[ 18th September 2022 by Jiayu Zhang 0 Comments ]

Public procurement and competitiveness of women-owned businesses: a structural equation model (SEM) for gender-responsive procurement in Uganda, Pross Oluka, Michael Okoche and Godfrey Mugurusi

Pross Nagitta Oluka
School of Management Science
Uganda Management Institute, Kampala
Uganda
Michael Okoche
School of Management Science
Uganda Management Institute, Kampala
Uganda
School of Business and Management
Uganda Technology and Management University, Kampala
Uganda
Godfrey Mugurusi
Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management in Gjøvik
Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim
Norway
Email: godfrey.mugurusi@ntnu.no

DOI: 10.1108/WJEMSD-02-2020-0014

Purpose: Several intergovernmental organizations claim that the involvement of women in public procurement has a direct impact on sustainable development and growth, especially in the developing world, yet we know very little of such claim. This study aims to empirically examine how public procurement can contribute to women empowerment by boosting the competitiveness of women-owned businesses (WOBs) in Uganda.
Design/methodology/approach: In this study, a cross-sectional survey method is used. Quantitative data were gathered from a sample of 371 respondents in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and a section of women entrepreneurs in Uganda's capital Kampala. From the literature review, six hypotheses were formulated and tested using structural equation modelling (SEM). A research model is developed and presented.
Findings: All hypotheses, except for one, were supported. Procurement policy had a significant influence on evaluation criteria, contract management and most importantly, on the competitiveness of WOBs. Within the procurement process, evaluation criteria had a significant influence on the competitiveness of WOBs, while the influence of contract management on competitiveness of WOBs was not statistically significant. We, therefore, concluded that public procurement can indeed enhance women empowerment through a gender-responsive procurement policy. Above all, pre-contract award interventions such as streamlining evaluation criteria to ease access of WOBs to public procurement contracts seem have the most significant impact to competitiveness of WOBs compared to post-ward interventions during contract management.
Originality/value: This study offers a research-based model that articulates the role of procurement policy as an enabler for competitiveness of WOBs in developing countries. The model proposes a combination of both policy (a direct influence) and interventions in the supplier selection process (an indirect influence) to boost the competitiveness of WOBs.
Keywords: Public procurement; Developing countries; Supplier evaluation; Women empowerment; Gender-responsive procurement; Procurement policy.
Citation: Oluka, P.N., Okoche, M. and Mugurusi, G. (2021), "Public procurement and competitiveness of women-owned businesses: a structural equation model (SEM) for gender-responsive procurement in Uganda", World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, Vol. 17 No. 2, pp. 209-226. https://doi.org/10.1108/WJEMSD-02-2020-0014

 

WJEMSD V17 N2 2021 Oluka et al.pdf
WJEMSD V17 N2 2021 Oluka et al.pdf
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