Analysis of the Relationship between Managerial Competences and the Performance of Procurement Management Units in Public Sector: The Structural Equation Modelling Approach

2021

IJPSM

PurposeThis paper analyzes procurement negotiators' skills and attributes by considering perceptions of procurement professionals in Tanzania.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a cross-sectional research design in which procurement professionals' opinions were collected through questionnaires. The study proposed that the skills and attributes of procurement negotiators are necessary for negotiation proceedings, and they were tested through confirmatory factor analysis.FindingsFindings suggest that listening skills, persuasion skills, communication skills and planning skills are all important skills that contribute to overall procurement negotiation skills. Furthermore, trust, flexibility, honesty and emotion are statistically determined to be necessary attributes for procurement negotiators. All of the observed variables were statistically significant (p < 0.001) and contributed positively to explaining the skills and attributes of procurement negotiators.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample included only respondents from a single country. This may affect the generalization of results as there is a variation in institutional regulatory compliance governing public procurement undertakings in different countries. Also, the study did not include the outcome of negotiation proceedings and relied only on opinions collected from the procurement professionals in Tanzania.Practical implicationsThis study's findings provide suggestions for practitioners on the necessary skills and attributes of procurement negotiators that might be well considered when appointing members of negotiation teams for procurement deals.Originality/valueThis paper adds value to the existing literature on the necessary skills and attributes of members of negotiation teams for procurement undertakings in the public sector.

“…This study suggests that communication skills are crucial procurement negotiation skills. The finding aligns with Changalima and Ismail (2019), Bakar and Peszynski (2010). Their results…”

Section: Skills and Attributes Of Negotiatorssupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Conclusion and Recommendationssupporting

confidence: 71%

Procurement professionals' perceptions of skills and attributes of procurement negotiators: a cross-sectional survey in Tanzania

Mwagike

2021

IJPSM

“…Staff competence in form of specific knowledge in areas of specialization and that acquired through training and learning may provide strength for the practitioners to be able to meet the work challenges and produce intended results. Therefore, the development of competencies in terms of skills for procurement practitioners is necessary to facilitate adequate performance in organisational operations (Changalima & Ismail, 2019). On the other hand, Stephen (2021) established that management incompetence…”

Section: Staff Competence and Effectiveness Of Force Account Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of the Force Account Approach in Tanzanian Local Government Authorities: Do Management Support and Staff Competence Matter?

Macharia

Banzi

Management & Economics Res. J.

2022

In Tanzania, the force account approach has been used for years as a technique for procuring works in the form of construction projects. In this regard, it is necessary to investigate the effectiveness of the force account approach in construction projects. The objective of this research is to look into the influence of management support and staff competence on the effectiveness of the force account approach in Tanzanian local government construction projects. Cross-sectional data were collected from procurement practitioners involved in force account construction projects at Kongwa District Council using structured questionnaires. The findings revealed that management support and staff competence are important determinants of the effectiveness of the force account approach in Tanzanian local government authorities' construction projects. The findings also revealed that staff competence is the most important factor influencing the effectiveness of force account in local government authorities, with β = 0.558 and p < 0.001. Furthermore, management support and the effectiveness of the force account approach are related in a positive and significant way (β = 0.233 and p = 0.006). As a result, procurement practitioners in respective local government authorities should ensure that they are capable of implementing the force account approach. The study also suggests future research on other factors that may explain the variation in the effectiveness of the implementation of the force account approach. Furthermore, because the study focused on local government authorities, future studies can be conducted by soliciting input from central governments and other public procuring entities.

“…For instance, poor deliveries and delays reported in public procurement affect the achievement of VfM in procurement. In addition, lack of competition among bidders and favoritism affect the amount of public funds directed at public procurement activities (Changalima and Ismail, 2019;Grega et al, 2019). Since public procurement accounts for a large portion of the Tanzanian national budget (Changalima et al, 2021), efforts are needed to enhance VfM in public procurement activities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Obtaining the best value for money through procurement planning: can procurement regulatory compliance intervene?

Ismail

Mwaiseje

2022

JMB

PurposeWhile empirical studies establish the importance of procurement planning in achieving value for money (VfM) in procurement, there is scant evidence demonstrating a link between procurement planning and procurement regulatory compliance, and thus VfM. As a result, this study examined how procurement regulatory compliance can be applied when procurement practitioners in Tanzania seek to maximize VfM through procurement planning.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional research design was adopted from which data were collected once through a structured questionnaire. The structural equation modeling (SEM) and Hayes' PROCESS macro test for mediation analysis were used to analyze the collected data.FindingsProcurement planning has a significant and positive relationship with procurement regulatory compliance (ß = 0.491, p < 0.001). Procurement regulatory compliance has a significant and positive relationship with VfM in procurement (ß = 0.586, p < 0.001). Results also show that procurement planning is a significant positive predictor of VfM (ß = 0.257, p = 0.005). Furthermore, the bootstrapping confidence intervals revealed that procurement regulatory compliance significantly mediates the relationship between procurement planning and VfM in procurement.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the study was able to accomplish its overall objective, it is limited in terms of the geographical setting under which the study was conducted. Hence, the generalization of research results should be made with caution as each country has specific public procurement laws and regulations governing the conduct of procurement activities in the public sector.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the growing debate on achieving VfM in procurement activities. The study adds to the literature on public procurement by establishing the mediation effect of procurement regulatory compliance on the quest toward achieving VfM in public procurement.