Browsing by Author "Chikwana, Josephine"

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    Embracing social procurement: an institutional work perspective on implementation in procurement practices
    (European Operations Management Association (EurOMA), 2024-07-03) Chikwana, Josephine; Alinaghian, Leila; Razmdoost, Kamran
    Organisations are increasingly using their purchasing power to create social value, a practice known as social procurement. This involves adapting existing procurement practices to incorporate social norms and practices. However, this process can lead to tensions and conflicts, requiring organisations to balance the priorities of different procurement practices. This study uses an institutional work lens to examine how organisations change and alter existing practices to navigate the complexity of integrating social procurement and traditional procurement practices. An analysis of six case studies reveals that organisations use various strategies of institutional work, which are influenced by contextual factors.
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    Exploring sustainable purchasing and supply chain management through an institutional change lens: a systematic literature review
    (International Purchasing and Supply Education and Research Association (IPSERA), 2025-04-02) Chikwana, Josephine; Alinaghian, Leila; Razmdoost, Kamran
    The notion of sustainability within purchasing and supply chain management (PSCM) is not a recent development, as it has been evolving over the past few decades (Hoejmose & AdrienKirby, 2012; Johnsen et al., 2017; Miemczyk et al., 2012). Early discussions in PSCM focused primarily on environmental concerns, such as reducing carbon emissions, minimising waste, and improving energy efficiency within supply chains (Carter & Liane Easton, 2011; Seuring & Müller, 2008). Over time, the scope of sustainability expanded to include social and ethical dimensions, such as ensuring fair labour practices, promoting diversity and inclusion, and supporting local communities through procurement decisions (Yawar & Seuring, 2017; Zorzini et al., 2015).
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    ‘Like drinking water after being in the desert’: social-symbolic work of procurement professionals in driving sustainable procurement
    (EurOMA, 2025-06-18) Chikwana, Josephine; Alinaghian, Leila; Razmdoost, Kamran
    Sustainable procurement aims to strategically embed environmental, social, and economic considerations into purchasing decisions to minimise negative impacts and generate positive outcomes across the entire supply chain (Meehan & Bryde, 2011). Recent studies have argued that procurement professionals can play a pivotal role in sustainable procurement by acting as change makers and implementers within their organisations (Luzzini et al., 2024). However, individual-level perspectives on their agency remain limited and under-documented (Villena, 2019; Walker et al., 2012). The study examines how procurement professionals use agency to change procurement functions and incorporate sustainability. It draws on the notion of social-symbolic work which refers to the ‘purposeful, reflexive efforts of individuals, collective actors and networks of actors to shape social symbolic objects’ (Lawrence & Phillips, 2019, p.31). Where a social symbolic object is considered ‘a combination of discursive, relational, and material elements that constitute a meaningful pattern in a social system’ (Lawrence & Phillips, 2019, p.24). In this study, we examine procurement as the social-symbolic object where the discursive elements encompass the language and narratives related to purchasing. The relational elements pertain to the networks of relationships between procurement professionals, suppliers, internal departments, and regulatory bodies. Lastly, the material elements include the tools, technologies, policies, and procedures that enable procurement activities.
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    'Like drinking water after being in the desert’: social-symbolic work of sustainable procurement professionals
    (International Purchasing and Supply Education and Research Association (IPSERA), 2025-04-02) Chikwana, Josephine; Alinaghian, Leila; Razmdoost, Kamran
    This study examines how procurement professionals exercise agency in embedding sustainability within procurement processes, using a social-symbolic work lens. Drawing on 36 interviews and 15 observed meetings, it reveals that sustainable procurement is shaped through practice, legitimacy, and identity work. The findings highlight procurement professionals as change agents, driven by personal values, and challenge the view of procurement as purely operational. The study contributes a framework illustrating how these forms of work interact to drive systemic change, offering both theoretical insights and practical guidance for aligning sustainability with procurement practices and professional roles
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    Like Drinking Water After Being in the Desert’: Social-Symbolic Work of Sustainable Procurement Professionals
    (EurOMA, 2025-03-27) Chikwana, Josephine; Alinaghian, Leila; Razmdoost, Kamran