CHINHOYI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS SCIENCES

HONOURS DEGREE IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

THE IMPACT OF PROCUREMENT ETHICS ON PROCUREMENT

EFFECTIVENESS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

PREPARED BY: CHIRASHANYE KUDZAISHE T

REG. NUMBER: C19139597F

 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

TOPIC: THE IMPACT OF PROCUREMENT ETHICS ON PROCUREMENT

EFFCTIVENESS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

1.0 Introduction

This chapter highlights the background to the study, statement of the problem, objectives of
the research and the research questions. It further looks at the significance of the study,
assumptions for the research, delimitations, limitations as well as the definition of terms
pertaining to the study. In a nutshell, the chapter is a general overview of the study that the
researcher intends to carry out that is the impact of procurement ethics on procurement
effectiveness in the public sector making use of Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and
Distribution Company (Harare).

1.1 Background of the study

Public sector procurement is strategically seen as the lifeblood of every economy, the pulse
of every industry because it affects the performance of every government entity (Stephenson,
2014) and supply chain competitiveness (Magaya and Chidhawu, 2016). The sector is a
procedure through which public bodies such as government ministries and local authorities
acquire goods and services. According to Monczba (2014) ethics affect performance of
public companies. The major elements of ethics include integrity, competence,
professionalism, accountability, transparency and fairness.

Ethics evolves over time. It is difficult for both companies and professionals to operate within
one set of accepted standards or guidelines only to see them gradually evolve or change. For
instances, bribery has been an accepted business practice for centuries in Japan and Korea.
When these nations adjusted their practices in order to enter the global system, the
questionable practices became illegal. Hence a Korean businessman who engaged in bribery
ten or twenty years ago may not do so today without finding himself on the other side of the
law Maintaining an ethical status is the responsibility of the manager of the business.
"Managing ethical behaviour is one of the most pervasive and complex problems facing
business organizations today” It’s clear that changing values, as influenced by global media,
and changing perceptions and cultures will impact global ethics. The most challenging aspect
is that global business does not have a single definition of “fair” or “ethical.” While culture
influences the definitions of those ideas, many companies are forced to navigate this sensitive
area very carefully, as it impacts both their bottom line and their reputations.

In an article by Maruma and Shava (2017), Zimbabwe is one of the countries in the global
south that is experiencing the highest inflation rate in the whole world due to deep corruption
and political instability amongst other things (Biti, 2019 and Muronzi, 2019). This can be due
to unethical behaviours and lack of transparency Ackerman and Palifka (2016). There was
and Auditor General Report in 2017/2018 which shows that corruption and other casualties
have caused a glitch in the procurement sector. As cited in Sandada and Kambarami (2016),
unethical behaviour displayed by procurement professionals can have a negative impact on
procurement performance, competitiveness, and compliance. Additionally, evaluation team
members' lack of knowledge of procurement ethics has resulted in poor procurement
decisions and officers' inability to distinguish between right and wrong, resulting in the
development of corrupt tendencies. This supports the interpretation that when public
procurements are not handled in an ethical and professional manner, tenders are awarded to
clumsy, inexperienced, and unfit bidders, resulting in poor service delivery.

According to Resnik (2016) ethical norms are important as they promote fairness, mutual
respect, trust and accountability. Without procurement ethics, some public sector institutions
crumble down as everyone will be doing as they please. There will be no respect for those in
higher positions which will hinder favouritism and corruption. This need to be avoided in
public sectors as most of the governance or the running of the country passes through them.
Ethics are the basis on which most of the procurement related issues are driven from.
Globally, procurement ethics in public sectors was promoted by Thatcher when Margret
Thatcher saw it fit to make some major procurement reforms (Dzuke, 2016). Ethics are
important throughout the entire process of procurement and they add value to institutions or
organisation.

Zimbabwean companies’ public sectors like Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and

Distribution Company procurement effectiveness is being influenced by procurement ethics.
It is bringing companies to work in harmony, producing great results and improving the
country. Ethics is the basis on which most of procurement related principles, such as fairness,
integrity and transparency are based. Professional standards of ethical conduct, no matter
what the organization, contain typical characteristics, including commitments to: behave
honourably in all aspects of work and professional activity, conduct oneself in such a manner
as to maintain trust and confidence in the integrity of the acquisition process and always stay
truthful; these will bring a productive procurement in the public sectors.

