Humanitarian Logistics Integration and Disaster Response for Humanitarian Organizations in Mogadishu, Somalia

Abstract

Disaster whether its man-made in the form of terrorist attacks or natural in the form of earthquakes are happening around the world and the next one might be closer than we think. Mogadishu has been experiencing one of its worst moments in the history. Since 2010, there have been a number of terrorist attacks, which is a man-made disaster, and they cost the lives of many civilians and injured many more with the financial cost uncounted. The study sought to determine the relationship between humanitarian logistics integration and disaster response for humanitarian organizations in Mogadishu, Somalia. The study was informed by the following specific objectives; to determine the extent of humanitarian logistics integration for humanitarian organizations in Mogadishu, Somalia, to establish the relationship between humanitarian logistics integration and disaster response for humanitarian organizations in Mogadishu, Somalia and to investigate the challenges of implementing humanitarian logistics integration for humanitarian organizations in Mogadishu, Somalia. The study adopted a quantitative method of inquiry with a descriptive research design. The population of the study comprised of 35 humanitarian organizations in Mogadishu, Somalia and a census was employed thus the sample size was not large. The study collected primary data using questionnaires. To analyze data, both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed. The study had four independent variables i.e. planning, inventory management, transportation, and information technology. The study established that there was integration in those humanitarian logistics elements for humanitarian organizations ranked as follows: information technology (M=3.89), inventory management (M=3.83), transport management (M=3.82) and lastly planning (M=3.70). All the independent variables had positive and significant relationship with disaster response as shown by the results that is Planning (β=0.150, p=0.012<0.05), Inventory management (β=0.475, p=0.000<0.05), transport management (β=0.182, p=0.034<0.05) and information technology (β=0.404, p=0.001<0.05). The most significant challenges in humanitarian logistics integration included donor pressure (M=3.99), lack of finance (M=3.87), poor infrastructure (M=3.73), organizational culture (M=3.66) and resistance to change (M=3.63). The study concludes that there was information technology, inventory management, transport management and lastly planning. Planning, inventory management, transport management and information technology has a positive and significant relationship with disaster response among humanitarian organizations. The most significant challenges in humanitarian logistics integration included donor pressure, lack of finance, poor infrastructure, organizational culture and resistance to change. The study recommends that the senior management team of all the humanitarian organizations in Mogadishu, Somalia should increase their support and commitment towards logistics integration to enhance timely response to disasters. The government of Somalia should also invest in improving and restructuring of infrastructure in order to improve on timely response to disasters among humanitarian organizations.