E-commerce trading activity and the SME sector: an FSB perspective

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 866-888 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Pickernell ◽  
Paul Jones ◽  
Gary Packham ◽  
Brychan Thomas ◽  
Gareth White ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
High Knowledge ◽  
Ict Development ◽  
The University ◽  
Trading Behaviour

Purpose – This study aims to examine e-commerce within UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). More specifically, it seeks to explore associations between e-commerce and internal and external antecedents including trading behaviour, owner/manager characteristics, innovation, public sector involvement, business advice and finance sources. Design/methodology/approach – An 8,500+ sample derived from the 2008 UK Federation of Small Businesses survey was utilised. An OLS regression equation was generated where the percentage of sales made using e-commerce constituted the dependent variable. Independent variables were constructed for several sets of factors including innovation, business advice and sources of finance, as well as a range of owner and SME typology variables. Findings – The results suggest that e-commerce is more strongly apparent in SMEs started from scratch and where they were involved in basic or high knowledge services or the tourist trade. SMEs undertaking e-commerce were also associated with innovation in the form of copyright, as well as public procurement with local authorities and the university sector. Specific business advice in the form of capacity, family and suppliers was also associated with e-commerce trading. Research limitations/implications – These results have implications for SMEs and public sector stakeholders. SMEs must recognise the importance of several potential antecedents such as intellectual property rights, specific business advice and finance to encourage e-commerce. Moreover, it was apparent that certain SME characteristics, namely locality and trading behaviour, were associated with effective e-commerce. Originality/value – This study will be of value to academia, SMEs and key public sector stakeholders in the formulation of policy for ICT development.

Getting innovations out of interactions in the public procurement context

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (12) ◽  
pp. 2051-2065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Melander ◽  
Ala Pazirandeh Arvidsson
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Business Model ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Business Model Innovation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Demand And Supply ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Product Service

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss how a seller can use interactions to respond to public procurement needs for innovation when the buying side is restricted by public procurement regulations. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected data using qualitative semi-structured interviews of different empirical examples, in which private–public interactions of four different high-technological products are studied. Two products belong to the defence industry and two to the civil industry. Findings The findings point to three types of innovations in public procurement: product, service and business model. The empirical examples further indicate, as suggested in previous studies, that innovation is hindered by regulations that limit interaction between suppliers and the public. In addition, the empirical examples indicate that firms mobilize actors in their network when the buyer is restricted in regard to interaction. The findings also add to the IMP literature by comparing interactions in the three types of innovations in the public procurement context. Originality/value Public procurement is an area where innovations are lagging behind, compared with private procurement. Research points to limited interaction between actors as an obstacle to innovation in public sector collaborations. This paper extends the literature on how organizations interact in the setting of public procurement. The authors identify demand and supply triggers for three types of innovations: product, service and business model innovation.

scholarly journals Socio-economic sourcing: benefits of small business set-asides in public procurement

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Hawkins ◽  
Michael Gravier ◽  
Wesley S. Randall
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Transaction Costs ◽  
Government Spending ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Source Selection ◽  
Selection Processes

Purpose Small businesses are critical to economic health and encouraged in government spending by set-asides – annual small business sourcing goals that often are not attained. Little research has explored the negative and risky stigmas associated with small business sourcing. Design/methodology/approach This research explores reduced transaction costs of small business sourcing to government buyers. A survey of 350 government source selections reveals lower transaction costs derived from lower perceived risk of receiving a bid protest and via more efficient source selection processes. Findings Contrary to common bias, the performance level of small businesses is no less than that of large business. Thus, small businesses engender lower transaction costs for correcting supplier’s performance. On the basis of these findings, managerial and theoretical implications are discussed.

SMEs' market orientation toward public sector customers in public procurement

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Jani Saastamoinen ◽  
Helen Reijonen ◽  
Timo Tammi
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Market Orientation ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Supply Contracts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supplier Performance ◽  
Finnish Firms

PurposeThis paper investigates how the market orientation of SMEs toward public sector customers enables firms to participate and succeed in public procurement.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a survey-based methodology. First, the authors reconfigured an empirical construct of market orientation for private sector markets to measure the market orientation toward public sector customers. Then they conducted a survey of Finnish firms to test the construct and how it predicted firm performance in public procurement.FindingsThe authors find empirical support for firms to adopt a market orientation toward public sector customers. Their results suggest that customer and competitor orientations are positive predictors of participating and winning supply contracts in public sector tenders.Research limitations/implicationsSelf-reported survey data from a single country may limit the generalizability of results.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to report a market orientation toward public sector customers and describe how it is related to supplier performance in public procurement.

