Logistics Information Systems and Performance of International Humanitarian Organizations in Kenya
Abstract
Humanitarian organizations play a large role in providing aid to people affected by
disasters all over the world. Their operations largely rely on the logistics function to
enable them deliver the goods, services and works required within a reasonable time
in response to the disasters in order to maximize on the number of lives saved and the
impact of their programs. Logistics Information Systems are widely used by
international humanitarian organizations to manage the logistics process.
The purpose of this study was to establish the impact of logistics information systems
on the performance of international humanitarian organizations in Kenya and the
challenges of implementing these systems in these organizations. To satisfy the study
objectives, data was collected from international humanitarian organizations in
Kenya. The data was collected using structured questionnaires which had open and
closed ended questions. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics
and presented in tables and graphs. Multivariate Analysis of variance was used to
establish the impact of logistics information systems on performance of IHOs.
The study established that logistics information system play an important role in the
performance of IHOs in Kenya by boosting cost effectiveness, timely delivery,
accurate and timely reporting as well as supply chain visibility. The prohibitive cost
of implementing logistics information systems, lack of adequate management support
and data security risks are some of the challenges facing the implementation of
logistics information systems. The recommendation is for management of IHOs to
maximize the value the organizations can obtain through the logistics information
systems by providing adequate support and backing their implementation
Citation
Master of Business AdministrationPublisher
University of Nairobi