Influence of Strategic Organizational Practices on the Performance of Electronic Procurement in Tana River County Government, Kenya (Published)

Electronic procurement systems have proven themselves within various government organizations as an effective tool for instituting procurement reforms and establishing a fully transparent and open procurement environment. There has been growing interest in adopting of various strategic organizational practices for the purpose of improving the performance of electronic procurement in both private and public sector. The main objective of this study was to assess the influence of Strategic Organizational practices on the performance of electronic procurement in Tana River County Government, Kenya. The specific objectives of this study were; to establish the influence of Information Communication Technology infrastructure on the performance of electronic procurement in Tana River County Government, Kenya; to establish the influence of the employees’ Information Technology competency on the performance of electronic procurement in Tana River County Government, Kenya to establish the influence of public procurement regulations on the performance of electronic procurement in Tana River County Government, Kenya and finally to establish the influence of managerial commitment on the performance of electronic procurement in Tana River County Government, Kenya. The study used a descriptive research design to obtain information from the selected respondents on the current status of the phenomena under investigation. The study was carried out in Tana River County in Kenya. The sample size of 116 representing 30% of the total population of 385 drawn from Procurement department staff, Accounts Department Staff, ICT department staff, Administrative Officers, and Prequalified Contractors and Suppliers. The respondents were purposively selected to participate in the study because they were the leading implementers of Strategic Organizational practices. The researcher used a questionnaire as a tool for data collection in the study.  These entailed both primary data and secondary data. Preliminary data was collected from the sampled respondents, while Secondary data was collected from textbooks, journals, and magazines. The study included quantitative analysis of the data collected to help identify the gap in knowledge related assessment of the influence of Strategic Organizational practices on electronic procurement performance in Tana River County Government, Kenya. Quantitative analysis was done with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 and was presented through the use of frequency distribution, charts, and tables. The study found that Strategic Organizational practices positively and significantly influenced the performance of Electronic procurement in Tana River County Government, Kenya; ICT infrastructure with (β =0.307, p˂ 0.05); Employees IT Competence with (β =0.582, p˂ 0.05); Public Procurement regulations (β =0.898, p˂ 0.05) and Managerial Commitment (β =0.427, p˂ 0.05).

Citation: Naftaly Kisombe Muchiri and Peter Wamalwa Barasa (2022), Influence of Strategic Organizational Practices on the Performance of Electronic Procurement in Tana River County Government, Kenya, European Journal of Logistics, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, Vol.10 No.2, pp.36-66

Keywords: Performance of Electronic Procurement, Public Procurement, Strategic Organizational practices, Tana River County government

The Public Procurement Reforms in Nigeria: Implementation and Challenges (Published)

The paper presents as analyzed insight to the public procurement reforms in Nigeria. The public procurement as one the major functions of government in Nigeria is playing a significant roles toward infrastructural development in Nigeria. Reforming in the public procurement sector was necessary to regulate the entire procurement process. The set up of the due process policy in 2011, Public Procurement Act 2007 his revealed a lot as to the unprofessional nature in the public process in Nigeria. The paper proffer sound public procurement practices as a panacea to the reform and implementation in Nigeria. It revealed that weak public procurement system and practices characterized by corruption and lack of accountability, transparency, competition and fairness. Data were sourced basically from secondary source. The study identified the factors that undermine integrity in the public process.

Keywords: Implementation, Public Procurement, Reforms, Transparency

Effect of Procurement Planning on Suppliers Performance in Public Institutions: A Case of Moi University (Published)

Supplier performance has become a critical factor for the organization’s success. In this regard, many firms and researchers have attempted to find out variables that affect either positively or negatively on supplier performance. However, very few studies have been carried out on procurement procedures in developing countries like Kenya. Public procurement system in Kenya has been characterized by a weak legal framework and lack of professionalism among public procurement practitioners. The study adopted an explanatory research design. The target population was 119 suppliers in the list of pre-qualified suppliers. The study adopted census for the suppliers to collect data; self administered questionnaires together with interviews schedule guides were used. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings indicated planning enhances value for money, enhance quality, encourages proper utilization of resources, planning enables quick decision making and encourages innovations as it is a problem solving technique and saves time. Therefore procurement planning enhances supplier’s performance in service delivery.

Keywords: Procurement Planning, Procurement Procedure, Public Procurement, Suppliers Performance

The Role of Legal/Regulatory Framework of the Ghana Public Procurement Policy on SME Participation in Public Procurement (Published)

Access to public procurement contracts is a challenge for most Small and Medium Enterprises. While most of these challenges are either inherent in the very nature of SMEs or the business environment, there is however a major challenge inherent in government policies which is often ignored, and this is the focus of this study. The study thus seeks to identify the inadequacies in the Public Procurement Act of Ghana that inhibit SME access to public procurement contracts and how supportive legal framework could improve SME access to public procurement opportunities. The researcher used a combination of exploratory and descriptive research approaches and the sample comprised of one hundred and twenty (120) SMEs, purposively sampled for their eligibility to participate in public procurement processes and thirty (30) randomly selected public sector institutions. Primary data was collected through the administration of survey questionnaires, and the data collected was analyzed both quantitatively qualitatively. A major finding is that while the intent of the Ghana Act (Act 663) section 2(t) is to promote local businesses, the provision is administratively disproportionate as it does not take the peculiar characteristics of size, capacity, experience, and financial resources of the SMEs into consideration and so does not provide a level playing field for the different categories of local businesses. It can be concluded that limitations in the procurement and regulatory framework in terms of disproportionate application of requirements affect SME participation and success in winning public procurement contracts and that governments can influence the nature and pace of SME growth through the differential impact of government legislation on firms of different sizes.

