Avoiding the pitfalls of cooperative purchasing through control and coordination: insights from a humanitarian context

Heidi Herlin, Ala Pazirandeh

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

    8 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    In this paper, barriers to cooperative purchasing are discussed from
    an inter-organisational coordination perspective and a framework for successful
    cooperative purchasing is introduced. Potential benefits such as economies of
    scale, better transparency and more efficient information exchange have
    generated high interest for cooperative purchasing as a supply chain strategy.
    However, literature notes several instancesof such cooperation not having the
    expected outcomes. We aimed to further the understanding of the barriers to
    cooperative purchasing. By studying an exemplary situation of an unsuccessful
    cooperative purchasing, the attractiveness and inherent complexity of a
    cooperative purchasing process is highlighted. This study draws on and adds to
    the existing literature on cooperative purchasing by discussing coordination
    related barriers to cooperative purchasing and provides managerial insights into
    what to consider when engaging in the cooperative purchasing strategy to avoid
    the pitfalls.
    Original languageEnglish
    Peer-reviewed scientific journalInternational Journal of Procurement Management (IJPM)
    Volume8
    Issue number3
    Pages (from-to)303-325
    ISSN1753-8432
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2015
    MoE publication typeA1 Journal article - refereed

    Keywords

    • 512 Business and Management

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