Dr Jihee Kim

Jihee has developed expertise in logistics and supply chain management through research and professional engagement across both commercial and not-for-profit sectors.

Her research examines how established supply chain management theories translate into humanitarian contexts, exploring governance, inter-organisational relationships, and operational effectiveness in complex crisis environments.

Her areas of expertise include:

• Humanitarian logistics and supply chain management
• Supply chain integration and inter-organisational coordination
• Supplier relationships and governance
• Humanitarian operations in crisis and disaster settings
• Disaster response and relief management

[email protected]

Background

Jihee joined ARU in early 2022, following the completion of her PhD in Logistics and Operations Management at Cardiff University in 2021.

She brings a distinctive combination of academic and industry experience. Her industry experience spans multinational corporations including Samsung, LG, Korean Air, and Kolon Group, where she gained insights into both operational supply chains and strategic organisational governance.

Her earlier academic training in sociology, alongside her experience working in the office of a Member of the National Assembly of South Korea, shaped her long-standing interest in public values, governance, and social responsibility.

Supported by ESRC funding, her doctoral research developed an interdisciplinary approach, integrating humanitarian and disaster studies with logistics and supply chain management theory.

Research interests

• The transfer and adaptation of supply chain management theory between commercial and humanitarian contexts
• Governance and coordination in humanitarian operations
• Institutional and organisational dynamics in development aid and disaster relief
• Resilience and risk management in crisis-affected supply chains
• Cross-sector collaboration in complex operational environments

Areas of research supervision

• Supply chain governance and integration
• Humanitarian supply chains and disaster operations
• Risk, resilience, and coordination in complex supply networks

Teaching

• Supply Chain Management and Practices (Postgraduate)
• Project Management and Implementation (Undergraduate)

Qualifications

• PhD in Logistics and Operations Management, Cardiff University, UK (ESRC-funded)
• MSc in Social Science Research Methods (Distinction), Cardiff University, UK
• MA in Management, Durham University, UK
• BA in Sociology and Radio, TV & Film (Hons), Ewha Womans University, South Korea

Selected recent publications

Kim, J. (2025) 'Exploring procurement from a humanitarian perspective'. In: Kovács, G. and Altay, N. (Eds.) (2025) A research agenda for humanitarian logistics. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

Kim, J., Pettit, S, and Beresford, A. K. C. (2022) 'Supplier Relationships in Humanitarian Organisations'. In: Heaslip, G. and Tatham, P. (Eds.) (2022) Humanitarian logistics: Meeting the challenge of preparing for and responding to disasters and complex emergencies. 4th Edn. London: Kogan Page.

Kim, J., Pettit, S., Beresford, A. K. C. and Harris, I. (2018) 'An exploration of horizontal supply chain integration for humanitarian and disaster relief'. In: Tatham, T. and Christopher, M. (Eds.) (2018) Humanitarian logistics: Meeting the challenge of preparing for and responding to disasters. 3rd Edn. London: Kogan Page.

Kim, J., Pettit, S., Harris, I. and Beresford, A. K. C. (2017) 'Understanding humanitarian and disaster relief supply chain integration'. In: Kovacs, G., Spens, K. and Moshtari, M. (Eds) (2017) The Palgrave handbook of humanitarian logistics and supply chain management. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Recent presentations and conferences

Asgari, N., Kim, J., Newaz, M. S. and Zanjirani Farahani, R. (2025) 'Operations research as the backbone of intelligent disaster management'. At: 2025 Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) Annual Meeting, Georgia, USA, 26-29 October.

Kim, J., Pettit, S. and Beresford, A. K. C. (2023) 'Donor influence on humanitarian NGOs and their supplier providers'. At: Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) 2023 International Conference, Paris, France, 18-20 July.

Kim, J. and Sarma, V. (2023) 'What is supplier in the humanitarian context and how to define it?' At: 2023 Annual Nordic Logistics Research Network (NOFOMA) Conference, Helsinki-Espoo, Finland, 14-16 June.

Kim, J., Pettit, S., Harris, I. and Beresford, A. K. C. (2016) 'A literature review for partnerships in humanitarian and disaster relief supply chain management: A content analysis approach'. At: Preparedness and Emergency Response Logistics Conference (PERL), Oslo, Norway, 2-3 November.

Kim, J., Pettit, S., Harris, I. and Beresford, A. K. C. (2016) 'An exploration of humanitarian and disaster relief supply chain integration (HDR-SCI) for different types of aid organisation'. At: Nineteenth International Working Seminar on Production Economics, Innsbruck, Austria, 22-26 February.