Co-evolution, organizational capacity building, logistics capabilities and operational agility during health emergencies

PurposeGlobally, health care facilities often fail to respond quickly to health emergencies, resulting in significant deaths. Thus, the study examines the mediating effect of logistics capabilities in the relationship between co-evolution, organization capacity building and operational agility.Design/methodology/approachSmartPLS 4.0.8.3, variance-based structural equation models (VB-SEM) were used to test direct and indirect hypotheses across 45 health facilities. The respondents were 140 nurses and doctors. Disproportionate stratified simple random sampling was used based on government and private health facilities in Kampala City, Uganda.FindingsA significant and positive relationship exists between logistics capability and operational agility. However, co-evolution and organizational capacity are intimately linked to operational agility via logistics capability.Research limitations/implicationsA quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted using self-administered questionnaires. The results did not show any variation in the operational agility of health facilities during emergency management; thus, qualitative approaches are needed.Practical implicationsDuring emergency management, health facilities need to cooperate by sharing information, building capacity to increase their responsiveness and flexibility. This should be done by sharing equipment, tools, drugs and medical supplies, and we hope to encourage joint medical research.Originality/valueA complex adaptive systems (CAS) framework is used in this study to examine how co-evolution, organizational capacity building and logistical capability relate to the operational agility of healthcare during times of emergency.