Sustainable Procurement Practices in Humanitarian Organizations: Adaptive Capability and Co-Evolution as Antecedents in a Developing Economy

Abstract

This study examines the interplay among co-evolution, adaptive capability, and sustainable procurement practices in Humanitarian Organisations (HOs). In addition, it examines the mediating role of adaptive capability in the relationship between co-evolution and sustainable procurement practices. Following a positivistic stance, data collected from 79 HOs at a particular point in time were evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS version 4.0.9.0. The results reveal significant positive relationships between co-evolution, adaptive capability, and sustainable procurement practices. Further, adaptive capability mediates the relationship between co-evolution and sustainable procurement practices. In order to achieve sustain able procurement practices in HOs, the study concludes and recommends that co-evolution with agents in the procurement environment needs to be considered and adaptive capability strengthened and streamlined. The findings should, however, be interpreted within the limitations of the research design, since the results do not capture the different levels at which HOs practice procurement sustainability; hence, future research is encouraged to employ longitudinal and qualitative analysis. This study is novel in demonstrating how co-evolution relates to adaptive capability and sustainable procurement practices. It also explains the role that adaptive capability plays in the relationship between co-evolution and sustainable procurement practices.