MEKELLE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

DEPARTMENT OF LOGISTICS & SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

E-commerce and supply chain information system Course Outline

Course Code: LSCM1013
Credit Hours – 3 Hours/week
Course Instructor: Weldeabrha K.

Course Description
The basic task of a logistics system is to deliver the appropriate supplies, in good condition, in the
quantities required, and at the places and time they are needed. Although mostly concerned with the
movement of goods and equipment, relief logistics also encompasses the relocation of disaster-affected
people, transfer of casualties, and the movement of relief workers. The Humanitarian Logistics course
focuses on the importance of logistics in the provision of aid to disaster survivors as well as its place in
carrying out other disaster management operations. It examines the design of logistics systems and the co-
ordination required by the various agencies and actors involved in implementing the system and carrying
out the operation.
Course Objectives
Up on successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Explain the basic issues in humanitarian logistics
2. Understand the importance of logistics function in provision of humanitarian assistance.
3. Learn the basics of managing logistics during humanitarian response
4. Appreciate the significance of coordinated ‘Supply Chain Management’ for an efficient & effective
humanitarian response
5. Understand the procurement, receiving, recording, controlling, monitoring, storage and
6. distribution of emergency supplies
7. Explain assessing logistics and supply needs
8. Address the practical difficulties in humanitarian Supply Chain Management
9. Work towards optimizing the use of scarce resources during emergencies & enhancing the quality
of humanitarian operations
Course Contents
Chapter One: Logistics in Humanitarian sector
1.1 Basic Definitions
1.2 Logistics & Supply Chain Management from Humanitarian aspect.
1.3 Challenges, gaps, and trends in humanitarian Logistics
1.4 Logistics skills and performance
1.5 Characteristics of humanitarian supply chain
1.6 Benchmarking & Metrics for humanitarian logistics
1.7 Over view of Key performance indicators in logistics management
1.8 Sharing Knowledge with the private and the humanitarian sector
Chapter Two: Logistics & Humanitarianisms
2.1 An overview of Humanitarianism
2.2 Humanitarianism Space
 MEKELLE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
DEPARTMENT OF LOGISTICS & SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

2.3 Conflict Connection

2.4 Disaster General Aspect
2.5 Main effects of disasters
2.6 Logistics & Emergencies
2.7 Logistics planning and preparedness
2.8 Assessing logistical and supply needs
2.8.1 The importance of need assessment
2.8.2 Assessment of local capacity
2.8.3 factors that may restrict or facilitate relief efforts
2.8.4 social, environmental, and cultural features of the affected population and region
Chapter Three: Coordination
3.1 The Need for Coordination
3.2 Levels of Coordination
3.3 Coordination structure
3.4 Coordination arrangements
3.5 Humanitarian Coordination: obstacles to over come
3.6 Request for humanitarian Assistance
Chapter Four: Procurement, Receiving, Recording, Controlling, Monitoring, Storage, Distribution
of Emergency Supplies
4.1 Key characteristics of emergency supplies
4.2 Source and procurement of emergency supplies
4.3 Receiving supplies
4.4 Arrival and recording of supplies
4.5 Controlling, monitoring and follow of systems
4.6 Storage of emergency supplies
4.7 Distributions of emergency supplies
Chapter Five: Transparency, Telecommunication and Information Management in Humanitarian
Supply chain
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Role of Information Management
5.3 Visibility (pipelines)
5.4 Transparency (PROCESS)
5.5 Accountability (PARTIES/PERFORMANCE)
5.6 Benefits of accountability
5.7 Information flows
5.8 The communication strategy
5.9 Telecommunications system
5.10 Basic procedures
 MEKELLE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
DEPARTMENT OF LOGISTICS & SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Required references:
 Rolando Tomasini and Luk Van Wassenhove.(2009). Humanitarian Logistics, Macmillan
publisher, USA
 Alexander Blecken (2010). Humanitarian Logistics: Modelling Supply Chain Processes of
Humanitarian Organizations. Haupt Berne. German
 Israel AmbeAyongwa, Jie Sun (2010). Humanitarian Logistics
 Martin Christopher & Peter Tatham (2011). Humanitarian Logistics: Meeting the Challenge of
Preparing for and Responding to Disasters
 Dave Goldsman (2010). Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chains: Case Studies and Research
Issues.