Search results

This study focused on establishing the mediating role of opportunistic behavior in the relationship between institutional pressures and procurement cycle time (PCT) in Uganda’s central government (CG) procuring and disposing entities (PDEs). The study also sought to establish the relationship between institutional pressures and PCT, between institutional pressures and opportunity behavior and between opportunistic behavior and PCT. This study was carried out because most PDEs had failed to perform well in terms of PCT, and beneficiaries had often complained of the lengthy PCT.

The unit of analysis was 126 CG PDEs within Uganda while the unit of inquiry was three employees per PDE, namely, giving a total of 378 respondents. Using a quantitative cross-sectional survey, the study realized a response rate of 88% for the unit of analysis and 71.7% for unit of inquiry. Data were analyzed using SmartPLS 4 with focus on ascertaining regression and mediation results.

The findings show that institutional pressures negatively and significantly predict both institutional pressures and PCT (ß = –0.569**; ß = –0.688**, respectively). Also, institutional pressures and opportunistic behavior are significant predictors of PCT, predicting 60.6% change in PCT. Furthermore, opportunity behavior partially moderates the relationship between institutional pressures and PCT.

For Uganda’s CG PDEs to reduce procurement delays and to procure within PCT, they should put more emphasis on institutional pressures and curtailing opportunistic behavior. The study recommends further amendment of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) Act 2003 to reduce delays.

There is need for further amendment of the PPDA Act 2003 to reduce delays, especially those attributed to approvals by contracts committee and the minimum bidding period for competitive bidding.

The study explores PCT and its antecedents whose understanding is critical in exploring avenues of reducing PCT and boosting service delivery to the beneficiaries.

The PPDA Act (2003) was amended in 2014, but still the time spent in the procurement processes has remained long, hence delaying or denying citizens service delivery. This is a matter of concern to the country at large and may spill into political unrests, and yet, there is scant literature exploring PCT and its antecedents. This makes the present study one of the pioneer empirical studies on PCT, with emphasis on Uganda. This study provides a framework for examining PCT in a context where scholarly explanation of PCT is still limited.

Procurement is a crucial part of supply chain management, consistently becoming a strategic vantage point in global competition. The industry 4.0 paradigm is transforming supply chains to smarter systems, giving rise to the concept of procurement 4.0. A systematic framework to transform in current scenario is crucial.

This study brings together these current researches to propose a redesigned procurement process by combining several technologies. A BPR approach is taken to present the new process and its merits are discussed.

A re-designed procurement framework is proposed. Radical improvements of cost, cycle time, human effort, degree of automation, traceability, information availability and uncertainty are achievable with the proposed framework.

The proposed re-engineered process addresses the visualization barrier for managers. The proposed framework is grounded on BPR which provides a generic ground for developing redesign exercise along with the visualization of new process.

There is literature discussing implementation, impact and advantages of individual and combination of technologies on procurement process but lacks visualization of the transformed process combining these technologies.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework of integrated supply chain model that can be used to measure, evaluate and monitor operational performance under dynamic and uncertain conditions.

The research methodology consists of two stages: configuration of a conceptual framework of integrated supply chain model linked with performance measures and illustration of the integrated supply chain model and delivery performance using a case of dairy industry. The integrated supply chain model is based on a unitary structuring technique and forms the basis for measuring and evaluating supply chain performance. Delivery performance with variation of demand (forecast and actual) is monitored using a fuzzy-based decision support system, based on three inputs: capacity utilization (influenced by production disruption), raw materials shortage and quality of dairy products.

Integration of supply chain components (materials, resources, operations, activities, suppliers, etc.) of key processes using unitary structuring approach enables information integration in real time for performance evaluation and monitoring in complex supply chain situations. In addition, real-time performance monitoring is recognized as being of great importance for supply chain management in responding to uncertainties inherent in the operational environment.

Implementation of an integrated model requires maintenance of supply chain components with all necessary data and information in a system environment such as enterprise resource planning.

The integrated model provides decision-makers with an overall view of supply chain components and direct links that need to be maintained for supply chain performance evaluation and monitoring. Wider adaptation and diffusion of the proposed model require further validation of the model and feasibility of implementation, using real-time data and information on selected performance measures.

Integration of supply chain components across supply chain processes directly linked with performance measures is a novel approach for effective supply chain performance evaluation and monitoring in complex supply chains under dynamic and uncertain conditions.

In this paper, the author examines the growth of B2B e‐commerce, examining results from the ISM/Forrester Reports on e‐Business conducted to date. Through this analysis, the researcher demonstrates that contrary to the generally‐held perception that B2B has experienced a sharp downturn in the wake of the recession, e‐procurement has taken hold and is rapidly expanding across the American landscape. Specifically, the Reports on e‐Business are studied to look for trends in the overall use of e‐procurement methods: to reduce paperwork and cycle times; to procure direct and indirect goods and services; to collaborate with suppliers; and to reduce the total cost of procurement. The author concludes that overall, the analysis shows that the push towards e‐procurement is being led by the largest firms. This and other key trends are discussed in the conclusion of this report, along with suggestions for future research.

The present paper aims to draw an attention towards the inclusion of forecast related costs. Its main purpose is to initiate a new line of research/practice including the forecasting expenditure.

