Emerging logistics during humanitarian crisis

Abstract

The purpose of this research paper is to examine the management of logistics during the operations of humanitarian organisations in the Kosovo crisis as well as to stress the imperative need for improvements in the field of humanitarian logistics. This research effort included a review of the current literature on humanitarian logistics and interviews with representatives of humanitarian organisations that intervened in Kosovo during the war period (1998-1999). The humanitarian crisis of the Kosovo war revealed the absence of training and guidelines regarding logistics management in the majority of the humanitarian organisations involved in Kosovo. Furthermore, it was also proved that there is a need for improvements in the field of humanitarian logistics, and aid agencies can learn a great deal regarding supply chain management from the corporate community. Also, there was a lack of cooperation among the above mentioned humanitarian organisations but eventually many of these organisations became conscious of the advantages resulting from logistics alliances.