from the article: Supply chain integration intensifies through digitalisation of business administration (BA) processes. However, it is
unclear whether differences exist between the public and private sector in development or implementation of supply chain
integration solutions. The large scope of the supply chain, being a large network of companies working together towards one
end product, is limited for this study to e-procurement processes. The related software solutions are included. This study
starts with a theoretical snapshot of e-procurement. This is followed by a process viewpoint of the e-procurement function.
Next five different forms of e-procurement cooperation are presented seen from an actors network viewpoint. The utilisation
of these forms create insight in the differences between the public and private sector in their e-procurement adoption
behaviour. The process maturity scan results shows that the process maturity between the two sectors is comparable.
However, this only explains the differences per sector concerning their ability to improve and control their processes in
general. For reliability, this step is followed by three in-depth interviews combined with analyses of recent e-procurement
behaviour studies involving the two sectors. The final step compares the maturity outcome with the in-depth data results.
Both sectors show certain forms of coalition in the e-procurement. Where ‘competition’ is a construct that drives the private
sector, the public sector has cost control as a driver towards collaboration and integration within e-procurement. This can
only partially be explained by the past European financial crises. Differences are found in digital collaboration and the
integration itself. The most important difference lies in the European tendering procedure to which the public sector (unlike
the private) is restricted. In nature an e-procurement design and development project does not fit the prescribed procedures.
