Comparative Analysis of E-Procurement Adoption and Performance Across Sectors

Thesis Abstract

This study investigates how e-procurement adoption influences procurement performance across manufacturing, healthcare, and public sectors, addressing the gap in cross-sector comparative evidence and its implications for efficiency, transparency, and cost containment. The problem centers on heterogeneous adoption rates, varying institutional constraints, and divergent performance metrics that complicate cross-sector generalizations. The aim is to compare the extent of e-procurement implementation, its drivers, and its impact on procurement performance indicators—cost savings, cycle time, supplier base management, and compliance—across three sectoral contexts. Specific objectives are to (1) quantify the level of e-procurement adoption in each sector, (2) identify organizational, technological, and regulatory determinants of adoption, (3) assess the relationship between adoption and procurement performance, (4) examine moderating effects of supplier competition and process standardization, and (5) develop a sector-tailored framework to guide e-procurement strategies. The study deploys a cross-sectional mixed-methods design, integrating quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews to capture both breadth and depth. The population comprises procurement professionals and users in 60 large organizations across manufacturing, healthcare, and public sectors within a metropolitan region. A stratified random sample of 300 respondents (100 per sector) will be surveyed to ensure representation of procurement managers, system administrators, and end-users. Additionally, 30 in-depth interviews (10 per sector) will be conducted to explore contextual factors, change management, and perceived value. Data collection instruments include a structured questionnaire measuring e-procurement maturity (technology, process automation, governance), procurement performance (cost savings, cycle time, error rates, supplier performance), and drivers/barriers; and a semi-structured interview guide to elicit nuanced insights. Instrument validity will be enhanced through content validation by a panel of five scholars and two practitioners, with reliability assessed via Cronbach’s alpha (target ?0.70) and test-retest reliability for the quantitative instrument. Secondary data on procurement performance will be drawn from organizational annual reports and ERP/ e-procurement system logs where available. For analysis, descriptive statistics will profile adoption levels and performance metrics across sectors. Inferential analyses will include ANOVA to compare mean adoption scores and performance outcomes among sectors, and post hoc tests to identify specific sectoral differences. Multiple regression and hierarchical linear modeling will be employed to examine the relationship between e-procurement adoption and procurement performance, controlling for organizational size, sector, and regulatory constraints; interaction terms will test moderating effects of supplier competition and process standardization. The qualitative data will be analyzed using thematic analysis guided by Braun and Clarke, with codebooks developed to triangulate themes across sectors and integrated into the interpretation of quantitative results. A conceptual model, grounded in Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) and the Resource-Based View (RBV), will frame the relationships between adoption, capabilities, and performance outcomes, with emergent themes contributing to theory refinement. Expected findings include higher adoption levels and stronger performance gains in manufacturing relative to healthcare and public sectors, reflecting greater process standardization and digital maturity in production ecosystems. It is anticipated that mature e-procurement environments will be associated with shorter cycle times, lower total cost of procurement, and improved supplier performance, with effects moderated by regulatory complexity and supplier market structure. The study will contribute to knowledge by providing a robust cross-sector comparative framework that links technological adoption to measurable procurement outcomes, clarifies the role of governance and data quality, and explicates contextual contingencies that shape value realization. Theoretical contributions include empirical validation and refinement of TCE and RBV in the context of digital procurement, and the development of a sector-agnostic yet practice-relevant framework for evaluating e-procurement maturity and performance. Practically, the findings will guide policymakers and organizational leaders in prioritizing investments, standardizing processes, and designing governance structures to maximize the benefits of e-procurement. Policy implications will address interoperability, data privacy, and compliance harmonization across sectors. The study concludes with recommendations for phased implementation, capability development, and performance measurement, along with avenues for future longitudinal research to capture performance trajectories post-adoption.