The Effects of Procurement Ethics on the Performance of State Universities in Zimbabwe

Masterarbeit aus dem Jahr 2020 im Fachbereich BWL - Unternehmensethik, Wirtschaftsethik, Bindura University of Science Education, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: The aim of the study is to determine the effects of procurement ethics on the performance of state universities in Zimbabwe, to establish the effects of accountability on procurement performance, to determine how fairness on procurement performance and to establish effects of integrity on procurement performance.
Public sector procurement is strategically seen as the lifeblood of every economy, the pulse of every industry
because it affects the performance of every government entity and supply chain competitiveness. Public sector procurement is the procedure through which public bodies such as government ministries, pararastatals and local authorities acquire goods and services and construction work or acquire buildings and infrastructure. Procurement ethics are defined by Lysons, (2000) as the moral principles that guide human behaviour in executing procurement activities. According to Monczka (2014) ethics affect performance of public companies. The major elements of ethics include; integrity, competence, professionalism, transparency, fairness, accountability and many more.
Globally, procurement ethics in the public entities including state universities was promoted mostly by the Thatcher administration when Margret Thatcher made some major procurement reforms in the early 1980s in Great Britain. As a viral, it also spread to cover the whole of Europe and America such that every other president should refine and review the public procurement system. The Arab states and the Chinese followed suit in making sure that procurement ethics become the integral part of public sector procurement. As political leaders draw increasing scrutiny and voter pressure to demonstrate fiscal responsibility, procurement professionals must ensure that they maximize the value of every tax dollar. U.S. governments spend a combined seven trillion dollars, Canadian governments 360 billion dollars, and U.K. governments more than 500 billion pounds. Consistent and professional procurement practices across governments can positively impact the effective expenditure of public funds.