Why do public sectors perform high-level green public procurement practice? A new insight with fsQCA approach

Abstract

Despite extensive studies on drivers for public sector’s green public procurement (GPP) practice, existing studies have not yet introduced configuration analysis based on holistic perspective into this field. This study, based on the Chinese background, focuses on the public sector and develops a conceptual model from a holistic perspective. Survey data are collected and we adopt the fsQCA approach for further testing, aiming to explore which combinations of GPP motivators can induce high-level GPP practice by public sectors. It is found that five configurations can induce high-level GPP practice. According to the core condition, these configurations can be further categorized as two groups: “top management support-dominated” and “non-top management support-dominated”. The holistic perspective contributes to a better understanding for GPP practice and a new explanation for the conflicted conclusions of existing studies. The managerial and policy implications are also helpful to public sector managers and policymakers.