Impact of e‐procurement on procurement practices and performance

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of electronic procurement technologies on procurement practices (PPR) and procurement performance (PP). Design/methodology/approach This paper posits a model of the relationships between e‐procurement technology (EPT) usage, PPR, and PP. This model was tested and validated using a sample of 368 procurement specialists in the USA. Findings The findings suggest that EPT usage positively affects managers' perceptions of both PPR and PP. Research limitations/implications The findings of this paper primarily pertain to the operational level of the organization. Future research could also attempt to isolate the impact of individual EPTs on firm performance. Practical implications The contribution for practitioners is to provide guidelines for the use of EPTs, and to report its impact on PP. The measurement instruments developed in this paper can be used to evaluate and benchmark current PPR. Originality/value This paper contributes to the literature by providing an empirical test of the impact of EPTs on perceptions of PPR and performance.