Procurement professionals' perceptions of skills and attributes of procurement negotiators: a cross-sectional survey in Tanzania

Abstract

Purpose

This paper analyzes procurement negotiators' skills and attributes by considering perceptions of procurement professionals in Tanzania.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a cross-sectional research design in which procurement professionals' opinions were collected through questionnaires. The study proposed that the skills and attributes of procurement negotiators are necessary for negotiation proceedings, and they were tested through confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings

Findings suggest that listening skills, persuasion skills, communication skills and planning skills are all important skills that contribute to overall procurement negotiation skills. Furthermore, trust, flexibility, honesty and emotion are statistically determined to be necessary attributes for procurement negotiators. All of the observed variables were statistically significant (p < 0.001) and contributed positively to explaining the skills and attributes of procurement negotiators.

Research limitations/implications

The sample included only respondents from a single country. This may affect the generalization of results as there is a variation in institutional regulatory compliance governing public procurement undertakings in different countries. Also, the study did not include the outcome of negotiation proceedings and relied only on opinions collected from the procurement professionals in Tanzania.

Practical implications

This study's findings provide suggestions for practitioners on the necessary skills and attributes of procurement negotiators that might be well considered when appointing members of negotiation teams for procurement deals.

Originality/value

This paper adds value to the existing literature on the necessary skills and attributes of members of negotiation teams for procurement undertakings in the public sector.

Citation

Mwagike, L.R. and Changalima, I.A. (2022), "Procurement professionals' perceptions of skills and attributes of procurement negotiators: a cross-sectional survey in Tanzania", International Journal of Public Sector Management, Vol. 35 No. 1, pp. 94-109. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-12-2020-0331