Ebook: Last Mile Logistics for Disaster Relief Supply Chain Management: Challenges and Opportunities for Humanitarian Aid and Emergency Relief : Challenges and Opportunities for Humanitarian Aid and Emergency Relief

Due to the latest catastrophes caused by both man and nature, humanitarian logistics has received increasing interest from academics, practitioners and specialists. These interests are increased as well by an expanding market of disaster relief and by the fact that disaster relief supply chains are complex and dynamic, not to mention that they have a lot of uncertainties that make operations very complicated. Especially in disaster relief, the supply chains have to be fast, agile and flexible in order to rapidly provide the appropriate amount, and type of emergency supplies, to minimize human suffering or death. The last mile distribution is the final stage of the disaster relief supply chain, i.e. the delivery of relief supplies from local distribution centres to beneficiaries affected by disasters.The aim of this paper is to give an overview of supply chains in disaster relief, identify the main problems of the last mile distribution in disaster relief operations, describe optimization possibilities of the private sector, and examine the applicability for disaster situations. Auszug aus dem Text Text Sample: Chapter 2.2.3, Inadequate Use of Technology: In the private sector use of technology has been implemented in nearly every category. IT systems are a key factor for global operations inside and in between companies and they helped decision makers to create new ways of efficiencies. In the humanitarian sector, the use of technology is still not common for most relief organizations and their operations. A survey of the Fritz Institute showed that during the Tsunami in the Indian ocean 2004 just about one out of four logisticians had access to any tracking and tracing software and the majority was still working with manual processes or excel spreadsheets for updates and tracking of goods. In result, nearly half of the respondents stated that they received accurate and timely information about the supply flow. Also communication systems and the use of the Internet could have a big impact, as the information flow inside an organization and the information flow to other organizations, donors, media and the outside world could be accelerated. This could have a big impact for the front-line workers, who would have on-time data that improves operations in nearly every aspect. 2.2.4, Lack of Institutional Learning: Reflection and the exchange of knowledge is one key factor for the improvement of supply chains and personal improvement. However, in the humanitarian sector this reflection is most of the times not done because aid workers are assigned to the next mission immediately after a crisis is dealt with. Therefore lessons learned are commonly lost or remain just as a personal experience, which is not given to colleagues or the next generation. Additionally the humanitarian sector has an extreme high turnover rate of field staff. About 33% in average and up to 80% for field logistics leave their job after just one year. This high turnover rate, mostly caused by burnout, lets most experiences be lost, because leaving staff isn’t transferring their experience at all.