Title: Electronic procurement adoption in Zimbabwe's public sector: examining the benefits, shortcomings and the critical success factors

Authors: Kudakwashe Intauno; Alouis Chilunjika; Leon Poshai

Addresses: Department of Development and Governance, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen Akademisches Auslandsamt, Germany ' School of Public Management, Governance, and Public Policy, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, 2006, South Africa ' Department of Public Management and Governance, Midlands State University, Private Bag 9055, Senga Road Gweru, Zimbabwe

Abstract: The Government of Zimbabwe adopted the electronic procurement system (e-procurement) as one of the substantial strategies to revamp public procurement processes and make the public procurement function more transparent and robust. This paper interrogates the dynamics of e-procurement adoption in Zimbabwe through a review of extant literature undertaken to gauge the level of e-procurement preparedness. As such, research papers in journals, books, newspapers, government publications and electronic resources were used to gather data. The paper examines how the lack of political will has hampered the adoption of an e-procurement system in Zimbabwe. In this regard, the paper recommends that there is a need for the Government of Zimbabwe to demonstrate a full commitment to e-procurement adoption by formulating specific e-procurement governing legislation to guide the adoption of an e-procurement system. The paper also recommends that the training of procurement officers is also critical in preparing them to fully utilise the e-procurement system.

Keywords: electronic procurement; public sector; efficiency; spending units; unauthorised expenditure; Zimbabwe.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPM.2024.138963

International Journal of Procurement Management, 2024 Vol.20 No.3, pp.331 - 349

Received: 03 Jun 2023
Accepted: 12 Jun 2023
Published online: 05 Jun 2024 *

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