Alain Vaillancourt

Exploring the link between the humanitarian logistician and training needs

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to evaluate job profiles in humanitarian logistics, and assess current task priorities in light of further training and educational needs. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents findings from a survey among humanitarian logistics practitioners and compares these to other studies in this area. It uses econometric models to evaluate the impact of managerial responsibilities in training needs, usage of time and previous training. Findings – The results show that the skills required in humanitarian logistics seem to follow the T-shaped skills model from Mangan and Christopher when looking at training wanted and time usage. Research limitations/implications – Survey respondents being members of the Humanitarian Logistics Association (HLA) may be more interested in developing the humanitarian logistics profession than other populations. Originality/value – This paper offers an insight in the specific skill requirements of humanitarian logisticians from members of the...

A theoretical framework for consolidation in humanitarian logistics

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework to better understand incentives and obstacles to consolidation of materials in humanitarian logistics. Design/methodology/a ...

Evaluating the Applicability of Sea Basing to Support the Preparation for, and Response to, Rapid Onset Disasters

Using four case studies of the response of the international community to major rapid onset natural disasters, this paper analyzes the advantages and challenges inherent in the provision of logistics support through the use of a floating warehouse; otherwise known as “sea basing.” Through a comparison of the costs and benefits of the use of alternative sea-basing models with the actual cost of air transport incurred, this paper demonstrates that the use of sea basing would offer responding agencies significant cost and flexibility benefits, and that the concept has the potential to be extended significantly through the use of a bespoke vessel rather than a standard commercial container ship.

Country logistics performance and disaster impact

The aim of this paper is to deepen the understanding of the relationship between country logistics performance and disaster impact. The relationship is analysed through correlation analysis and regression models for 117 countries for the years 2007 to 2012 with disaster impact variables from the International Disaster Database (EM-DAT) and logistics performance indicators from the World Bank. The results show a significant relationship between country logistics performance and disaster impact overall and for five out of six specific logistic performance indicators. These specific indicators were further used to explore the relationship between country logistic performance and disaster impact for three specific disaster types (epidemic, flood and storm). The findings enhance the understanding of the role of logistics in a humanitarian context with empirical evidence of the importance of country logistics performance in disaster response operations.

Procurement consolidation in humanitarian supply chains: A case study

The aim of this article is to explore how capabilities are shared among humanitarian organisations through the consolidation of materials during global procurement activities. Global procurement for goods is simplified by the relationships on the ground with other humanitarian partners which allows for a better understanding of the needs and a better fit with the programme objectives. This activity leads the organisation studied to consolidate the procurement needs of many organisations worldwide ensuring reduced costs and goods of high quality for its partners with the help of the technical and market knowledge available for procurement activities.

Humanitarian health project supply chain costs

ABSTRACT The combination of inadequate health systems and the occurrence of humanitarian crisis results in significant logistics and supply chain management (LSCM) challenges in the support of their vulnerable populations. Because of the high cost of humanitarian LSCM and the limited funding available, it is important that organizations make the most of their limited resources. The aim of this research is to develop our understanding of the drivers of LSCM cost in a humanitarian setting. The paper explores the importance of a range of different underpinning potential factors impacting the cost per beneficiary and develops a resultant set of hypotheses tested with a robust regression model. The results demonstrate that the number of beneficiaries and the type of organization, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, and the type of health programme all affect the supply chain costs per beneficiary. This research helps further the understanding of the drivers of efficiency for humanitarian supply chains and the impact of health programme design on supply chain costs.

Developing Individual Competencies for Humanitarian Logistics

The continuing incidence of natural disasters, complex emergencies and their associated challenges has increased the demand for humanitarian logisticians. However, there is, as yet, a dearth of research on the essential competencies for those working in this role. This chapter therefore proposes a Humanitarian Logistics Competency Framework (HLCF) to assist in the professional development of humanitarian logisticians. The resultant framework can be used both as a way of enabling individual humanitarian logisticians to develop the necessary competencies to be successful at their current and future career levels, but also to enable humanitarian organisations to map their own competency frameworks to a common standard. This will, in turn, assist in workforce mobility and support the overall concept of a Certified Humanitarian Logistics Professional.