IND E 599 Humanitarian Logistics

In this course, students will learn the basic challenges, requirements, and techniques for managing logistics operations within the domain of humanitarian relief. Throughout the course, we will develop a basic understanding of how commercial supply chains work, which will enable us to compare and contrast commercial and humanitarian logistics systems. Building on traditional approaches to supply chain management, we will focus on the specific challenges and opportunities unique to the quick-response, high-stakes humanitarian relief chain.

Effective planning and delivery of humanitarian aid to persons affected by natural or man-made emergencies require the knowledge, talents, and skills of a wide range of individuals. Therefore, the course encourages participation of students from a variety of technical and non-technical backgrounds. In this course, students will work in multi-disciplinary teams, applying course concepts and techniques to theoretical and real-world humanitarian crises.

Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of instructor.

Textbook: Walters, Donald (2003). Logistics: An Introduction to Supply Chain Management, Palgrave MacMillan.

Other References:
Davis, Jane and Robert Lambert (2002). Engineering in Emergencies, 2nd Edition, ITDG Publishing.
Lindenberg, Marc and Coralie Bryant (2001). Going Global: Transforming Relief and Development NGOs, Kumarian Press, Inc.
Narasimhan, S., D. McLeavey, and P. Billington (1998). Production Planning and Inventory Control, 2nd Edition, Prentice-Hall.

Topics Covered:

Introduction to Logistics, Emergencies, and the Relief Chain
Co-ordination
Logistics Strategy
Locating Facilities and Temporary Settlement Planning
Performance Measurement
Procurement
Inventory Management
Warehousing and Material Handling
Transport
Global Logistics Issues
Security
Project Management