Social Media and Humanitarian Logistics: The Impact of Task-technology Fit on New Service Development

The concept of humanitarian technology is growing in popularity due to the role of organizations such as food charities that provide food to populations with challenges in acquiring food from traditional outlets (retail stores, restaurants, etc.). Many food charities receive donations from retail outlets looking to donate products that are near expiration dates (Jett and Crumbly, 2013). To ensure impoverished populations gain access to food with limited dates, food charities search for ways to improve the delivery process through the use of information technology tools to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness. This paper explores how to improve supply chain management in humanitarian organizations, such as food charities, by utilizing new service development and task technology fit as the theoretical foundation. In particular, it provides the conceptual development for an integrated model of social media and supply chain management. Results and implications will be discussed at the conference.