scholarly journals The importance of SMEs’ network partners in consortium bidding for public sector tenders

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Reijonen ◽  
Jani Saastamoinen ◽  
Timo Tammi
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Statistical Methods ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Electronic Questionnaire ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Horizontal Networks ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe aim is to examine the importance small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) see in different network partners regarding successful tendering in public procurement, and whether this perception predicts the number of joint bids and wins.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected by an electronic questionnaire which was sent to the registered users of the leading electronic platform for public procurement in Finland. The data were analysed with statistical methods.FindingsThe findings suggest that a favourable perception of the importance of horizontal networks in public procurement is associated with a larger number of joint bids and better success in joint bidding. However, the results do not establish a positive correlation between vertical networks and consortium bidding.Research limitations/implicationsThe data were collected from a single EU country. Since the criteria for bidding consortia may vary between countries, different results might have been achieved from other countries.Practical implicationsSMEs should be encouraged to form bidding consortia and acquire related experience. Policymakers should minimise barriers to consortium bidding, e.g. by offering more information. They should also assess the merits of joint bidding because they rarely encourage SMEs to bid as a consortium.Social implicationsConsortium bidding is a way of enhancing SMEs’ possibilities to participate in public tender contests, even in large contracts.Originality/valueWhile consortium bidding has been recognised to enhance SMEs’ possibilities of participating in public procurement, there is limited research into how SMEs’ network collaborations relate to bidding as a consortium.

scholarly journals Perils of public sector enterprises in India: is privatization of central public sector enterprises a sustainable strategy?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhijit Phukon ◽  
Divya Verma Gakhar
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Operating Performance ◽  
Operational Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to attempt to empirically investigate the impact of privatization on the performance of central public sector enterprises in India. Further attempt is made to explore whether privatization is a necessary or sufficient condition for improvement of performance of central public sector enterprises. Design/methodology/approach The scope of the study is limited to financial and operating performance analysis of 206 central public sector enterprises in India. Multiple regression analysis has been used to determine the magnitude and direction of relationship between dependent and independent variables and identify variables other than privatization which affects performance. Findings The study found that financial and operational performance of firms has improved significantly due to privatization. Further, firm-specific factors and other parallel reforms adopted by enterprises have significantly influenced their performance. The established regression model is highly significant with F-ratio of 31.825 at 99% significance level. The degree of explanation of the model is robust with adjusted R2 at 0.956 implying that only 4.40% of explanation in the dependent variable cannot be explained by designated independent/explanatory variables. Originality/value The study would be useful to public policymakers to reach to a policy view on whether further disinvestment/privatization of central public sector enterprises need to be continued, and if so, then to what extent and direction.

Online viewers’ choices over advertisement number and duration

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-238
Author(s):  
Stephen Nettelhorst ◽  
Laura Brannon ◽  
Angela Rose ◽  
Whitney Whitaker
Keyword(s):  
Exposure Time ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Persuasive Messages ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Total Exposure Time ◽  
Online Simulations ◽  
Independent Variable ◽  
Two Independent Variables

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate online viewers’ preferences concerning the number and duration of video advertisements to watch during commercial breaks. The goal of the investigations was to assess whether online viewers preferred watching a fewer number of advertisements with longer durations or a greater number of advertisements with shorter durations. Design/methodology/approach Two studies used experimental research designs to assess viewers’ preferences regarding advertisements. These designs used two independent variables and one dependent variable. The first independent variable manipulated the type of choice options given to online viewers (e.g. one 60 s or two 30 s advertisements). The second independent variable manipulated when the choice was given to online viewers (i.e. at the beginning of the viewing experience or in the middle of the experience). The dependent variable measured viewers’ choices concerning their preferred advertisement option. Findings The results across both studies found that participants made choices that minimized total advertisement exposure time when possible. When minimizing total exposure time was not possible, participants made choices that minimized the number of exposures instead. Originality/value These investigations extend the literature on advertisement choice by examining online viewers’ preferences about the format of their advertising experience rather than the content of the persuasive messages themselves. In addition, these investigations provide value by investigating viewers’ responses to stimuli within realistic online simulations rather than abstract hypotheticals.

