Ethical procurement practices and performance Of medical supply chain in Kenya

Abstract

Public procurement holds a crucial role within the government, serving as a mechanism to acquire goods, services, and works. Its primary purpose is to improve the efficiency of service delivery to the citizens. However, the procurement process is susceptible to risks that could lead to the misappropriation of public funds if proper ethical procurement practices are not adhered to. The background of this study elaborates on ethical procurement practices, supply chain performance, and a general overview of the Kenyan medical sector. The study sought to examine the effect of ethical procurement practices on the performance of the medical supply chain in Kenya. The study of the medical sector is justified since it is perceived to be highly susceptible to corruption and unethical practices. The following goals served as the study's compass: to establish the effect of transparent procurement practices on the performance of the medical supply chain in Kenya, to evaluate the impact of accountability practices in procurement on the performance of the medical supply chain in Kenya; to determine the impact of integrity procurement practices on the performance of the medical supply chain in Kenya and to assess how professional procurement practices, affect the performance of the medical supply chain in Kenya. The theoretical frameworks of public value, deontology, and utilitarianism guided this research. To accomplish this, a comprehensive review of empirical and theoretical literature wasconducted. To fill in known gaps in the literature and respond to research questions, the study used a design that is descriptive in nature. A stratified random sampling method was employed to sample data. A sample size of 100 supply chain management officers spanning from senior to support cadres was used most of whom with work experience of between 6-10 years.Questionnaires were used to gather first-hand information, which were subsequently assessed using inference and descriptive statistics and shown in the form of graphical representations and tables. The relationship between variables was assessed using correlation coefficients and multilinear regression equations. To determine the reliability and validity of the study instrument, a trial run was conducted. Drop-and-pick questionnaire administration were used, and meticulous precision and comprehensiveness checks were done on all data obtained. Subsequently, the information was coded and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Results indicate that accountability (β = .557, p < 0.001) and professional procurement practices (β = .405, p < 0.001) have a positive and significant effect on performance while transparent procurement practices (β = .009, p > 0.001) and professional procurement practices (β = -.015, p < 0.001) do not significantly influence performance of the medical supply chain in Kenya. It is thus concluded that accountability and professional procurement practices are key drivers of performance of the medical supply chain in Kenya, while transparent and integrity procurement practices do not significantly influence performance in the context of this study