Determinants of Procurement Ethics Among Public Institutions in Ghana: An Empirical Study

Abstract

If the public procurement function especially in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) is ethically conducted, the obvious end result would be prudent use of state resources, transparency within the public procurement process and value for money in all government contracts. This has become pertinent since increasingly significant proportions of government expenditure in developing countries goes into public procurements. This study therefore sought to explore the determinants of procurement ethics among public institutions in the Upper East Region (UER) of Ghana. The study adopted a quantitative research approach using an interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect data from 210 practicing public procurement officials across selected public institutions. The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was employed as a factor reduction tool to filter out the factors that significantly influence ethical procurement practices among staff of public institutions. The study results showed that transparency, professionalism, integrity and political influence were the major determinants of ethical procurement practices in public institutions within the Upper East Region of Ghana. The study established that transparency, professionalism, integrity and political influence were the major determinants of ethical procurement practices within public institutions in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The findings of this study will serve as a guide for procurement professionals and managers to improve ethical procurement behavior. Training programmes should be tailored towards improving transparency, professionalism, integrity and minimize political influence.