Assessing university police officers’ uniforms and wearing experiences

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brooke Brandewie ◽  
Injoo Kim ◽  
Myoung-Ok Kim
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Uniform Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Specific Performance ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Emotional Aspects ◽  
Municipal Police ◽  
The University

Purpose This study aims to suggest opportunities for enhancing the police uniform design with consideration to the emotional and physical satisfaction of the wearers, by assessing the wearing experience. Design/methodology/approach University police officers at a University in the Midwestern region of the USA were surveyed to examine both psychological and emotional aspects including performance, comfort, professionalism and empowerment, as well as their satisfaction levels with fit, fabrics, aesthetics and functionality. Findings The study found that the wearing experience was poor, and not surprisingly, fabric satisfaction ranked the lowest of all factors. In regard to color, results showed that the uniforms should be in colors that are suitable to the university context, which in this case the wearers preferred the University athletic colors of black and red. It is easier to consider these colors, as they are a part of their organization and also enable the police to stand apart from municipal police, contrary to previous research demonstrating dark colors have negative connotations. Findings suggest that the university police uniform should have an athletic style with a regular fit, using specific performance fabrics that allow for stretch and breathability. Originality/value This study assesses the police uniform design and wearing experience and suggests design details to enhance how well officers physically perform in their role and also to inspire them to feel proud of their job and organization.

Examining year-end spending spikes in the European Economic Area: a comparative study of procurement contracts

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifford P. McCue ◽  
Eric Prier ◽  
Ryan J. Lofaro
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Fourth Quarter ◽  
European Economic Area ◽  
Content Type ◽  
European Economic ◽  
Economic Area ◽  
Contract Type ◽  
Procurement Contracts

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze year-end spending practices in the European Economic Area (EEA) to baseline the pervasiveness of year-end spending spikes across countries in Europe.Design/methodology/approachThe Tenders Electronic Daily dataset is used to descriptively analyze above-threshold procurement contracts by country, year and contract type from 2009 to 2018. Proportional distributions are employed to compare percentages of spend across quarters. Analyses are run within each country on the number of years displaying a fourth quarter spike, as well as within each country and contract type.FindingsThe results show that while spending spikes for above-threshold contracts in the final fiscal quarter are not consistent across all countries, patterns emerge when the data are disaggregated by country. The most populous nations in the EEA are more likely to have years with the highest proportion of fiscal spend occurring in the fourth quarter. Further, the type of contract makes a difference – services and supplies contracts are more likely to display fourth quarter spikes than works contracts.Originality/valueThis article provides the first analysis of the year-end spending spike across countries in Europe using procurement data, as well as the first to disaggregate by year and contract type. Findings support the literature on the presence of year-end spikes; such spikes exist even for above-threshold public procurement contracts.

Risk management factors contributing to transgressions in the procurement practices in South African SOEs

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindani Myeza ◽  
Naledi Nkhi ◽  
Warren Maroun
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
South African ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
African State ◽  
Political Influence ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Executive Level

PurposeThe study aims to deepen the understanding of why risk management principles are circumvented, thereby contributing to transgressions in public procurement for South African state-owned enterprises (SOEs). A deeper understanding of why risk management principles are circumvented is especially important in South Africa, given the high social, economic and environmental risks to which national and major SOEs are exposed in the procurement process.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a qualitative design, based on detailed semi-structured interviews with 19 participants comprising management advisors, forensic investigators and auditors to explore why risk management principles are circumvented by South Africa SOEs.FindingsThe results of the study indicate that the tone that is set at political and executive level plays an important role in determining compliance with risk management principles by lower-level staff. Intense levels of political influence at SOEs are the main reason behind risk management systems being undermined.Originality/valueThe current study is one of the first explorations of why transgressions in public procurement continue to be evident despite risk management reforms being adopted by South Africa public sector. The research responds to the call for more studies on why reforms in South Africa public sector are not reducing transgression in public procurement. The study provides primary evidence on the importance of political and executive leadership in influencing the effectiveness of risk management reforms in the public sector.

Systemic corruption and public procurement in developing countries: are there any solutions?

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sope Williams-Elegbe
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Asymmetry Of Information ◽  
Culture Of Silence ◽  
Systemic Corruption

Purpose Corruption affects development and quality of life of citizens in affected countries. The increase in anti-corruption measures globally reflects a consensus that corruption is pervasive and costly. Public procurement is one area in which corruption manifests because of the sums of money involved; the asymmetry of information; and the bureaucratic nature of decision-making, which presents opportunities for abuse. In developing countries, procurement corruption is rife because of institutional weaknesses, lack of enforced accountability mechanisms and culture of silence in relation to public sector malfeasance. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines procurement corruption in countries with systemic corruption, using Nigeria as a case study, to determine how to reduce public procurement corruption. Findings The paper will highlight prevalent corrupt schemes in public procurement in Nigeria, examine the reasons for the failure of state anti-corruption institutions and analyze the kinds of initiatives that reduced procurement corruption and increased accountability in other countries and the utility of adopting such mechanisms in the Nigerian context.

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