Institutional and regulatory constraints in managing procurement records

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to identify and assess the regulatory and institutional constraints in managing procurement records in Tanzania’s procuring entities.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a mixed study design. There were explorative case study and questionnaire survey study methods used sequentially. In total, 15 procuring entities were used for exploratory case study, while 200 respondents were administered with questionnaires. A 75 per cent response rate was realised.FindingsResults indicated that management and care of procurement records is constrained by regulatory and institutional constraints. The identified and assessed constraints were inter alia: incapacity of institutional actors, inadequate regulatory and institutional arrangements, inadequacy of storage space, equipment and facilities and insufficiency of security and safety measures.Research limitations/implicationsThis research focussed on the procuring entities found in Dar es Salaam, which accounts for 40.72 per cent of the total procuring entities in Tanzania. Based on this, the generalisation of research findings can be sought in that particular context.Practical implicationsFindings imply that procurement records management and care is highly influenced by the constraining factors that hinder efficient records keeping in most procuring entities in Tanzania.Social implicationsMajority of procurement management units and user departments’ staff were found to possess inadequate knowledge, skills and competences in management and care of procurement records. The procuring entities should ensure that procurement staffs are trained in records and archives management practices.Originality/valueThis study contributes towards adding knowledge to the existing body of knowledge on the procurement records and archives management systems.