In Africa, many countries have not been able to tackle the integrity issues in the public sector.
Lack of transparency, accountability and incompetence amongst others are considered as
major threats in the public sector. In Zimbabwe, public sector procurement reforms were
instituted in 2017 and 2018 (PRAZ) with the abolishment of the State Procurement Board and
the establishment of PRA in 2018. The reformations were estimated to curb corruption
tendencies as it was high in the public sector due to lack of fairness or ethical values.

1.2 Statement of the research problem

Performance of public sector organisations in Zimbabwe is one of the most strenuous tasks to
improve. Key issues facing the public sector is lack of procurement hygiene which includes;
poor quality purchases, late deliveries, high procurements costs, high clients complaints or
taken to court for legal redress and unhealthy and unsustainable business practices. Although
a lot of literature has been released concerning procurement ethics, little things have been
done to ascertain how much these ethics impact the effectiveness of procurement as a
discipline. All procurement ethics provided appears not to have significance effect on
performance of the public sector as there is continuous failure to improve their attitude
towards work. Lack of accountability, good governance and professional responsibility
causes the disruption of procurement effectiveness. Thus, this study sought to analyze the
impact of procurement ethics on the effectiveness of procurement at Zimbabwe Electricity
Transmission and Distribution Company (Harare).

1.3 Research Objectives

1. To establish ethical principles that govern public Procurement operations.

2. To determine challenges hindering the efficiency and effective public Procurement

practices.

3. To identify the impact of procurement ethics on the effectiveness of procurement practices.

1.4 Research Questions

This research intends to answer the following questions:

1. What are the ethical principles that govern procurement operations.

2. What are the challenges hindering the efficiency and effective public Procurement
practices.
3. How does procurement ethics impact the effectiveness of procurement practices.

1.4 Hypotheses

H1: Procurement ethics positively impacts the effectiveness of procurement practices.

1.6 Underlying Assumptions

i) The study assumes that the instruments that are used to collect data are reliable and
the source of information is rich and accurate.
ii) The study assumes confidentiality and anonymity of the highest order for the sake of
protecting the identity of the informant during the study research.
iii) It also assumed that the problems being faced by an individual organization is
affecting all other ministries in the public sector concerning procurement
effectiveness.

1.7 Significance of the study

To the society

This study will assist the society to understand the importance of ethics and how it establishes
effectiveness in businesses or organisations

To the public sector

In the public sector, the research will help it to identify issues to do with procurement ethics
and how if they are governed, increase procurement efficiency in everything. The study
results may be beneficial to other public sectors in the countries seeking to improve
procurement effectiveness or performance. The research can be used in strengthening the
public sectors in terms of ethical principles like transparency and accountability.

To the government
This will help companies understand what institutes procurement efficiency in the work
sector and also how to uphold those ethics so as to boost its procurement sector.

To the academic society

The research will lastly assist the academic society recent, current and future students
understand the major factor that is ethics to the success of the procurement sector or any
business, organisation or company.

1.8 Delimitations of the study

i) The research will be carried out on public government sectors mainly Zimbabwe
Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company.
ii) Data will be collected from employees and management department. The information
will enlighten more on how ethical principles are benefitting in the efficiency of
procurement in the public sector.

1.9 Limitations of the study

Time- the research will be limited by time that is the time given to gather the primary data
required to proceed with the case study to be effective might be limited by funds due to
schools being opened and also other related learning activities might hinder the effectiveness
of the result of the research.

Ignorance- not everyone targeted by the research study will be able to provide the required
information by the study. Others might be very ignorant to not bother answering the
questions of the study.

Financial limitation- the study will be limited by the availability of funds for the primary data
to be carried out without constraints of developing all the needed analysis.

1.10 Definition of key terms

Ethics

According to Claire Andre et al, ethics is based on well-founded standards of right and wrong
that prescribe what humans ought to do usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to
society, fairness or specific virtues Moral or professional conduct. Moral principles or values
that guide officials in all aspects of their work. It is the study of moral law.
Public sector

In an article by Nathan Mahr, the public sector is part of the economy that consists of
government entities and is responsible for providing services and managing resources to
citizens, businesses and other organisations. Portion of the economy composed of all levels of
government and government-controlled enterprises. It does not include private companies,
voluntary organizations, and households.

