Supplier development and public procurement: allies, coaches and bedfellows
International Journal of Public Sector Management
ISSN: 0951-3558
Article publication date: 7 October 2014
Abstract
Purpose
Using the lens of mentoring theory the authors test the extent to which public buyers informally support suppliers and the influence of organisational context on mentoring support. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
Principal component analysis was used to analyse questionnaire responses from over 300 public buyers in Ireland. Cluster analysis produced three mentor profiles.
Findings
The findings show a positive relationship between organisations that take a strategic approach to suppliers and buyers who offer career and psychosocial support to suppliers. However, those organisations that lack a strategic perspective of suppliers saw buyers offer political support and coaching.
Research limitations/implications
The implications are that coaching and political support may compensate for deficits in organisational support for suppliers generally. The findings contribute to a growing literature on informal interaction opportunities in public procurement.
Originality/value
To date research of supplier development is limited to formal developmental activities and in the context of private sector buyer-supplier relationships.
Keywords
Citation
Mark McKevitt, D. and Davis, P. (2014), "Supplier development and public procurement: allies, coaches and bedfellows", International Journal of Public Sector Management, Vol. 27 No. 7, pp. 550-563. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-03-2014-0041
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited