The field of Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LSCM) suggests that transactions, collaboration, and value are important in the supply and delivery of products and services to meet the need of impoverished end-consumers. In many cases, the application of LSCM is paramount in most strategic decision-making efforts. Therefore, this research explores the applications of LSCM processes and activities within the community-based context. The methodology used to address the research questions consisted of a hybrid of mixed methods. This mixed methodology provides three essays that investigate the application and development of LSCM in the community-based context. The essays address the flow of charitable products and services through supply chains. The dissertation does not pay close attention to the first-tier suppliers’ suppliers, which is looking at the originating flow of goods and services (raw materials, manufacturing, etc.). However, the dissertation puts a focus on products and services supplied to focal organizations and how these products are then passed on to end-consumers. Essay I looks at the transaction (costs) that ensue from the supply of charitable products. Essay II analyzes a social service ecosystem and investigates how the network of organizations enable the distribution of charitable products and services. Lastly, Essay III examines the delivery of valuable services to the end-consumers, and what tools Community-Based Enterprises (CBEs) should focus on to develop and retain end-consumers in impoverished communities. The research provides conceptual models that review some fundamental LSCM achievement gaps in supplying, delivering and providing social services to end users within impoverished communities. The dissertation draws upon literature from the fields of economics, marketing, social science, and logistics and supply chain management. The dissertation uses the primary research method of unstructured and semi-structured interviews, case studies, written survey instruments and system dynamics within three studies. The studies resolve to look into the term Community-Based Logistics and Supply Chain Management (CBLSCM) as employed by social service providers in the logistics and supply chain context and investigate how it applies to impoverished communities. The research identifies conceptual models that can be used to explain the role of LSCM within humanitarian aid context. The models offer insights on the managerial implications and evidence of using LSCM processes and techniques within impoverished communities. The research has considered that the type of transactional relationships, structure, shared value, service systems, and consumer value, retention and management mechanisms can be achieved utilizing LSCM.

Bibliography: pages 157-165. / The new political dispensation gave way to much questioning of the importance of the organs of civil society, and the role they play in development of our society. Civic Associations are but one of such institutions of civil society, and this study seeks to explore the role they will continue to play in a post-apartheid South Africa (SA). Civics truly played a major role in bringing about democracy in our country. Now the political changes that have occurred forces Civics to redefine their role within a democratic society. Widespread speculations are that Civics will focus in development and/or that they will be watchdogs to government. This is a qualitative study and data was collected mainly through interviews (structured and unstructured) and use of secondary sources. The study was conducted in Khayelitsha in the period July to December 1995, before the local government elections. Two Civic organisations participated in this study, that is, Western Cape United Squatter Association (WECUSA) and South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) of Khayelitsha. The respondents were mainly members of the executive committees of the two organisations. The sample was drawn through non-probability sampling, using purposive and snowball sampling. This allowed the researcher an opportunity to choose respondents who best meet the purpose of the study. The major conclusions of the study are that Civics are aware of the need to redefine their role, though to date they have achieved very little in this regard. The perception is that Civics will continue to exist, and shift their focus to development work. The other role that Civics see themselves as playing is that of acting as watchdogs to government. This view is rejected by some people because of the close relationship that Civics have with the political parties. Civics are aligned to specific political parties, for example, both Civics (WECUSA and SANCO) who participated in this study are aligned to the African National Congress (ANC). In the local government elections, these Civics canvassed people to vote for the ANC. The findings of the study have also shown that Civics are playing a significant role in their communities. They are concerned with provision of basic services such as water, electricity, building of roads, schools and health facilities. The major challenge that still remains facing Civics is for them to redefine their role and the question of their alliance with political parties.

Bibliography : pages 127-135. / This study examines Human Service Organisations and community organisations operating in Mbekweni during the period January to June 1988. These organisations were examined in order to identify the characteristics that distinguish them from each other in as far as service delivery is concerned. The community based organisations were found to be orientated towards mutual-aid and self-help model whilst the Human Service organisations were orientated towards the service model. This study will also highlight the complex nature of Mbekweni which has been approached by different organisations delivering social services. An integrated developmental model is proposed that could form the basis for private voluntary human service organisations. The model is based on: the participation by beneficiaries of services being involved in the decision making process; and the client of this approach being the group or community. The delivery of services would take place in and by groups. An important element in the model would be the inclusion of trained Developmental Workers who would act as enablers, facilitators, educators and resource persons. This model will emphasise factors that could be incorporated in the designing, planning and administration of private voluntary human service organisations operating in black urbanising communities.

Refugee Resettlement Agencies in the United States make headlines because of the people they help, but what about the immigrant support providers doing the work? In Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts there are organizations that open their doors to newly arrived people needing assistance. The purpose of this case study was to explore the experience of working as a resettlement provider for immigrants in Massachusetts between 2016 and 2021. I argue that Donald Trump’s policy decisions were a form of structural violence against and experienced by the resettlement organizations contracted to the federal government to assist refugees. Preliminary literature reviews showed research on refugees was saturated. A few articles discussed psychological impacts on providers in a clinical setting or presented quantitative analyses of immigration statistics. My research is a novel ethnographic case study of the resettlement organizations. This study was conducted over three years during the COVID-19 pandemic. I examined the effect of changes to the body-politic, the social-body, and the body-self levels of experience. By using a holistic model of health, I connect these experiences to the physical, social, and psychological dimensions of wellbeing. Throughout the fourth chapter, I argue that Trump’s pernicious executive policy decisions were intentional acts of violent against resettlement organizations across the United States. The anti-immigrant rhetoric in the media and policies, combined with increased xenophobia withdrew vital physical and social resources for providers. This created a shift in the hegemonic forces in the United States that impacted organization and refugees alike. Chapter Five argues that Massachusetts resettlement organizations were impacted through implicit effects at the state and community levels. As the pressure of their work increased and their community relationship became more complicated, their precarity was compounded by COVID-19. This is illustrated through the starvation of the social-body and subsequent re-feeding they experienced. Finally, Chapter Six argues that individual resettlement providers experienced a state of precarious wellbeing. They had to develop creative coping mechanisms to work through the precarity after being flooded with new arrivals. The providers embodied this precarity on a personal level, though not passively. They pushed back against the Trump Administration’s violence through interagency legal action, solid community partnerships, and individual coping mechanisms.

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Structural differences between communities which exhibit a tendency toward innovation and communities which fail to exhibit this tendency are studied. The Model Cities program is used as a test case for the tendency toward innovation, and two samples (applicants and non-applicants) are matched on the basis of population size. Four structural elements are examined as related to applicant status: community differentiation, community poverty, community social-human resource commitment, and the centralization of local governmental structure. Each of the structural elements is further refined by operationally defining specific measures. Community differentiation is measured by occupational and racial/ethnic differentiation. Community poverty is reflected by economic and educational poverty. The variable of community social-human resource commitment is developed using the following measures: per capita community fund goals, per capita amounts raised, per cent of goal raised, and the number of private social agencies in a community that are devoted to social-human resource needs. The centralization of local governmental structure is measured by the presence or absence of the city manager form of government, the presence or absence of non-partisan election, the size of city councils, and the per cent of the city council elected at-large.

Thesis. 1976. M.C.P.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Rotch. / Bibliography: leaves 170-174. / by Beverly L. Herbert. / M.C.P.

<p>In many developing countries including South Africa, there is an overwhelming number of people infected with HIV/AIDS in the hospitals, which the health care workers are unable to cope with. Therefore, an urgent need to develop alternative community based activities such as support groups, home based care programs and placement of&nbsp / orphans, for the provision of social health care services to the HIV client, arises. However, a deeper understanding of the challenges facing community organizations when&nbsp / providing home based care is crucial and necessary in order to formulate effective and relevant care services. The aim of the study was to explore the challenges faced by Umtha&nbsp / elanga Community Organization (UWCO) in the provision of HIV/AIDS home based care. The objectives of the study were to assess the current home based care of the UWCO and to explore the challenges that community based organizations have to face when providing care services to people being infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The research design undertaken was the case study of UWCO. The qualitative approach with in-depth interviews with the&nbsp / management staff and home based caregivers was utilized. Data analysis began immediately after the interviews by transcribing and translating the audio-taped data. Thematic analysis was used in which data was coded and categorized. The findings of the research&nbsp / indicated that the home based care programme assists PLWHA clients in their natural home setting. All home based carers work voluntary and get supported by the organization as&nbsp / ell as by the department of social development and health such as the social workers. Finances appear to be, both for the organization and the home based carers, a huge&nbsp / hindrance. Research indicated that the organization experiences various challenges to provide the service to their community. It is recommended that Government must ensure that&nbsp / home based care workers get recognition, credit and support for their valuable contribution. Training for HBC employers needs to be extended to expose and add more skills. This&nbsp / will ensure that they are equipped for their tasks. Home based care workers must become registered and paid better salaries by the government.</p>

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1984.

published_or_final_version / Social Service Management / Master / Master of Social Sciences