Servitization as a competitive difference in humanitarian logistics

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a literature review and conceptual consideration of servitization in humanitarian logistics (HL) and provide a research agenda for HL scholars and insight for practitioners and by doing so will fill a gap in existing research and practice. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a literature-based approach that extends concepts usually applied in a commercial context to the area of HL. Findings The paper initiates a discourse on the importance of taking into account servitization in developing and managing effective emergency relief chains. This paper argues that a broader servitization paradigm needs to be integrated for international humanitarian organisations (IHOs) to maintain a competitive advantage. Originality/value The authors investigate servitization as a management innovation in IHOs and plot a research agenda for scholars.