Emergency Supply Chains during a pandemic : Stockpiles and Last-Mile distribution

Title: Emergency Supply Chains during a pandemic - Stockpiles and Last-Mile distribution Rationale: Disasters come in many shapes and sizes in terms of its nature and its destructiveness. A commonality amongst disasters is that they all cause widespread damage and extensive human suffering. A recent event that has brought attention to pandemics is the outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. With pandemic outbreaks being a statistical certainty according to WHO officials and historical references point to extensive damage caused by previous pandemics, proper emergency supply chain protocols are called for in order to secure the supply of vital resources. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore how stockpiles and last-mile distribution has been applied within emergency supply chains in previous disasters. This in order to collect and process knowledge as to how emergency supply chains can be used within a pandemic outbreak. Objective: The objective of this study is to answer the following question: “How can stockpiles and last-mile distribution within an emergency supply chain be used to order to increase the availability of vital resources during a pandemic outbreak?” Method: This study takes a qualitative approach with a hermeneutic standpoint. Combined with an inductive reasoning the study aims to serve the above stated purpose and objective. Scientific literature will be sampled and thoroughly examined to provide a theoretical basis for the empirical data that will be collected in latter stages of the study. The empirical data that will be collected is exclusively qualitative in nature and consists of field reports, new articles, statements and other form of publications. The theoretical and empirical data will then be analyzed in order to serve the purpose and achieve the study objective. Measures such as authenticity and good ethical practices have been taken in order to ensure study quality. Conclusions: Valuable knowledge can be extrapolated from previous disasters that have practiced the use of emergency supply chains and preparedness based stockpiling. This knowledge can be applied to disasters of pandemic nature such as the novel coronavirus. Keywords: Emergency supply chain (ESC), Preparedness, Response, Stockpile, Vital resources, Social important activities, Collaboration, Last-mile distribution (LMD)