New Isenberg Course to Highlight Humanitarian Logistics
January 17, 2012
Disasters like Hurricane Irene and the
2010 earthquake in Haiti require swift mobilization of supplies, equipment, and
human resources for the timely distribution of food, water, shelter, and
medicines, observes Anna Nagurney,
John F. Smith Memorial Professor of Operations Management at the Isenberg
School of Management. During the spring semester, Nagurney will teach a new
course, Humanitarian Logistics and Healthcare, which will survey the goals and management of humanitarian
supply chains and examine the skill set required by humanitarian logistics
managers.
To coordinate a humanitarian logistics operation, the logistics manager in a governmental or nongovernmental agency must understand not only the traditional supply chain management and logistics topics but customs procedures, emergency preparedness, and security, notes Nagurney. The manager must also coordinate teams that include paid, volunteer, and contractor personnel.
