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Addressing Barriers to Social Procurement Implementation in the Construction and Transportation Industries: An Ecosystem Perspective

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  • Riccardo Natoli

    (Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia)

  • Catherine Xiaocui Lou

    (Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia)

  • David Goodwin

    (Nottingham University Business School, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih 43500, Malaysia)

Abstract

Although social procurement is viewed as an important part of social value creation, barriers to its implementation have resulted in a failure to realise the full societal benefits it was designed to achieve. As a key area of activity for government procurement projects, the construction and transportation industries have a big role to play in contributing positively to societal outcomes. While prior studies have identified barriers from specific cohorts, no prior study has approached this from the perspective of the key stakeholders throughout the social procurement ecosystem within the construction and transport industries. To address this gap in social procurement research, interviews and a focus group totalling 42 participants were undertaken. Participants ranged from those implementing policy (government representatives), tendering for contracts (tier one companies) and providing specialised social procurement services (social enterprises), along with key intermediary support bodies. Results indicate that barriers exist throughout the entire social procurement ecosystem and highlight the need to develop an enhanced social procurement ecosystem capable of maximising the societal benefit that arises from social procurement. These findings provide a set of strategies for the key stakeholders in the ecosystem to consider adopting to improve social procurement outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Riccardo Natoli & Catherine Xiaocui Lou & David Goodwin, 2023. "Addressing Barriers to Social Procurement Implementation in the Construction and Transportation Industries: An Ecosystem Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-21, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:14:p:11347-:d:1198961
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zaidi, Syed Anees Haider & Mirza, Faisal Mehmood & Hou, Fujun & Ashraf, Rana Umair, 2019. "Addressing the sustainable development through sustainable procurement: What factors resist the implementation of sustainable procurement in Pakistan?," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Martin Loosemore & Joanne Osborne & Dave Higgon, 2021. "Affective, cognitive, behavioural and situational outcomes of social procurement: a case study of social value creation in a major facilities management firm," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(3), pages 227-244, March.
    3. Marcus Ormerod & Rita Newton, 2013. "Construction as a career choice for young disabled people: dispelling the myths," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(8), pages 928-938, August.
    4. Daniella Troje, 2021. "Policy in Practice: Social Procurement Policies in the Swedish Construction Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-18, July.
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