Supply-side barriers to e-business technology in the healthcare sector

The UK healthcare services industry supply chain has been noted in the literature as being inefficient and, therefore, represents an area where the adoption of innovative e-business technologies, such as e-markets, can effect a number of economic benefits in the procurement and supply cycle. However, such benefits cannot be realised unless supply chain organisations are able to adopt and integrate e-markets with their procurement and supply processes. This paper examines the supply-side barriers to e-market adoption and use in the UK healthcare sector based on 13 in-depth interviews with senior level executives in e-market and supplier organisations. QSR N6 was used to analyse the data based on the Johnson (2010) conceptual framework of e-market adoption barriers. The study contributes to the literature on the organisational adoption dynamics of e-markets and barriers to the adoption of e-business technologies. It also presents an opportunity for academics, researchers, consultants, practitioners and other professional stakeholders with an interest in e-markets to gain a better understanding of the barriers that impede e-market adoption and use in public sector environments and helps them identify practical ways to mitigate such barriers.