Abstract:
This study examined the effect of humanitarian logistics practices on the organizational
performance of Amhara National Regional State (ANRS) Disaster Prevention and Food Security
Program Coordination Office in Ethiopia. The research was spurred by the growing complexity
of humanitarian crises and the vital role of logistics in delivering fast and effective disaster relief.
The study specifically examined the effect of four core logistics practices (procurement,
transportation, inventory management and information communication technology) on the
organizational performance in terms of responsiveness, lead time, reliability and service quality.
The study adopted a quantitative research approach with descriptive and explanatory designs.
Primary data was collected from employees of the organization using structured self
administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, correlation and multiple regression analysis
were used to analyze the data. The results show that all four humanitarian logistics practices have
a positive and statistically significant effect on organizational performance. ICT and procurement
practices were found to have the highest influence among these, followed by transportation and
inventory practices. The study also identified operational challenges like delays in procurement
processes, poor transportation infrastructure, weak inventory control systems and limited use of
ICT, which had a negative impact on efficiency and effectiveness. The findings underscore the
need to integrate logistics functions and build institutional capacity to enhance performance. The
results indicate that better humanitarian logistics practices can enhance organizational
performance in disaster response operations. It recommends that the organization should invest
in up-to-date ICT systems, strengthen transport networks, improve procurement processes and
adopt sophisticated inventory management techniques for timely and effective service delivery.
This study contributes to addressing the empirical gap in humanitarian logistics practices and
organizational performance within the Ethiopian public sector context, particularly in the ANRS
Disaster Prevention and Food Security Program Coordination Office. The findings also provide
practical insights for policymakers, practitioners, and future researchers to improve humanitarian
logistics operations and organizational performance.