Harnessing e-procurement for green impact in construction in developing countries: a technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework and resource-based view (RBV) perspective

Purpose Given the low adoption of e-procurement and the push toward green procurement through e-procurement in construction organizations in developing countries, understanding the factors that affect the adoption of e-procurement and its impact on green procurement in the construction industry is crucial. By integrating the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework with the Resource-Based View (RBV), this study aims to go beyond merely identifying the effects of TOE factors on the adoption of e-procurement. It seeks to explore how construction organizations can utilize e-procurement to develop green procurement capabilities. Design/methodology/approach Three developing countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda) were selected based on the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) classification and e-procurement adoption data from the World Bank Group (WBG) and Transparency International (TI) studies. A total of 225 valid survey responses were collected from domain experts who had been identified through a purposive sampling method. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data due to its suitability for the current study. Findings The study identified that relative advantage, compatibility, top management support, and regulatory support significantly affect e-procurement adoption in construction organizations in developing countries. In contrast, complexity and financial capability exerted no significant effects on e-procurement adoption. The study further confirmed that e-procurement adoption significantly affects construction organizations' green procurement practices. Practical implications This study offers practical implications for construction organizations, governments, and policymakers in developing countries, aiming to enhance their awareness and advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through digitalization and green procurement. Originality/value In contrast to prior studies conducted in single-country contexts or those focusing solely on isolated aspects of the TOE framework, this study uniquely integrates the TOE framework and RBV across construction organizations in three developing countries to demonstrate how e-procurement translates into green procurement and bolsters sustainable construction procurement practices.