Title: Selection of project procurement methods in the consumer electronics industry – a Hong Kong study

Authors: Wun Kwong Ng; George Zillante; Albert P.C. Chan; Jian Zuo; Bo Xia

Addresses: School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia. ' School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia. ' Department of Building and Real Estate, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. ' School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia. ' School of Urban Development, Queensland University of Technology, S Block, Level 8, Room S838, 2 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia

Abstract: Under pressure from both the ever increasing level of market competition and the global financial crisis, clients in consumer electronics (CE) industry are keen to understand how to choose the most appropriate procurement method and hence to improve their competitiveness. Four rounds of Delphi questionnaire survey were conducted with 12 experts in order to identify the most appropriate procurement method in the Hong Kong CE industry. Five key selection criteria in the CE industry are highlighted, including product quality, capability, price competition, flexibility and speed. This study also revealed that product quality was found to be the most important criteria for the 'First type used commercially' and 'Major functional improvements' projects. As for 'Minor functional improvements' projects, price competition was the most crucial factor to be considered during the PP selection. These research findings provide owners with useful insights to select the procurement strategies.

Keywords: project procurement; consumer electronics; Hong Kong; Delphi method; structured communication; forecasting; market competition; global crises; financial crises; competitiveness; experts; China; selection criteria; product quality; capability; prices; flexibility; speed; functional improvements; procurement strategies; minor improvements; major improvements; first types; commercial use; new product development; NPD; procurement management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPM.2012.047169

International Journal of Procurement Management, 2012 Vol.5 No.3, pp.289 - 315

Published online: 16 Aug 2014 *

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