An organisational approach to sustainable public procurement

Abstract

The adoption of social and environmental objectives in public procurement was aimed at addressing socio-economic justice and environmental protection in economic development. Studies found inefficiencies in the adoption of sustainable objectives by the public sector due to varied objectives adopted in public procurement and the inefficiency of the adoption process. A qualitative approach was undertaken to investigate the public sector's adoption of social and environmental objectives in public procurement that involved hierarchies, people, and the system of administration and governance. This study found that there were two types of structure in the public sector - a regulatory approach and a collaborative approach. These approaches were found to have different effects on the adoption of social and environmental objectives in public procurement. The findings provided contributions to organisational theory and the practise of public procurement policies and regulations.