Digital transformation capabilities in humanitarian supply chains: a theory driven crossbreed literature review
Meisam KaramiPurpose
Despite the increasing adoption of digital technologies in humanitarian supply chains (HSCs), existing research remains largely descriptive and lacks theoretical explanation of how these technologies translate into sustained organizational capabilities. This study aims to address this gap by examining how information technologies and information systems contribute to the development of dynamic and socio-technical capabilities in humanitarian contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
This study operationalized Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT) and Socio-Technical Systems (STS) theory to guide data extraction, coding, classification and interpretation. A crossbreed literature review (CBLR) approach was then employed, integrating systematic review procedures, bibliometric analysis and thematic synthesis. The review analyzed 94 peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2025.
Findings
The results identify six major domains of digital transformation in HSCs, including digital transparency, coordination and collaboration; decision support and cognitive analytics; logistics and inventory automation; facility location intelligence and smart warehousing; autonomous delivery and routing innovation; and digital identification and victim management systems. These domains illustrate how digital technologies may enable sensing, seizing and reconfiguring capabilities when aligned with socio-technical conditions. The findings also highlight critical gaps in under-researched areas, particularly cybersecurity governance, humanitarian robotics and automation, ethical data management, and the limited representation of North American, African and Latin American contexts.
Originality/value
This study views digital transformation as a capability-building process rather than a technology adoption outcome. It contributes theoretically by integrating DCT and STS into humanitarian logistics research, methodologically by demonstrating the application of the CBLR as a structured approach for theory-driven evidence synthesis, and practically by proposing a Digital Transformation Capability Framework that explains how technological, human and institutional elements jointly enable humanitarian performance outcomes.