Procurement ethics

In an article by Myburgh (2015), ethical procurement is behaviour which meets the standards
of the procuring and the expectations of society. A wide range of issues that can impact the
ethical sustainability goals of a business or organization.

1.11 Organisation of the study

The dissertation will be outlined following the structured format provided by the university
that is being divided into five chapters as follows:

Chapter 1: Introduction and background to the study

The chapter dealt with the background of the research and the research problem, revealing
clearly the research gap and the reason why the study was done in the public procurement
sector. It also dealt with the statement of the problem, objectives, study questions,
significance of the study, delimitations of the study, limitation of the study and definition of
terms.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

The chapter explored on the related literature of the study that is exploring the theoretical
literature as well as the empirical literature reviews.

Chapter 3: Research Design and Methodology

The chapter focused on research design, population and sample, sampling procedure, research
instruments, data collection procedures, data analysis and presentation procedures, validity
and reliability and data analysis procedures employed in this study.

Chapter Four: Theoretical Framework

The chapter reviewed related theories and analysing all the collected data presented and
collected from all the samples respondents using the required instruments, the conceptual
framework.

Chapter 5: Conclusions and recommendations.

This chapter discussed the conclusions and recommendations to the research study results and
findings, and conclusion to discussion or the interpretation of the results.

1.12 Chapter Summary

Basically, the chapter introduced and laid the background of the research by establishing that,
a problem existed and there was need to address the problem at hand that is determining the
importance of ethics on procurement effectiveness.
 CHATER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

This chapter reviews past studies pertinent to the study. The theoretical foundation of the
study is presented. The chapter explores the theories that have been advanced in the relation
to the research study. The chapter focuses on literature development that focuses much more
on the research objectives of the study. It is necessary as it assists one in developing a clear
and thorough explanation on the research study questions and objectives so that readers
understand more. It also looks at the empirical literatures as developed by recent researchers.
The researcher shall make a critical review of the existing literature that has been written and
published by various authors on the subject of attention that is ethical issues in procurement.

2.2 Definition of key terms

Procurement Ethics

According to Chidya (2019), procurement ethics are the morals that guide human behaviour
in executing procurement activities. In light of Vincent and Muturi (2020) procurement ethics
are part of the company’s code of conduct that drives everything from hiring and training
talent to sourcing cost- effective supplies from socially responsible vendors. They are also a
wide range of issues that can impact and sustainability of a business if not adhered to or
followed.

Ethics

According to Sivasubramaniam (2021), ethics are fundamental pillars of a civilized society

that help in improving living standards or boosts organisations. They are also fundamentals
that govern people on what to do and what they ought not to. They are also known as the
branch of knowledge that deals with morals. They govern the behaviour of one which makes
it important for one to have ethical principles for the success of an organisation.

Public sector procurement

According to Anderson et al., (2014), it is the procedure through which public bodies such as
government ministries, parastatals and local authorities acquire goods and services and
construction work or acquire buildings and infrastructure. It is also the purchase of goods,
service and works by public authorities or civil service organisations using public funds.

Procurement

Sanderson (2015), defines procurement as all activities associated with acquiring and
managing the organisation’s supply inputs. It is a process of acquiring or purchasing goods
and services, usually in reference to business spending. Procurement is also the process of
sourcing, acquiring and paying for goods and services. As procurement has been noted as a
process of acquiring goods and services, for the process to be carried out there is need to have
the best quality products and also they should be affordable. The procurement process is
composed of different stages that is the pre-acquisition phase, tender process and contract
award, contract and supplier management, each one requiring a specific and careful design
capable of guaranteeing the best possible results (Baldi, et al., 2016)

3.3.1 Ethical principles that govern procurement operations

Nduna, Mawonde and Nyoni (2021) established that despite the presence of the public
accountability procurement legal framework, the efficiency and effectiveness of the
procurement process had not been achieved. In addition, Kipkorir (2013) revealed continuous
return of unutilized funds to the treasury by state agencies of about Kenya Shillings 142.5 and
105 billion in 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 financial years respectively. Vincent and Muturi
(2020) advances the need to have direct interventions that would undo the complexities that
affect the efforts of the government and international organizations in supporting the PP
performance initiatives.

Ntayi et al., (2012) examined the perceptions and effects of social value orientation, expected
utility, fairness in procurement procedures, the legitimacy of the procurement law and the law
enforcement authority on compliance with the procurement law, guidelines, procedures and
regulations. Their findings revealed that social value orientation, expected utility, legitimacy
of the procurement law enforcement agency and perceptions of procedural justice were
significant predictors of the PP regulatory compliance.

