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Author
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Machawu, Rebecca
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Title
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Impact of last-mile delivery efficiency on the effectiveness of humanitarian supply chains delivering emergency medical Aid during Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe
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Abstract
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This study examined the impact of last-mile delivery efficiency on humanitarian supply chain effectiveness during Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe. The research philosophy used was positivism, and the research design was quantitative. The data was gathered using a structured questionnaire that was administered to 278 logistics-oriented humanitarian organisations in the affected districts of Chimanimani, Chipinge, Mutare, and Buhera. The study used stratified random sampling in order to achieve a representation across NGOs, government agencies, and donor-funded relief bodies. Cronbach alpha was used to confirm reliability and all the constructs had internal consistency scores greater than 0.70, indicating acceptable internal reliability. Objective sought to determine how much the adoption of IoT improves the accuracy of real-time shipment tracking. The results suggested that there was moderate adoption of GPS and IoT devices within organizations, whereby some organizations were using the technology to optimize routes, and others were using manual systems. Such discrepancy restricted system-wide visibility and made it difficult to update information in a timely manner across operational teams. Objective 2 sought to find out how IoT-enabled data analytics impact supply chain transparency and decision-making. The findings revealed that some organizations did perform post-crisis reviews and deployed digital dashboards, but the integration of analytics was less and not standardized. This decreased the capability of predicting demand, shifting of resources and real time logistics strategy adjustments. The aim of objective 3 was to test how the IoT integration would enhance inventory visibility and the accuracy of stock levels. The results indicated a moderate consensus among the respondents that inventory systems eased operations, but the lack of fuel and vehicles and terrain-specific transportation services compromised real-time stock visibility and last-mile delivery abilities in distant places. The research found that the humanitarian logistics systems in the Cyclone Idai were somewhat effective but were undermined by unreliable utilization of technology, damage to infrastructure, and inefficiencies in the coordination. Agencies should invest in standardized IoT platforms, decentralized logistics frameworks, and real-time analytics to facilitate proactive planning and adaptive delivery systems to make future responses stronger, it is suggested. Moreover, positioning of resources in advance as well as making the vehicles appropriate to disaster-prone areas are essential to the success of operations. The policy implications of the findings include the recommendations that disaster management authorities should consider enhancing inter-agency logistics coordination guidelines, investing in digital infrastructure, as well as establishing formalized crisis review processes. To practitioners in the humanitarian industries, the research stresses the relevance of flexible, technology-enabled and context-driven delivery models. The study is limited by the fact that it was conducted in one disaster setting and that the data is self-reported. The cross-sectional design also limited the understanding of changing logistics approaches in various stages of the disaster. The future research needs to be based on longitudinal and mixed-methods studies, cover urban settings, as well as consider how emerging technologies such as drones and blockchain can be used to improve last-mile efficiency.
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Date
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June 2025
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Publisher
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BUSE
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Keywords
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Last-mile delivery
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Delivery efficiency
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Humanitarian supply chains
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Emergency medical aid
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Supervisor
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Dr. Chari
REBECCA MACHAWU.pdf