Impact of Supplier Enablement on E-Procurement Implementation: A Survey of the Multinational Tea Companies

Abstract

Electronic procurement is the use of electronic computer systems to manage the entire procurement process. The success of e-procurement is equally dependent of the success of the supplier which calls for the need to maximize on supplier participation while minimizing on supplier disruption, therefore the need for supplier enablement. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of supplier enablement on the implementation of e-procurement by multinational tea companies in Kericho County. The target population was the heads of procurement departments and two employees drawn from each of the three companies. A cross-sectional survey was used with sample 63 responded. Questionnaires were used as the instrument for collecting primary data and later analyzed using the following regression analysis=α+β1X1.According to data findings; the independent variable supplier enablement was found to have correlation coefficients of 0.512 with the implementation of e-procurement among the multinational tea companies involved in the study. Conclusions are that the lack of supplier enablement was found to be key impediment to the implementation of e-procurement. Recommendations are that full adoption and implementation is a necessity that can only be achieved through a collaborative effort among the key players specific field. It is necessary that the involved tea firms should look at a means of working together as a team and build systems that will allow easier e-procurement functionality.