Explaining procurement performance in Local Government Authorities in Tanzania: Do external environmental factors matter?

Abstract

This study examines the extent to which political, legal, and social environmental factors influence procurement performance in local government. To meet the study objective the quantitative approach and cross-sectional survey design were used in data collection and analysis. The study used both descriptive and inferential analysis. The data were collected from 92 procurement practitioners of the local government authorities. The findings revealed that the legal environment and political environment attributes significantly affect procurement performance in local government. Conversely, social attributes in procurement functions do not predict the procurement performance of local government. This study has extended the application of systems theory in public procurement to the Tanzania context. The policymakers and practitioners of local government are required to be aware of the various external environmental factors and how each factor influences its performance.