Framing Transformative Capacities in Public Procurement Supply Chains: A Review and Research Direction

This article aims to bridge the academic literature on transformative capacities and supply chain management in public procurement to advance the conceptualisation of transformative public procurement. This is achieved through a semi‐systematic literature review of 48 articles, based on keyword searches that relate to supply chains, sustainability transformations, and capacities, all within the context of public procurement. Articles were analysed according to a coding framework based on the overlap of sustainable purchasing and transformative capacities. From the results of the review, it is identified that transformative capacities in public procurement can be enhanced through supplier development strategies, such as increased and deeper stakeholder engagement. To overcome barriers to public procurement for sustainability, there is a need for going beyond assigning potential suppliers and developing monitoring and evaluation processes. By developing capacities that are transformative and able to facilitate deep stakeholder engagement, there is a greater potential for generating sustainable and transformative outcomes from public procurement processes.