Title: Supply-side barriers to e-business technology in the healthcare sector

Authors: Michael Johnson

Addresses: Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK

Abstract: The UK healthcare services industry supply chain has been noted in the literature as being inefficient and, therefore, represents an area where the adoption of innovative e-business technologies, such as e-markets, can effect a number of economic benefits in the procurement and supply cycle. However, such benefits cannot be realised unless supply chain organisations are able to adopt and integrate e-markets with their procurement and supply processes. This paper examines the supply-side barriers to e-market adoption and use in the UK healthcare sector based on 13 in-depth interviews with senior level executives in e-market and supplier organisations. QSR N6 was used to analyse the data based on the Johnson (2010) conceptual framework of e-market adoption barriers. The study contributes to the literature on the organisational adoption dynamics of e-markets and barriers to the adoption of e-business technologies. It also presents an opportunity for academics, researchers, consultants, practitioners and other professional stakeholders with an interest in e-markets to gain a better understanding of the barriers that impede e-market adoption and use in public sector environments and helps them identify practical ways to mitigate such barriers.

Keywords: e-business technologies; e-markets; electronic business; electronic markets; healthcare sector; suppliers; economic benefits; UK NHS Trusts; buyers; healthcare supply chains; qualitative research; case study; supply-side barriers; National Health Service; e-market adoption; public sector; public health.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2014.060369

International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 2014 Vol.7 No.3, pp.275 - 304

Published online: 07 Jun 2014 *

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