relational capital and service delivery. Design/methodology/approach – Data was collected from 60 humanitarian organisations. Potential respondents were five officers from each humanitarian organisation involved in delivering humanitarian assistance. Respondents from the different organisations were selected using purposive sampling. The SPSS software, SMART PLS and CB-SEM software were used to obtain results on the influence of relational capital on inter-cluster coordination and service delivery in humanitarian organisations; and the mediating and moderating role of inter-cluster coordination on the relationship between relational capital and service delivery. Findings – Findings indicated that relational capital influences inter-cluster coordination and service delivery in humanitarian relief chains; inter-cluster coordination partially mediates the relationship between relational capital and service delivery in humanitarian relief chains; and no interactive effect was found when the moderation effect of inter-cluster coordination on the relationship between relational capital and service delivery in humanitarian organisations was examined. Research limitations/implications – The study was mainly focused on humanitarian organisations excluding beneficiaries and the logistics suppliers. The research has implications to decision-makers in government and humanitarian organisations concerned with providing relief aid to beneficiaries. Originality/value – The influence of relational capital on inter-cluster coordination and service delivery in humanitarian relief chains; the mediating role and moderating role of inter-cluster coordination on the relationship between relational capital and service in humanitarian relief chains are aspects that have not been given significant attention empirically.

Keywords

• Relationship capital
• Inter-cluster coordination
• Service delivery
• Humanitarian relief chains