Amayi and Ngugi (2013) established that in spite of procurement contributing between 10-
40% of the country’s GDP, concerns on the way in which public organizations use the
resources that are given to them has often raised doubts that value for money has not been
realized. According to Panganayi, Msipa and Mazhazhate (2021) indicated that despite the
fact that there have been reforms initiatives in the PP system in Zimbabwe since mid-1990s,
the government still lost billions of money through procurement irregularities with the
Ministry of Water and Irrigation leading by 38% of the reported cases in 2020/2021 and 33%
in 2021/2022.

Procurement performance refers to efficiency and effectiveness in acquiring of goods and

services in the procurement function in order to change from being reactive to being
proactive to attain set performance levels in an entity (Baily et al., 2005). Procurement
performance has several benefits to an organization like cost saving, reduced lead time,
policy adherence and compliance to procurement regulations (Bolton, 2006). Procurement
activities have a relation to the organization’s economic performance which is evident by cost
reduction (Kinyanjui, 2012). This can be divided to effects on turnover, gross profit,
efficiency, total costs and organization’s equity. All of these categories correlate directly with
how the supplier ratings are controlled and utilized for the benefit of the organization (Juma,
2012)

Ensuring efficiency, accountability and transparency in public procurement is critical to

sustainable development (Obanda, 2010). Public procurement is a key tool to the overall
achievements of the sector. Besides, the objective of public procurement is to provide quality
goods and services through open and fair competition in the exact quantity and proper quality
as specified, and has to be delivered at the time and place where needed (Basheka, 2008). The
quality of goods, services, infrastructures, and the effectiveness of public services much
depend on well-managed public procurement.

2.3.2 Challenges hindering the efficiency and effective public Procurement practices.

The first challenge mentioned by various authors is risk mitigation. According to Mélon
(2020) Supply risk is always a major challenge in the procurement process. Market risks,
potential frauds, cost, quality, and delivery risks constitute the most common type of risks
(Vincent & Muturi, 2020). Additionally, Diakosavvas, and Frezal (2019) advances that
compliance risks like anti-corruption, policy adherence, and more keep your procurement
leaders up all night.

Another challenge that the literature suggest is dark purchasing. In light of (Adjei-Bamfo,
Maloreh-Nyamekye and Ahenkan (2019) purchases that are made outside the defined
procurement process fall under dark purchasing. Such uncontrolled spending can ultimately
be expensive for businesses. According to Ghadge, Kidd, Bhattacharjee and Tiwari (2019)
when items purchased cannot be justified using capital outlay or material inventory, the
resulting loss of revenue and control is a significant challenge for organizations of all sizes to
tackle.

Lack of transparency is another challenge of procurement practices found by the researcher in

the literature. According to spreadsheets were a terrific place to start when it came to
organizing data, but when you need a lot more out of them, they start to fall apart. Akenroye,
Owens and Durowoju (2020) advances that the first issue you may encounter is data access. It
can be tough to locate information and track it across several spreadsheets. The speed with
which you can access information diminishes as the volume of data grows. Mélon (2020)
argues that one must also deal with security risks and avoid disclosing too much information
to too many people. Small mistakes and omissions can result in incorrect data, costing you
deals, clients, and vendor relationships. Automating your procurement process is the best way
to improve transparency. It has a whole lot of other benefits too.

Inaccurate data is another challenge that the study found. In light of Nduna, Mawonde, and
Nyoni (2021) in order to make sound procurement decisions, organizations need accurate and
reliable data. Making purchases based on inaccurate procurement data can lead to inventory
shortages, excess inventory, and other additional procurement challenges that have the
potential to impact an organization’s bottom line directly.
Different authors highlight failure to adopt technology as a challenge in the procurement
practices. According Panganayi, Msipa and Mazhazhate (2021) managing procurement
processes manually may appear simple at first, but as processes become more complex, they
become the largest roadblocks to success. Thus Diakosavvas and Frezal (2019) advances that
this is why one of the procurement challenges is to see technology as a helpful hand, a partner
who helps a company create value. To achieve future goals, becoming an expert in how
digital procurement solutions can decrease costs and foster innovation is critical.

