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Procurement is the acquisition of goods or services at the best possible total cost of ownership, in the correct quantity, at the correct time, in the correct place for the direct benefit or use of corporations, governments or individuals (Procurement 2005). Electronic procurement is the fulfillment of the procurement function by use of the Internet and new technologies to facilitate a seamless, end-to-end stream of strategic procurement activities enabling improved responsiveness and analysis within the procurement organisation (Wheatley 2003). The aim of the study was to identify the effectiveness and efficiency of the current procurement processes in place at UTi Domestic and to investigate the feasibility of using Electronic Procurement as a possible mechanism for Business Process Re-Engineering within UTi Domestic, to streamline and add value to the overall procurement function. This study was undertaken at UTi domestic in Johannesburg. Questionnaires were used to collect data. In total, twenty-eight procurement staff members and six management members completed separate questionnaires. One hundred percent response rate was achieved for both groups. The procurement staff completed a structured questionnaire while management were asked unstructured questions. Data obtained from the questionnaires were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings of the study indicated that the procurement process at UTi Domestic was inefficient and ineffective. The procurement process was in need of redesign. Controversy existed between management and procurement staff over whether e-procurement would be the solution to the procurement problem. The researcher recommended the implementation of an e-procurement solution as a resolution to the procurement problem, based on the value potential of the solution and the ability of the solution to positively satisfy all of the aims of the study. As supported by the literature, e-procurement can make a significant difference to UTi Domestic. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2006.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how social procurement can be a further development of public-private partnership. This is done with interviews and a case study of the social procurement Mitt Gröna Kvarter and its labor effort Boendebyggarna. The theoretical framework used in the thesis consists of public-private partnership and corporate social responsibility. It tries to answer the following questions: What does this social procurement mean by the concept of public-private partnership? What does this social procurement mean for the participants involved? How can social procurement be seen as a further development of public-private partnership? The thesis uses the theory development around the concepts of public-private partnership and corporate social responsibility and shows that social procurement does indeed have similarities to public-private partnership and could very well be a further development of it.

The idea of sustainability is widespread, but it often remains unclear how the idea travelled and how it is translated into practice. In this thesis it is analysed how public organizations translate sustainability into action through Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP). First, an overview of translation theory and previous research on SPP is given. Basing on an empirical analysis, two cases of public organizations in Sweden and Germany that integrated SPP in their strategies are described and analysed. It is revealed that translation theory applies to the two cases and that the theory is useful to explain how the concept of sustainability is acted upon. Characteristics of processes of translation can be observed in both cases, indicating that the translation of the same idea can result in different practices and outcomes. It is found that although both public organizations use the same term, the way SPP is implemented and practiced differs highly. The thesis includes reflections on this different outcome and considers the importance of local contexts and actors.

The objective of the study was to develop a management framework for internal logistics in the Department of Education in Gauteng. For the purpose of this study internal logistics was defined as the complete process of obtaining goods and services from the compiling and processing of requisitions to the payment of invoices and the record keeping of all transactions to achieve organisational objectives. Internal logistics entails purchase planning, specification development, supplier research, contract administration and quotations, ordering and inventory control. The management of internal logistics can enhance productivity and performance within the value chain, improving service delivery, the outcome of the audited financial statement and ultimately the optimal spending of the allocated budget per financial year. For three consecutive financial years (2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009) GDE received a qualified audited financial statement. For financial years 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 GDE succeeded to receive an unqualified audited financial statement. To maintain this achievement and ultimately receive a clean audit financial statement, it is necessary to evaluate all the business processes, specifically within supply chain management, contributing to the audit findings. Supply Chain Management (SCM) is in some way the completion of the circle of financial management. It is important for GDE to develop a uniform internal logistics framework that would enable them to also gain the maximum from its annual allocated budget. It is also critical that the internal logistics are attended to as soon as possible to have a positive input towards the audited financial statement. A literature study was done on the concepts of the value chain, supply chain management and the management of knowledge. A questionnaire was designed, based on the findings in the literature, and used to measure the efficiency of the internal logistics in the District offices. The state of the internal logistics at the District offices was assessed through survey questionnaires to extract the data. It became evident that certain gaps and problems exist in relation to internal logistics at the District offices and that knowledge management is related to these gaps and problems. Internal logistics has a link with the elements of supply chain management as investigated in the literature study. The elements of supply chain management can to be broken down into clear activities for the management of internal logistics. The key area of concern is that the internal logistics within SCM are not acknowledged and therefore not properly managed in the District offices. The result of this is that the allocated budget is not optimally utilised and also receives qualifications from the audited financial statement. A practical framework to manage internal logistics is proposed for the Department of Education to assist with the problems, and to bridge the gaps found after analysing the questionnaires. The findings of the empirical study were used as the basis of the framework. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are drawn and rendered in order to improve the logistics management of the Department of Education in Gauteng. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Tendering process is central to national government in South Africa. The goods and services bought by national government in South Africa represent a large amount of public money, and it is very important that national government put in place measure to manage how these goods and services are acquired. In the main government acquire goods and services through tender system and the focus of the study was tendering process in national government in South Africa. The amount of public resources that national government uses in the tendering process is huge and is approximately over 20% of GDP, which has direct implication for service delivery and job creation as well as redressing past discrimination by empowering designated groups of peoples to receive preference in tendering. South Africa is one of the countries with the highest level of corruption rate in the world, of which tender fraud and corruption play a major part. Considering that, the reform of tendering process in national government is therefore inevitable and has to take place. The primary objective of this study is to analyse national government tender system, and identify the tendering problems facing South African national departments. The study further made practical recommendations to National Government, National Treasury, and all the relevant stakeholders relating to the management of tendering process. Data from 355 questionnaires completed by participants, represented 45 national department was collected and analysed. This study found that national government is facing major challenges in managing of tendering process, and these challenges relates to implementation and adoption of the code of best practice. The most important conclusions drawn from the study are: * The department complies with all the above legislation and keep the rules as stipulated in the legislation; * There is a need to issue a single national legislative framework in terms of section 76(4)(c) of the PFMA to guide uniformity in tendering process; * The tendering legislations and its associated regulations are complex and may make it difficult to implement correctly; * The department follow all tendering process generic steps at all times; * The current evaluation system is not a good system and is biased towards the lowest price bidders; * The current tendering practices in government are outdated and inefficient; * Tender practitioners are not adequately trained in the application of the tender process and its associated regulations; * The departments did not keep a detailed and consistent documentation of all events of the whole tendering procedure at all times; * The current tendering practices do not conform to internationally accepted best practices; * The department’s tendering function is not carried out in a cost–effective way; and * The current tendering system is fair, encourages competition, and has integrity. Practical recommendations are suggested to ensure the effective management of tendering process in national government. / Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Šiame magistro baigiamajame darbe analizuojama Lietuvos IT įmonės, kuriančios valstybės informacines sistemas, galimybė pakeisti nuoseklųjį PĮ kūrimo metodą į Agile. Šio darbo tikslas yra išsiaiškinti, kokį poveikį įmonės veikloms: PĮ testavimui ir dalyvavimui viešuosiuose pirkimuose, turės įmonės perėjimas prie naujo metodo. Darbe analizuojami įmonės vidiniai procesai (testavimas) ir įmonės išorinės aplinkos (įstatymų ir viešųjų pirkimų proceso) poveikis jiems. Remiantis kokybiniais tyrimo metodais surinkta informacija, darbe apžvelgiama Agile metodo ideologija, veikimo principai ir nauda, kurią gali atnešti perėjimas prie Agile. Taip pat darbe plačiai analizuojama testavimo, kaip svarbios kokybės gerinimui veiklos, skirtumai tarp nuoseklaus ir Agile metodų bei viešųjų pirkimų IT paslaugų sferoje problematika. Remiantis atlikta įmonės veiklos ir literatūros analize yra aprašomi rekomenduojami pokyčiai veikloje, kuriuos įmonė turėtų atlikti pasiruošdama Agile metodo įvedimui ir pilotinio projekto inicijavimui. Tyrimas parodė, kad dėl viešųjų pirkimų proceso specifikos įmonėje Agile metodas gali būti taikomas su tam tikrais apribojimais. Nepaisant šių apribojimų, Agile metodas tinka įmonės tikslam siekti ir įmonė gali išnaudoti Agile privalumus gerindama savo veiklos rezultatus. / This master thesis analyzes the ability of IT company developing IS for the public sector to adopt Agile ISD methodology instead of the currently practiced traditional (waterfall) one. The aim of this work is to identify impact of moving to Agile for two company`s processes: the (internal process of) software testing and (the external process of) tendering in the procurement process. Specifically, the impact of external environment (law and procurement process) on company’s business is analyzed. Using qualitative research methods, the author presents an overview of the Agile approach and the principles and benefits of moving to Agile. Other important contributions of this work include analyzes of testing as important tool of quality improvement, the differences between Waterfall and Agile testing and compatibility of Agile method with the public procurement process. The recommendations based on the analysis of company`s activities and the literature what should be done before starting a pilot project and moving the company to Agile methodology are given. The results of research show that the company can`t use the “original” Agile methodology without limitations. Despite these limitations, the Agile method suits company`s goals and the company can exploit the benefits of Agile ISD methodology to improve its results.