After a relevant review of supply chain/procurement/production planning related literature, it has been observed that the existing work lacks an explicit inclusion of the cost concerned with forecast. The increased cost of forecasting is expected to enhance the forecasting accuracy. At a higher level, product family is considered for the analysis. However, a basic unit of analysis is always a single item production/procurement situation. Therefore, this situation has been discussed analytically with the use of the fundamental equations and an explicit inclusion of forecasting cost for the first time in the relevant literature. Numerous practical applications have been discussed at strategic and operational level. A framework is also presented for future research in this area.

A specific contribution of the present paper is an approach towards a unique index for relative forecasting expenditure. The suggested index will be useful for comparison purpose. Also, it can be used as a benchmark that can be improved in future.

The case is explained when cycle time is invariant after discussing the other potential applications. Usefulness of the proposed methodology and the index is discussed for the business organizations operating independently or in the supply chains.

On the basis of the forecast, a production or procurement plan is generated in many of the industrial or business situations. In the context of supply chain/production/inventory management, focus is more on demand forecasting techniques or generation of the forecasts in the existing literature. However, the increased costs concerning forecasts are expected to provide more accurate prediction. Therefore, the originality lies in an inclusion of forecast related costs.

Value‐based management focuses the efforts of individuals and managers on the creation of value. Starts with an analysis of the literature on general management and materials management and then extends that analysis to the concept of the value system. Identifies particular management variables which are key to efforts in creating value, e.g. organization structure and hierarchy, centralization, information systems, external relationships, job responsibilities and formalization, performance measurement system, and education and training. Groups these into two broad areas: organization design; and human resource management practices. Collectively these variables form the framework for value‐based management. Describes the nature of these variables in both a traditional, function‐based organization and the more contemporary value‐based organization. Applies the value‐based framework to procurement, identifying those actions needed by managers in the transition of the efforts of procurement individuals towards the creation of value.

Focuses on a benchmarking study relating to the supply and distribution of spare parts to the plant maintenance function in a major utility. The key lessons arising from the study include: the importance of clear business goals for a benchmarking project; the need to understand processes before benchmarking them; and the need to undertake process simplification prior to embarking on a formal benchmarking study. Attention to these issues helps to avoid false starts and ensures that the study is both focused and effective. Also points out that unless a benchmarking study is put into a wider business context, its efforts can prove nugatory.

The purpose of this research paper is to identify the non-financial e-procurement performance measures and find out whether these non-financial performance measures are leading indicator of impact on firm financial performance by adoption of e-procurement in terms of reduction in production cost.

The research model has been tested with the data collected from target procurement professionals in India. Structural equation modelling has been used for testing conceptual model hypotheses including mediation. The phantom model approach for testing multiple mediators has deployed.

The present empirical study found that non-financial performance measure of e-procurement, namely, transparency, coordination, efficiency and effectiveness are leading indicators of the impact of e-procurement adoption on production cost. This paper suggests that managers should try to design the e-procurement platform or opt for third party platform which reduces transaction cost to a minimum for enhanced coordination, work on transparency policy with maximum disclosure of information for enhanced transparency and ask for a fast and responsive system for enhanced efficiency and effectiveness.

This study, first time, attempted to identify non-financial performance measures of e-procurement and tried to understand how these intermediate non-financial performance measures impact the firm financial performance. The interdependence of non-financial performance measures has also been explored, and the research model has been developed to empirically examine the interdependence of these financial measures and its impact on production cost.

Much of the hype associated with the impact of electronic business is associated with the business to business (B2B) model. Analysts believe that enormous cost savings and efficiencies can be achieved through the utilisation of e‐procurement, a component of the B2B model. The role of procurement and the emerging use of large information systems to conduct e‐procurement is analysed and presented with the results of a survey of 38 major Australian organisations. The current direct and indirect procurement practices of the sample organisations will be analysed together with an analysis of the eprocurement drivers and barriers. The main results show that direct procurement is heavily dependant upon traditional practices whilst indirect procurement is more likely to use “e” practices. Small‐medium organisations are more nimble at adopting e‐procurement practices. Technical issues dominate e‐procurement barriers, with cost factors dominating e‐procurement drivers.

This paper aims to present electronic procurement benefits identified in four case companies from the information technology (IT), hi‐tech sector.

Multi‐case study design was applied. The benefits reported in the companies were analysed and classified according to taxonomies from the information systems discipline. Finally, a new benefits classification was proposed. The framework was developed based on information systems literature.

The research confirmed difficulties with benefits evaluation, as, apart from operational benefits, non‐financial, intangible benefits at strategic level were also identified. Traditional evaluation methods are unable to capture all benefits categories, especially at strategic level. New taxonomy was created, which allows evaluation of the complex e‐procurement impact. In the proposed taxonomy, e‐procurement benefits are classified according to their level (operational, tactical, strategic), area of impact, applying scorecard dimensions (customer, process, financial, learning and growth). In addition the benefits characteristic is captured (tangible, intangible, financial and non‐financial).

Research is based on four case studies only. Findings are specific to case companies and the environment in which they operate. The framework should be tested further in different contexts.

The new taxonomy allows evaluation of the complex e‐procurement impact, demonstrating that benefits achieved do not concern merely the financial impact. The framework can be applied to preparing new systems implementation as well as to evaluating existing systems.

The paper applies information systems frameworks to the electronic procurement field, which allows one to look at e‐procurement systems considering its complex impact. The framework can also be used to evaluate different systems, not simply e‐procurement.