Scholars such as Ghadge, et al., (2019) names supplier-related issues as challenges that fall
under procurement practices. One of the greatest challenges in procurement is supplier
management (Mélon, 2020). From identifying the right supplier to keeping track of vendor
performance and ensuring a stable supply of quality products, the whole process is filled with
complications (Leal Filho, Skouloudis, Brandli, Salvia, Avila & Rayman-Bacchus, 2019).

2.3.3 The impact of procurement ethics on the effectiveness of procurement practices.

In as much as public procurement is a key policy instrument, empirical evidence shows that it
accounts for 10% - 20% of GDP on average in EU countries (OECD, 2011). This is one of
the areas where local and central governments intermingle with the private sector considering
the fact that huge funds are relocated from public to private actors. This function is therefore
regarded as an area particularly vulnerable to corruption (OECD, 2009). According to a
transparency report by K-Monitor Public Association (2012), alongside with European Union
regulations, the prevention of corruption has always been one of the main constitutive
elements in the legislative framework of public procurement in the Visegrad countries.
Corruption scandals led to recognition for the demand of more rigorous regulations.

According to the World Bank (2010) report, most countries have not yet developed
procedural frameworks to handle unethical procurement practices. As such in most countries,
especially the developing countries, there are documented cases of persons engaging into
procurement malpractices done with the aim of enriching themselves. Ferrell (2010) in a
study in the United States of America mentions big procurement scandals such as Enron and
WorldCom which have overwhelmed international businesses making it necessary for the
adoption of procurement ethical practices by most manufacturing firms.
A study by Hui, Othman, Omar and Rahman (2011) in Malaysia, reported ethical issues
related to accountability, transparency, corruption, integrity and cronyism that affected the
effectiveness of the public procurement system in Malaysia. The system was marred systemic
procurement malpractice and non-compliance with set procurement policies and procedures.
The World Bank (2009) noted that there were so many cases of non-compliance after
conducting a survey to assess the implementation of the public procurement regulations in
Bangladesh.

2.4 Conceptual framework

Figure 1: Conceptual framework

The above diagram shows the conceptual framework for the study. The conceptual
framework consists of the independent variable (Procurement ethics) which shall be
measured by its major constructs namely integrity, accountability, fairness among others. The
framework also the dependent variable which is the procurement effectiveness or
performance. The research would to analyze the degree to which these procurement ethics
constructs influence procurement effectiveness in an organization.

2.5 Theoretical Literature Review

According to Kraus (2022) theoretical literature review is a study that analyses and
synthesizes an existing body of literature by identifying, challenging Theories of Procurement
ethics are statements or accounts of what moral standing or responsibility people should
ascribe to. It helps establish what theories already exist, the relationship is between them, to
what degree the existing theories have been investigated and to develop new hypothesis to be
tested. They seek to suggest ethical directions people or businesses should adhere or consider
when making decisions. It consists of existing literature that helps the researcher state
theories that justify the case study at hand.

The basis of theoretical literature review is to point out the concepts, frameworks and theories
that are applicable to the research study at hand and also point out and understand how they
have been stated in other researches. There are theoretical views according to the basis of
ethics in procurement. These theories point out the importance of ethics towards the
effectiveness in procurement. Ethical theories include utilitarianism theory which states that
the right thing to do in any situation is whatever will do the most to produce the best
outcomes taking into consideration the interests of all parties. This supports the ethical code
of conduct which is fairness that is others have the right to give suggestions to the
improvement of an organisation. To have a productive procurement in the public sector one
needs to put into considerations what other parties are saying towards the idea in sighted so
that production is flawless. The theory supports the notion that the right action in any
situation is the one that brings the quality or the best outcomes.

There is also the theory of virtue of ethics. The theory focuses on the nature of the acting
person that is they should base his actions on the right virtues thus shaping people into good
and responsible beings. The virtue theory makes one realise the wrongness they have done to
certain customers. It serves as an alternative to both deontological and utilitarian ethics. They
concentrate on what kind of person one should be and become and the virtues they should
poses. This is to say ethics are not only about rules or actions but about personal behaviour,
character and traits. This theory is important in procurement effectiveness as it clearly reveals
that the behaviour of a person is what determines the following of codes of ethics. If one has
an arrogant and negligent attitude then the codes of ethics will not be followed resulting in
poor work efficiency. Ethics are vital and need to be adhered to as they boost procurement
strongly.

