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Public procurement frameworks in developed and developing countries alike are recognised as being characterised by an unstable tension between the public expectations of transparency and accountability, and of efficiency and effectiveness of resource management. This conformanceperformance tension, manifest throughout a complex procurement environment, is further destabilised by conflicting stakeholder interests at the political, business, community and management levels and exacerbated by competing claims between executives, lawyers, technologists and politicians for lead roles in this arena. The application of new technology in this discipline offers a qualified potential to substantially resolve these tensions. However, the application of technology is itself at risk from a lack of understanding about the nature of its impact and the wider political dimensions of professionalism in public procurement.

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