Purpose

This study aims to assess the following question: “which information processing approach, formalization or centralization, responds to procurement complexity and how does this affect procurement performance in knowledge-intensive procurements?”

Design/methodology/approach

This study draws on a survey of 294 Project Managers with recent experience of knowledge-intensive procurement. It uses AMOS version 21 to perform confirmatory factor analysis and structural modeling to assess the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings suggest that procurement complexity directly encourages formalization and that formalization has significant, positive effects on procurement performance. Centralization, on the other hand, appears not to respond to procurement complexity and has negligible effects on procurement performance.

Research limitations/implications

Drawing on information processing theory, this study highlights the importance of two information management approaches in knowledge-intensive procurement, and that such procurement situations share similarities with new product development and other innovation-rich, team-based activities. Knowledge-intensive procurement situations, therefore, require different information management practices than other types of procurement.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that procurement complexity directly encourages formalization and that formalization has significant, positive effects on procurement performance. Centralization, on the other hand, appears not to respond to procurement complexity and has negligible effects on procurement performance.

Originality/value

The study is the first to examine information management approaches (formalization and centralization) in knowledge-intensive procurement as responses to project complexity, and as contributors to procurement performance.

中文翻译：

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正规化或集中化能否减轻知识密集型采购的不确定性？

目的

本研究旨在评估以下问题：“哪种信息处理方法，正式化还是集中化，可以应对采购的复杂性，以及这如何影响知识密集型采购中的采购绩效？”

设计/方法/方法

本研究借鉴了对 294 名近期具有知识密集型采购经验的项目经理的调查。它使用 AMOS 版本 21 执行验证性因素分析和结构建模来评估假设。

发现

调查结果表明，采购复杂性直接鼓励正规化，而且正规化对采购绩效具有显着的积极影响。另一方面，集中化似乎对采购的复杂性没有反应，对采购绩效的影响可以忽略不计。

研究限制/影响

本研究借鉴信息处理理论，强调了两种信息管理方法在知识密集型采购中的重要性，并且这种采购情况与新产品开发和其他富含创新的团队活动有相似之处。因此，知识密集型采购情况需要与其他类型采购不同的信息管理实践。

实际影响

调查结果表明，采购复杂性直接鼓励正规化，而且正规化对采购绩效具有显着的积极影响。另一方面，集中化似乎对采购的复杂性没有反应，对采购绩效的影响可以忽略不计。

原创性/价值

该研究首次对知识密集型采购中的信息管理方法（正规化和集中化）作为对项目复杂性的反应和采购绩效的贡献者进行了研究。