ROLE OF HUMANITARIAN LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON DROUGHT MANAGEMENT RESPONSE IN KENYA

Abstract

Humanitarian Logistics is a critical set of actions that takes place during natural or man-made disasters to save lives and property. However, the subject is under-researched in comparison to business logistics in profit-making firms where profit is the primary motivation for existence. The main goal of this study was to examine the role of humanitarian logistics management practices on drought management response in Kenya, with the following specific objectives of the study: to examine the role of transport management drought management response in Kenya, to evaluate the role of inventory management drought management response in Kenya, to examine the role of order processing drought management response in Kenya, and to establish the influence of information flow on drought management response in Kenya. The study used a cross-sectional survey. The study's target population was 270 personnel from the National Drought Management Authority in 23 Arid and Semi-Arid Lands counties. A semi-structured questionnaire was distributed via e-mail survey and hand delivery. Secondary data was gathered from both public and unpublished records. The questionnaire's validity and reliability were assessed. The data was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies with the help of the SPSS software program version 25. The study discovered that both transport management practices, inventory management practices, order processing, and information flow as humanitarian logistics management practices played a significant role in drought management response in Kenya; thus, the study recommended that managers in humanitarian organizations. Kenya should include humanitarian logistics management practices in their strategic plan, particularly investment in transport management practices, inventory management practices, order processing, and information flow, which may make it easier to bring about innovation in the organization and good information sharing to both suppliers and clients.