The Effects Of Factors Affecting Humanitarian Supply Chain Performance: The Cases Of Action-Against-Hunger And Medecines-Sans-Frontieres, Ethiopia Missions
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Date
2020-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The general objective of this research paper is to study factors affecting humanitarian
supply chain performance: the cases of Action-Against-Hunger (AAH) and Medecines Sans
Frontiers (MSF-Spain). The study employed both descriptive and explanatory research
designs. Moreover, it employed a mixed research approach that involved quantitative and
qualitative methods. Both primary and secondary data were collected and used for the
study. The three factors that have been examined in this study are endogenous factors
(human resource turnover, lack of performance metrics, lack of coordination, limited
access to information system technology), situational exogenous factors (degraded
infrastructure, environmental factors, socio-economic factors, governmental factors and
donor restrictions) and non-situational exogenous factors (uncertainty and time pressure).
The research is based on responses solicited from cross section of employees of ActionAgainst-Hunger and Medecins Sans Frontires(MSF-Spain). A total number of responses
from 47 employees were used for analysis in this research study. With regard to sampling
method, the study did not undertake rigorous statistical sample size calculation rather
considered census method due to the limited population size of the study. Questionnaires
with closed ended and five point Likert scale items were used as instrument to collect data
for the research. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 Version. Descriptive
statistics was used to explain the demographic characteristics of respondents and to
discuss the descriptive report of responses provided by the respondents on humanitarian
supply chain practices and performance by measuring mean and standard deviation.
Research questions were tested using statistical analysis of Pearson’s Correlation and
multiple linear regressions. The finding indicates that humanitarian supply chain practices
such as procurement, inventory management, warehouse and transportation were properly
practiced in the organizations. Moreover, the overall supply chain performance of AAH
and MSF-Spain is flexible; cost-efficient; reliable and responsive. Factor analysis was
conducted using the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin(KMO) measure of sampling adequacy and the
result has revealed all the KMO values where above 0.5 and were acceptable. Independent
sample t-test was conducted using Independent Samples Mann-Whitney U Test to identify
if there is mean difference between the two groups (Action-Against-Hunger and MSFSpain) and the result has revealed that there is no mean difference between the two groups.
The multiple regression result has shown that human resource turn over, lack of
performance metrics, lack of coordination and limited access to information system
technology (endogenous factor), degraded infrastructure, socio-economic factors,
environmental factors, and donor restriction(situational exogenous factors) and
uncertainty and time pressure(from non-situational exogenous factors) are significantly
affecting humanitarian supply chain performances of AAH and MSF-Spain. However,
governmental factor has been reported as less significant. Therefore, this study suggests
future researchers to find out if this variable does not have effect on humanitarian supply
chain performance. Overall, based on the inferential statistical result, this study
recommends both organizations to focus on endogenous factors in general and human
resource turnover, infrastructural factors and lack of coordination among humanitarian
supply chain actors in particular.
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Keywords
Humanitarian supply chain performance, endogenous factors, situational exogenous factors, non-situational exogenous factors