The objective of the study was to develop a management framework for internal logistics in the Department of Education in Gauteng. For the purpose of this study internal logistics was defined as the complete process of obtaining goods and services from the compiling and processing of requisitions to the payment of invoices and the record keeping of all transactions to achieve organisational objectives. Internal logistics entails purchase planning, specification development, supplier research, contract administration and quotations, ordering and inventory control. The management of internal logistics can enhance productivity and performance within the value chain, improving service delivery, the outcome of the audited financial statement and ultimately the optimal spending of the allocated budget per financial year. For three consecutive financial years (2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009) GDE received a qualified audited financial statement. For financial years 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 GDE succeeded to receive an unqualified audited financial statement. To maintain this achievement and ultimately receive a clean audit financial statement, it is necessary to evaluate all the business processes, specifically within supply chain management, contributing to the audit findings. Supply Chain Management (SCM) is in some way the completion of the circle of financial management. It is important for GDE to develop a uniform internal logistics framework that would enable them to also gain the maximum from its annual allocated budget. It is also critical that the internal logistics are attended to as soon as possible to have a positive input towards the audited financial statement. A literature study was done on the concepts of the value chain, supply chain management and the management of knowledge. A questionnaire was designed, based on the findings in the literature, and used to measure the efficiency of the internal logistics in the District offices. The state of the internal logistics at the District offices was assessed through survey questionnaires to extract the data. It became evident that certain gaps and problems exist in relation to internal logistics at the District offices and that knowledge management is related to these gaps and problems. Internal logistics has a link with the elements of supply chain management as investigated in the literature study. The elements of supply chain management can to be broken down into clear activities for the management of internal logistics. The key area of concern is that the internal logistics within SCM are not acknowledged and therefore not properly managed in the District offices. The result of this is that the allocated budget is not optimally utilised and also receives qualifications from the audited financial statement. A practical framework to manage internal logistics is proposed for the Department of Education to assist with the problems, and to bridge the gaps found after analysing the questionnaires. The findings of the empirical study were used as the basis of the framework. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are drawn and rendered in order to improve the logistics management of the Department of Education in Gauteng. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Tendering process is central to national government in South Africa. The goods and services bought by national government in South Africa represent a large amount of public money, and it is very important that national government put in place measure to manage how these goods and services are acquired. In the main government acquire goods and services through tender system and the focus of the study was tendering process in national government in South Africa. The amount of public resources that national government uses in the tendering process is huge and is approximately over 20% of GDP, which has direct implication for service delivery and job creation as well as redressing past discrimination by empowering designated groups of peoples to receive preference in tendering. South Africa is one of the countries with the highest level of corruption rate in the world, of which tender fraud and corruption play a major part. Considering that, the reform of tendering process in national government is therefore inevitable and has to take place. The primary objective of this study is to analyse national government tender system, and identify the tendering problems facing South African national departments. The study further made practical recommendations to National Government, National Treasury, and all the relevant stakeholders relating to the management of tendering process. Data from 355 questionnaires completed by participants, represented 45 national department was collected and analysed. This study found that national government is facing major challenges in managing of tendering process, and these challenges relates to implementation and adoption of the code of best practice. The most important conclusions drawn from the study are: * The department complies with all the above legislation and keep the rules as stipulated in the legislation; * There is a need to issue a single national legislative framework in terms of section 76(4)(c) of the PFMA to guide uniformity in tendering process; * The tendering legislations and its associated regulations are complex and may make it difficult to implement correctly; * The department follow all tendering process generic steps at all times; * The current evaluation system is not a good system and is biased towards the lowest price bidders; * The current tendering practices in government are outdated and inefficient; * Tender practitioners are not adequately trained in the application of the tender process and its associated regulations; * The departments did not keep a detailed and consistent documentation of all events of the whole tendering procedure at all times; * The current tendering practices do not conform to internationally accepted best practices; * The department’s tendering function is not carried out in a cost–effective way; and * The current tendering system is fair, encourages competition, and has integrity. Practical recommendations are suggested to ensure the effective management of tendering process in national government. / Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Firms may gain benefit from each other‘s skills and resources when they engaged in a long term supply chain relationship, hence, improving their competitive advantage. Adoption of information technology initiatives such as e-procurement systems may further enhance the effectiveness of the relationship. Trust and dependency factors have been identified as important elements that influence business relationships. The objective of this study is to investigate the role of technology attributes, inter-organizational trust and inter-organizational dependency manufacturer‘s have towards their suppliers and customers when making an e-procurement adoption decision. This study also aims to determine if there is a critical gap between trust and dependency towards suppliers and customers and to identify which trust and dependency constructs have the most critical gap. Data was collected through case study interviews and mail survey questionnaires. It was analysed using the Partial Least Square Regression (PLS) analysis where the results indicate that dependency did have a significant positive influence on e-procurement adoption decisions, while trust did not. Size of the company, which is a control variable, has a significantly negative effect on adoption decision. Hence, this study confirmed that the level of dependency and size of company did influence an e-procurement adoption decision. Three gap analysis methods, namely the T-test analysis, weighted mean gap and the un-weighted Important Performance Analysis (IPA), were adopted and the results indicate that there is a significant gap between trust and dependency towards the supplier and customer, where the level of both variables are higher towards the customer than the supplier. Construct related to communication of problem is identified as trust factor with the most critical gap, while how partners help improve a firm‘s reputation and the level of knowledge transfer have the most critical gap for dependency. This study extends the body of literature related to information technology adoption factors by investigating the effect of trust and dependency in supply chain relationships within a single study. While findings on dependency and size of company are consistent with previous studies, findings on trust provide a new paradigm to trust-related studies as it is identified as not an important factor that influence e-procurement adoption decisions, particularly in a developing country such as Malaysia.