Centralized vs. decentralized purchasing: current trends in governmental procurement practices

Abstract

Today most public sector purchasing processes are in transition. In the face of growing uneasiness by elected officials, service delivery managers, and citizens about rule-driven processes, inefficient systems, and poor management of resources, purchasing professionals are being challenged to develop new dynamic, adaptable structures. In this article, the current state of decentralization is examined and the roles of purchasing professionals in the purchasing process are presented. Specifically, this research attempts to answer the following questions: What changes have governments implemented in policy making, organization structure, personnel recruitment and training, expenditure authorization levels, review and oversight as they decentralize purchasing authority? And, what are the projected trends that will impact the success or failure of the decentralization issues over the next decade?

Citation

McCue, C.P. and Pitzer, J.T. (2000), "Centralized vs. decentralized purchasing: current trends in governmental procurement practices", Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 400-420. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBAFM-12-03-2000-B003