Title: Integration of internet of things (IoT) with blockchain technology to enhance humanitarian logistics performance

Abstract:

The escalation in the frequency and magnitude of both natural and manmade disasters around the world is of rising distress for the economic and social development of the concerned countries. Natural disasters cannot be stopped, nevertheless, it is possible to mitigate the effects of disaster through proper humanitarian logistics (HL). The performance of HL cannot be increased as a whole. It is therefore vital that the actors involved in the HL process adjust, modify and reconfigure their HL process by increasing their performance to the circumstances arising from these disasters. Taking into consideration the importance of HL in reducing the effects of disasters through fast, fair and safe HL, this project aims to explore the question: “How can the performance of HL be improved through the Integration of Internet of Things (IoT) with Blockchain technology?” The primary information will be collected through a structured questionnaire from different actors participating in humanitarian supply chain (HSC) in Pakistan. The project model is reflective, hence a  covariance-based structure equation model (CB-SEM) on the basis of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with SmartPLS software will be applied. The research will test the variables reliability, validity, goodness of fit (GoF), and psychometrical soundness of the hypothesized model. The project results are expected to show the influence of predictor variables (IoT and Blockchain) on response variable (HL performance) mediated by Transparency. Moreover, the results are anticipated to be valuable for all stakeholders of disaster risk management, specifically for governments, donors and humanitarian organizations (HOs), as they are insistently looking for strategies to support afflicts. Furthermost significantly, the project will raise consciousness regarding fast, fair and safe HL. Additionally, this project will reveal research gaps and promising areas for future research. The project will provide an enormous understanding of IoT and Blockchain in HL applying empirical data, that has not been investigated before.

Biography:

Muhammad Khan received the M.S. degree in international business from American College Dublin, Ireland, and the Ph.D. degree in international business from Yeungnam University, South Korea, in August 2019. He is currently working as a Lecturer of marketing with the Department of Management Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan. He is also a Ph.D. Supervisor nominated by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan. He has coauthored over 28 research articles, in leading international journals, including IEEE Access, Sustainability, Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, and the International Journal of Supply Chain Management. His research interests include humanitarian logistics, humanitarian supply chain, and supply chain and logistics. He is on editorial and reviewer boards in different journals of supply chain and business administration.