Keywords: Legal and Regulatory Framework, Public Procurement, Small and Medium Enterprises

Role of Strategic Sourcing On Public Procurement Performance in Kenya (Published)

The aim of strategic sourcing is to achieve large and sustainable cost reductions, long-term supply stability and minimization of supply risk. The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the role of strategic sourcing on procurement performance in public institutions in Kenya. It has been noted that there is ineffective and non-reliable procurement procedures in public sector in Kenya, this can be attributed by the fact the there is no strategic considerations. This paper will focus on the following concepts supply management, role of IT, outsourcing and multiple sourcing strategies on procurement functions. It involved conducting a systematic review of literature papers in the field of strategic sourcing and procurement by means of content analysis to draw conclusion and recommendations. In conclusion, strategic sourcing increases an organization’s buying power to maximize the leverage it has with suppliers for the purposes of reducing cost, enhancing quality and improving supplier diversity.

Keywords: Cost Reduction, Performance, Public Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Sustainable

SYSTEMIC CONSTRAINTS TO MARKET ACCESS: YOUTH AND THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS (Published)

The purpose of this paper is to interrogate the constraints (collateral and registration rules) affecting the youth in accessing the procurement market. It then aims to argue that under the current bureaucratic structures, it is impossible to implement the promise of allocating 30% of all public tenders to the youth. The research suggests an investment should be done towards the streamlining of registration, and all other statutory requirements in Kenya, to enable the youth become competitive when bidding for a tender.

Keywords: Public Procurement, Public Procurement and Disposal Act (PPDA), Youth access to government procurement opportunities (YAGPO)

CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND RELATED CORRUPT PRACTICES IN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT IN GHANA (Published)

Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the perceptions of the players in Ghana‟s Construction industry (GCI) on the pervasiveness of conflict of interest and corruption in the industry.
Research Design: The study involved the undertaking of an extensive literature review on the subject matter. Additionally, employing the principles of a “survey approach to research”, a questionnaire was developed, which sought to primarily establish, which of the stages of the procurement process was most susceptible to corruption and acts of conflict of interest Purposive sampling was utilized and descriptive statistics and relative importance index were used to analyze the data.
Research Limitations: The use of purposive sampling limited the survey to the participants of the procurement forum.
Findings: From the study, acts of conflict of interest and corrupt practices are still pervasive in the construction industry and the tender stage, contract execution stage and final accounting and auditing stage were found to be the stages of the public procurement process that are most susceptible to the perpetuation of acts of conflict of interest and corrupt practices in Ghana.
Response to the conference theme and outcome: This study unearths the level of corrupt practices and conflicts of interest in the construction industry in Ghana.
Practical Implications: The study increases the awareness of the prevalence of conflict of interest and corrupt practices in the construction industry despite the interventions made by successive Governments to curb same.
Originality: The study explores issues of conflict of interest and corrupt practices in the Ghanaian construction procurement landscape and identified some stages in the procurement process prone to conflict of interest and corrupt practices which if given attention safeguard the already stretched public purse.

Keywords: Construction, Corruption, Public Procurement, conflict of interest, public official

An Assessment of the Impact of the Public Procurement Act 663 (2003) of the Republic of Ghana, Approaching a Decade of its Enactment (Published)

The Public Procurement Act ever since its enactment about a decade ago has received mixed reactions from key stakeholders. Whilst some see it as a panacea to the numerous problems that bedevil public procurement in Ghana, others too see it as inadequate and lacking the needed punch to curb the various ethical concerns that characterize the sector. The time was due after nearly a decade of its enforcement to wholly assess the impact of the Public Procurement Act of the republic of Ghana. The research relied on both primary and secondary data. The targeted population was 70 which included the staff and managers of the procurement department, store officers, senior staff, head of department and personnel who constitute the Lower Manya Krobo district assembly procurement board. A sample size of 50 was chosen with the purposive sampling technique. It was found out that the benefits derived from using the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) include the assurance of quality goods, timely delivery of goods, right delivery of right quantities, transparency, reduced corruption, value for money, right price is given and right place of delivery is assured, uniformity in performing procurement activities, economic and efficient use of state resources and harmonize public procurement processes in the district assemblies and also greater efficiency. Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) comes with some benefits to district assemblies. The following difficulties were also revealed from the research; difficulties in applying and implementing the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663), lack of usage flexibility, lack of authority to dispose public assets, the lack of independent procurement auditing function, no central body with technical expertise and also threshold are too small for entities like a district assembly in case of emergency situation. The Public Procurement Act has been largely effective. However, it needs to be amended to include provisions for electronic procurement. This will improve transparency, accountability, and compliance within public procurement systems. This will mean the amendment of the current Act.

Keywords: Procurement Law, Public Procurement, Public Procurement Act