Purpose: This paper offer a framework for the classification of disasters and complex emergencies that focuses on the logistics impact of the particular event or series of events. This represents a further step in understanding the humanitarian logistic cost drivers.

Research approach: This conceptual paper draws on a comprehensive literature review, and the resultant framework has been exposed to key informants from the humanitarian logistics (HL) community whose comments and criticisms have been appropriately incorporated.

Findings and Originality: To date, the majority of HL researchers have used a relatively simple 2*2 matrix to classify a disaster event and its logistic impact. Whilst such an approach has the merit of parsimony, the framework offered in this paper moves from a model that reflects the causality of the event to one containing13 major elements that are designed capture a range of antecedents and emergent properties. Taken together, they offer an improved understanding of the logistic impact of a potential or actual event.

Research Impact: The proposed framework is significantly more detailed and exposes a number of key variables that will impact on logistic preparation and response.

Practical Impact: Given the $10-15Bn annual global cost of HL, improvements in efficiency that do not impact on the imperative for effective preparation and response mechanisms are key to the development of this profession. The proposed matrix offers a high level tool that can be used to support the development of appropriate logistic planning scenarios.