Abstract

This study provides new insight into current and emerging supply chain approaches and related power relations deriving from public procurement processes within Local Authorities (LAs). Drawing on a mixed-method empirical research (involving data from LAs across the Yorkshire and Humber region of the United Kingdom) this research examines stakeholder pressures, paying particular attention to principal-agent and dependency relationships between public sector and private companies in public procurement projects. Resource Dependency Theory is used as the theoretical framework to support the study. The paper presents and critically evaluates across a set of dimensions, four models of supply chain archetypes deriving from the implementation public procurement projects. These archetypes identify key stakeholders and determine power relations between main contractors, sub-contractors, government agencies and LAs for the delivery of public sector projects. The research carried out in this paper can inform practice, policy and research in aiding public organizations such as LAs in the design of projects before the procurement stage. Also, the research provides useful insight on how the procurement process can serve as a mechanism for LAs to manage activities of agents in order to achieve a range of objectives.

摘要

这项研究提供了对当前和新兴供应链方法以及源自地方当局 (LA) 内的公共采购流程的相关权力关系的新见解。本研究利用混合方法实证研究（涉及来自英国约克郡和亨伯地区的 LA 的数据）考察了利益相关者的压力，特别关注公共采购项目中公共部门和私营公司之间的委托代理和依赖关系. 资源依赖理论被用作支持研究的理论框架。本文提出并批判性地评估了一系列维度，四种供应链原型模型，这些模型源自实施公共采购项目。这些原型识别关键利益相关者并确定主要承包商、分包商、政府机构和 LA 之间的权力关系，以交付公共部门项目。本文进行的研究可以为在采购阶段之前帮助 LA 等公共组织设计项目的实践、政策和研究提供信息。此外，该研究还就采购流程如何作为 LA 管理代理活动以实现一系列目标的机制提供了有用的见解。