Effectiveness of the procurement process within vocational training centres in Botswana: case study of Gaborone Technical College (GTC)
Abstract
Botswana has invested considerable amounts of its revenue in the formulation of an
effective procurement method with the aim of improving service delivery. Gaborone
Technical College procures for technical trades and administration. It specifically
procures IT equipment and equipment for construction, electrical, textile and beauty
therapy. The idea is that with these investments, there should be positive results in
service delivery and transparency in the use of the Government funds but this has not
yielded the desired results. The study examined the efficiency of the procurement
function at Gaborone Technical College (GTC). This was achieved by focusing on the
procurement strategy and the impact it had on the efficiency of the procurement
function. In exploring the propurement strategy of GTC, the phases in the procurement
strategy were considered. To enable draw conclusions from the findings of the study, a
null hypothesis stating that there was no significant relationship between efficiency of
the procurement process and the strategy formulation and implementation was adopted.
A quantitative research design approach was adopted where 131 members of staff at
GTC were administered with a highly structured questionnaire designed by the
researcher. However, only 108 questionnaires ·were completed and utilised. The
findings of the study revealed that the performance of the procurement function was not
as it should be. In addition, the procurement strategy was found to have a significant
influence on the performance of the procurement function. After further exploration of
the phases followed in formulation of the procurement process, the phases were found
to be poorly executed. It was recommended to GTC that in order to improve on the
performance of the procurement function the institution should review its procurement
formulation process. For further studies, it was recommended that a review of the
efficiency of the institution's functional strategies besides procurement strategy· be
examined. Through that, a procurement effectiveness tool would be created that fitted
the needs of the institution. The tool would· focus on ·evaluation the other effects of
procurement and on creating a common alignment for determining the cost savir1gs
produced.