Ethics are needed in any organisation as they help maintain peace among companies and the
staff or employees. Ethics govern what people do and with them in place people in public
sectors know what to follow. It holds the most ethical choice is the one that will produce the
greatest good for the greatest number. According to Bernstein (2016), ethics accountability
and corporate responsibility are key issues in the business field. They also refer to principles
of conducts governing an individual or group or company or organisation.

Procurement Theories

These are a representative list of the most prevalent perspectives and models would include
various models of organisational decision making, stakeholder theory, resource dependency
theory systems theory and institutional theory.

2.5.2 Stakeholder Theory

According to Fares (2021) stakeholder theory is a theory of an organisational management

and business ethics that accounts for multiple constituencies impacted by business entities. It
mainly focuses on how stakeholders conduct with their employees, suppliers, local
communities, creditors and others. It addresses morals and values in managing an
organisation. It addresses morals and values in managing an organization. The stakeholder
theory sates the business ethics, morals and values when managing stakeholders involved in a
projects.

Having ethics in stakeholder management generates a successful project. This is practised by

companies who follow legal and generally accepted moral norms. They tend to follow codes
of ethics and try to avoid improper behaviours that would lead to the organisation having
issues with their stuff or suppliers or any investors wanting to do business with the
organisation. This theory brings the effectiveness of procurement in the public sector as
organisation have to follow the laws and the moral norms. In order for (ZETDC) to conduct
its businesses swiftly stakeholders need to be handled in a good way hence it will lead to a
flourishing business day. This shows that ethics are crucially important as they guide them to
boost their productiveness and also work will be done perfectly without any problems.

The theory goes on to justify that in order to have procurement effectiveness, there are rules
that need to be followed. The principles that govern this theory if followed and adhered to,
they bring out the successfulness of a business. It is an important theory as supports the
confidentiality ethical code. Some information of suppliers and creditors need to be kept
confidential and the stakeholder theory supports the notion. This code states that sensitive
information should not be published so as to not lose clients, partners or suppliers. The
information can only be given if the other party is aware of the situation. This promotes or
boosts public sectors as it strengthens the relationships of business partners hence quality will
improve as well as cost because of the relationship. Therefore, this theory is relevant and
applicable in this research study.

2.5.3 Institutional Theory

It refers to a broad group of perspectives that interpret the relationship between institutions
and human behaviour, assuming that not only human actions that is behaviour, perceptions,
power, policy, preferences and decision making shape institutions; but these are also
influenced by them. More specifically, institutionalism focuses on the need of organisations
to adopt to adopt to their institutional environment such as norms and rules. These are the
same as ethical codes that is without them the organisation’s procurement sector or any
activity is put on line and productiveness will deteriorate. Institutional theory also argues that
organizations take rules and norms for granted because they seem obvious or natural but
failure to adhere to these norms and expectations may lead to conflicts and illegitimacy.

Glover et al., (2015) states that institutional theory provides a theoretical lens through which
researchers can identify and examine influences that promote legitimacy and efficiency of
organizational practices. It also states how changes in how things are run like laws,
regulations and codes of ethics can affect the smooth running of an organisation. Thus this
theory supports the notion procurement ethics enables procurement effectiveness in the
public sector. Public sectors need the use of procurement ethics for efficiency in their sectors
as they run the country and if there is any disruption, there will be great consequences.

2.5.3. Resource Based Theory

The theory examines more on the link between a firms’ internal characteristics and
performances. It suggests that resources that are valuable, rare, difficult to imitate and non-
substitutable best position a firm for long term success. These strategic resources can provide
the foundation to develop firm capabilities that can lead to superior performance over time.

2.6 Empirical Literature Review

According to Bouchrika (2017), empirical literature review is the study whose conclusions
are exclusively derived from concrete, verifiable evidence. It is also known as empirical
evidence of the research study. It is empirical when it uses the real-world evidence in
investigating its assertions. Also known as a systematic literature review analyses previous
empirical studies in order to provide. It also involves the evaluation of previous empirical
studies to rest a specific research issue. Some view empirical evidence as studies that have
been done and assessed by other researchers which bring up issues that are related to the
research study in question. Empirical evidence refers to information gathered directly or
indirectly through research instruments like observations or experimentation that may be used
to confirm or disconfirm a studied thesis and this is supported by Jonathan Gordon.

