DARK SIDE OF LOGISTICS: AN OPERATIONAL SUPPORT FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Abstract

The human trafficking is a societal phenomenon that is gaining ground in many countries. This fact has been studied for several years from various angles, most often using sociological or legal approaches. The research note opts for another point of view: the analysis of supply chains which can be considered as the “back office” of prostitution as human trafficking. This is a sensitive topic for management research, which may offend the general public, but it also raises a key question: should we refrain from tackling issues that are morally reprehensible, but which nevertheless refer to an indisputable social reality? The juvenile prostitution relies on an efficient organization of logistical activities handled by a multitude of stakeholders, who coordinate to satisfy the demand from clients. Based on secondary data and studies conducted by various academicians specialized in legal sciences and the humanities, this research note proposes a framework for analysing the supply chains associated with juvenile prostitution in the French context. The reflection offers promising perspectives on a central theme, but one that is too rarely addressed in academic work.