An Assessment of e-procurement systems in public sector procurement: a case study of the Zimbabwe Public Service Commission.

Abstract

This study provides a holistic assessment of the implementation and effectiveness of the electronic procurement (e-procurement) system within the Zimbabwe Public Service Commission (PSC). Driven by the Public Procurement Act of 2017, the shift to e procurement represents a cornerstone of Zimbabwe's public sector modernisation and governance reform agenda, aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency, and accountability. Despite a robust policy framework, empirical evidence on the system's performance in key institutions like the PSC remains scarce. This research, therefore, sought to investigate the paradoxical outcomes of this digital transition. Guided by an integrated theoretical framework combining Transaction Cost Economics, Principal-Agent Theory, the Technology Acceptance Model, and Institutional Theory, the study adopted a descriptive, mixed-methods case study design. Data was gathered through surveys from 118 participants, including PSC procurement staff and registered suppliers, supplemented by 25 in-depth interviews with senior managers and regulators, and document analysis. The findings reveal a landscape of differentiated impacts. The e-procurement system has been highly successful in enhancing procedural transparency and strengthening accountability through an immutable digital audit trail. However, its effect on operational efficiency is critically hampered by technical bottlenecks, including system instability and a profound lack of interoperability with other government financial systems. Furthermore, the study uncovers a dualistic impact on supplier participation, 3 where the system enhances market access for large firms while erecting significant cost and complexity barriers for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The research identifies a critical "implementation-performance gap," where policymakers perceive success in oversight, while end-users experience frustration due to technical and adaptive challenges. The study concludes that while the PSC has successfully modernised the facade of procurement, it has been less successful in modernising its underlying engine. The study contributes to knowledge by proposing a Dual-Aspect Model for understanding e procurement outcomes and offers evidence-based recommendations for policy, practice, and future research to bridge the gap between compliance and strategic capability in Zimbabwe's digital procurement journey.