International Public Procurement Research Findings
Professor Christine Harland and Dr Helen Walker from the University of Bath School of Management’s Centre for Research in Strategic Purchasing and Supply (CRiSPS) have delivered the keynote address at the first ever joint seminar event of the Swindon and West of England branches of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS).
Professor Christine Harland summarised CRiSPS’ areas of expertise (including strategic outsourcing, strategic relationship management, sustainable procurement and procurement as a lever of economic and social reform) before moving on to share with the audience findings from the International Research Study on Public Procurement (IRSPP).
This was the first international study to bring together senior practitioners and leading international academics in the field of public procurement. This piece of exploratory research identified critical factors that appeared to impact significantly on purchasing and supply in the public sector in the context of major government reform. Factors discussed ranged from social factors, technological innovation, transparency models, aggregation, people, E-business, and awarding contracts. The research included case studies on major reforms in a wide variety of countries and it identified three types of public procurement role: as an administrative function, compliant with regulations (Germany, Belgium); as a deliverer of VFM, with some links to socio-economic goals (UK, Netherlands, Canada); and as a deliverer of VFM, integral to delivering broader government objectives (US, South Africa).
CIPS members commented that it was ‘a truly intriguing comparative study’ and they expressed the hope that Professor Harland would come back to share her latest findings once the follow-up survey is complete later this year.
Following Prof. Harland’s presentation, Dr Helen Walker outlined the outcomes of exploratory research work on procurement and e-procurement issues within the UN system of organizations, a project commissioned by the United Nations Inter Agency Procurement Working Group (UN/IAPWG). The presentation addressed the findings of the research project, key issues that emerged were: the need to develop a common vision and programme of support; to develop a learning platform across the UN; to identify common KPIs; and to assess supplier readiness and commitment to adopting e-technologies. The lessons from the research proved to be highly transferable to other sectors/organizations.
16 February 2005
Further Information
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply
CIPS is an international organization, based in the UK, serving the purchasing and supply profession. Dedicated to promoting best practice, CIPS provides a wide range of services for the benefit of members and the wider business community.
CIPS provides a programme of continuous improvement in professional standards and raises awareness of the contribution that purchasing and supply makes to corporate, national and international prosperity. In 1992, CIPS was awarded a Royal Charter in recognition of its leading role.
CRiSPS - Centre for Research in Strategic Purchasing and Supply
The Centre for Research in Strategic Purchasing and Supply (CRiSPS) was established at the University of Bath in November 1994. The Centre consists of permanent and contracted research staff, administrative staff and post graduate research students, located within the School of Management. Since its foundation in 1994, following the inauguration of the first UK CIPS Chair in Purchasing and Supply Management, CRiSPS has been a leading academic research centre in its field, in a global context.
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General Notes For Editors:
The University of Bath School of Management has consistently achieved both top research and teaching ratings in the UK's Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) assessments. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), the School was rated 5th in the UK for management research.
We are one of a select number of international business schools accredited by EQUIS, the European Foundation for Management Development's quality inspectorate and the Bath MBA has been accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA) since 1976. The School is consistently ranked among the top UK business schools by The Times, The Financial Times and The Guardian.
The centrality of research to teaching is an essential feature of all our programmes. The School offers a full range of programmes from undergraduate to postgraduate up to PhD level and post-experience programmes including the world-ranked Bath MBA. The School also provides tailored executive development programmes for middle and senior management.
The School of Management has a faculty of around 90 teaching and research staff, including visiting academics, with a support team of around 70 managerial and administrative staff. Research income averages £2 million per annum. There are approximately 2,100 students in total comprising some 200 MBA students, 370 Master’s students, 210 full- and part-time research students, and over 1100 undergraduates following BSc degrees. The School also runs joint undergraduate programmes with Departments in the Faculties of Engineering and Design, Science, and European Studies and Modern Languages.
