The Research Process

The research process used in this thesis consisted of multiple steps (Figure 3.2). The first step was the preliminary literature review which resulted in the identification of problems. As noted in the previous chapter, resilience is an emerging topic in the field of supply chain research. Disaster management is also a closely related discipline to resilience. Food supply chains are considered critical to provide relief to people during any sort of natural disaster. The continuous supply of food items is important for the overall community, as disruptions emerging from natural disasters can halt the overall system. Resilience of food supply chains in natural disaster context is the area of interest for this research (Figure 3.1). Key words used in search engines, databases and the university library catalogue were resilience, supply chain, food supply chain, disaster management, relief supply chain, supply chain risk management and food chain resilience.

After identifying relevant articles, papers and books related to supply chain resilience, disaster management, relief supply chains, it became easier to identify further journals, articles and books related to this research. The quality of journals was also kept in view while searching for literature. However, this was not the determining factor when highly relevant articles with good theoretical background were identified. The preliminary literature review was helpful in discovering emerging issues in the supply chain resilience discipline which helped in shaping

Supply Chain Resilience Disaster Management Food Supply Chains

up the initial research questions and objectives. Research questions and objectives were refined several times in the process.

Figure 3.1 Main Research Themes and Locus of Interest

Source: Developed by the Author

The next step was to explore the literature to establish a suitable theory base for the investigation. Key concepts and areas were identified, and variety of frameworks and factors were explored in the literature review. Thereafter, a conceptual framework for food supply chain resilience was developed. Initially, the framework was a representation of several concepts and this was tested in front of a panel of experts from the Resilient Organization, Canterbury University, Christchurch, New Zealand. The Panel consisted of key personal from the disaster management and supply chain disciplines. The aim was to discuss, challenge and refine the conceptual framework, and to increase the reliability of the research. Initially the conceptual framework was just a bunch of different capabilities that led to supply chain resilience and factors of supply chain resilience which were discussed in the literature. These capabilities and factors were later categorized. Further refinement came, when two level were included in the framework: organization level and supply chain system level. Finally, capabilities grouping led to four major areas: collaboration, knowledge management, sourcing and logistics at an organizational level of the supply chain view. Agility, adaptability and alignment finally emerged as supply chain resilience factors at a system level. Two facilitating factors were included as part of the framework. From this, the research questions were refined.

Area of interest

The next step was to develop interview protocols. The literature was thoroughly referenced to generate relevant questions related to concepts included in the conceptual framework. Interview protocol is major way of increasing the reliability of the research and is used to guide the researcher in data collection (Yin, 2014).

Figure 3.2 Research Process

Area of research found through literature review Gaps identified Research questions and aims generated Development of conceptual framework Literature review Panel of experts Interview Protocol

developed CollectionData

Semi structured interview Data Analysis R E S U L T S Panel of experts

Source: Developed by the Author

The data was conducted in two regions, transcribed and then analyzed using cross-case comparisons. The data collection approach was qualitative (it used in-depth interviews as the main data collection method from key informants of four food supply chains in the South Asian region). A semi-structured interview technique was used. This research triangulated the results, through company reports and other relevant public documents as secondary data. During the research, respondents were also asked to clarify their responses if necessary. This exercise is called respondent validation and is used to validate research. Subsequently, feedback questions were also asked to capture respondents’ perceptions which were used to validate the conceptual framework. All interviews were recorded electronically (DVR) and field notes and observations of the physical environment and non-verbal cues were taken. Handwritten field notes, along with the audio recordings, were converted to analyzable text. This text was then condensed, displayed and analyzed using NVivo (version 11). Finally, the

multi-case analysis was conducted, and the research questions discussed, and conclusions were drawn.

Saunders, Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill (2011) state that research is like ‘an onion’ with multiple layers that must be peeled off before moving to the next one (Figure 3.3). Research philosophy, research design, approach, strategy, time-horizons and data collection are included respectively in their model. Based on the moderate constructivism philosophy (Appendix D), the following sections will explain all the layers peeled off in this thesis.

Figure 3.3 Research Onion

Source: (Saunders et al., 2011)