Understanding the factors leading to successful implementation of an e-procurement platform from a supplier's point of view

Abstract

This dissertation is prepared to outline to the reader with a review of how a supplier sets up and maintains an e-procurement platform. This research includes both primary data taken with the help of two case study organisations (3M and Al Gurg Stationery) in the United Arab Emirates. The secondary data is collected from various sources outlined later in the Research Methods chapter and the Literature Review chapter. Firstly this dissertation introduces the fundamentals of eprocurement, starting with features of procurement as e-procurement is just an advanced electronic means of dealing with the original procurement cycle functions. Further e-procurement is explained, highlighting its advantages over the traditional procurement process. E-procurement's popularity after recession as a cost saving means is then explained. The research data collected from the interviews mainly and also from the parallel research finding from the questionnaire is then analysed. Emerging themes such as barriers to implementation of an effective e-procurement platform in aspects of resistance to change, technophobia, observed unawareness on the topic of e-procurement in the market and impact of recession are highlighted from the research findings and detailed with supporting text from the research. Finally the themes are compared with the findings in the Literature Review chapter and we see that there are contradictions when it comes to the point of impact of recession on downsizing in staff for procurement processes. Other results also show the importance of e-marketing (originated from case study organisation 3M) for promoting e-procurement and how barriers to effective implementation of an eprocurement channel such as technophobia and resistance to change is already understood and handled by the case study supplier organisation Al Gurg Stationery with their tested strategies.