2.6.1 Case Study 1: Effectiveness of Procurement Accountability Framework in Tanzania

Public Sector: Focusing on the Ministry of Home Affairs Headquarters.

The researcher reviewed a study conducted by Ramadhani and Ondiek (2021) on the
Effectiveness of Procurement Accountability Framework in Tanzania Public Sector:
Focusing on the Ministry of Home Affairs Headquarters. The aim of the study was to
evaluate the Ministry of Home Affairs Headquarters' (MoHA-HQ) procurement
accountability framework in Tanzania's public sector. The study employed a quantitative
technique, a descriptive survey research design, and positivist principles. Stratified random
sampling methods were used to choose a sample size of 61. Surveys and a review of the
available documentation were utilized to obtain data for the study. Data analysis involves
running descriptive statistics like means and standard deviation using IBM SPSS statistics
software. Results showed that MoHA-HQ's procurement accountability structure was highly
successful.
2.6.2 Case Study 2: Effect of employee competence on implementation of e-procurement in
Kisii county government, Kenya.

Vincent and Muturi (2020) conducted a study on the effect of employee competence on
implementation of e-procurement in Kisii county government, Kenya. The primary aim
of this study was to identify the variables influencing e-procurement adoption, with a focus
on staff competency and how it affected the process within the Kenyan county government of
Kisii. In order to acquire a thorough knowledge of the relationship between the success of e-
procurement and the performance of procurement among Kenyan county governments, this
study used a descriptive research approach. The study employed a straightforward random
sampling approach to choose 106 staff members as the sample population. The findings
demonstrated that there is a high level of employee competency, which has enhanced the
implementation of e-procurement, that they have received e-procurement training, and that
this training has enabled them to enhance project performance. Employee competence has a
significant impact on the implementation of e-procurement in Kisii county government, it
was determined after the null hypothesis that "employee competence has no significant effect
on the implementation of e-procurement in Kisii county government" was rejected.

2.6.3 Case Study 3: Effect of Sustainable Procurement Practices on Procurement

Efficiency in Mining Companies in Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe.

Nduna, Mawonde and Nyoni (2021) conducted a study on the Effect of Sustainable
Procurement Practices on Procurement Efficiency in Mining Companies in
Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe. This research sought to determine how
sustainable purchasing practices affected procurement effectiveness in Zimbabwe's mining
industry. Interviews with 10 important informants from mining corporations were performed
using a qualitative research technique. According to the study's conclusions, procurement
efficiency is positively impacted by supplier training, entire life cycle costing, the purchase of
recyclable materials, and environmentally friendly products.
2.6.4 Case Study 4: Government policy as a catalyst to effective public procurement: a case
of Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).

Panganayi, Msipa and Mazhazhate (2021) conducted a study on the government policy as a
catalyst to effective public procurement: a case of Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission
and Distribution Company (ZETDC). The aim of this research was to investigate the
connection between effective public procurement in parastatals and government policy, with
particular emphasis on The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company.
The study focused on a parastatal with 136 employees as its target population. To ensure
representativeness, a sample size of 91 was chosen at random. A total of 72 surveys were
found, with a response rate of 79.12%. The research design was descriptive. SPSS was used
to examine the data. According to the research, public procurement in parastatals and
government policy are directly related.

2.6.5 Case Study 5: Sustainable procurement performance of large enterprises across

supply chain tiers and geographic regions.

Ghadge, Kidd, Bhattacharjee and Tiwari (2019) conducted a study on the Sustainable
procurement performance of large enterprises across supply chain tiers and geographic
regions. This study sought to investigate the trends in major companies' sustainability
performance for supplier selection across supply chain tiers and geographical regions. Using
hierarchical multiple regression analysis, secondary data on 83 big, international companies
addressing sustainable procurement policies are analyzed. The hypotheses are developed
using the stakeholder theory and the dynamic capabilities view. The findings demonstrated
that major firms' effectiveness in sustainable procurement varies throughout supply chain
levels and improves in the direction of the final consumer. Due to the uniformity of rules and
the adaptability of multinational, major businesses, no discernible variation was found
between geographic regions.

2.7 Chapter summary

The chapter summary reviewed the relevant literature including the advantages of literature
and the types of literature. It has also clearly stated empirical literature as well as case studies
to support the research topic. Theories and models have also been clearly explained
supporting the impact of procurement ethics on procurement effectiveness in the public-
sector.

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