Disaster response based on production network management tasks

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to present an approach to decision‐making in disaster response operations. The approach is based on ontology‐driven knowledge sharing and application of well‐developed tasks from the area of production network management, that in turn, enables using the existing problem‐solving methods and tools. Design/methodology/approach The approach applies the decision‐making tasks used in production network management to solving the above‐mentioned problem. Findings It is shown that there exist many common features and requirements for decision‐making in industrial environment and in disaster relief operations. They both require applying such technologies as ontology and context management, constraint satisfaction and profiling. Sample tasks used in the considered problem domains are presented. Originality/value The described research is a step forward in extension of integrating relatively well‐developed technologies implemented in production networks to the quite new areas of disaster relief and humanitarian logistics.