STAKEHOLDERS’ PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS OF PUBLIC E-PROCUREMENT THROUGH GOVERNMENT E-MARKETPLACE IN INDIA

This study investigates the role of India’s Government e-Marketplace (GeM) in advancing good governance through public E-procurement. It aims to explore and compare the perceptions of buyers and suppliers regarding GeM adoption. Using a descriptive research design, primary data were collected through structured interview schedule from 260 active GeM users (120 buyers and 140 suppliers) from six North Indian states. The study uses Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to identify key dimensions of GeM adoption for both buyers and suppliers. It uses independent samples t-test to compare the group perceptions. The analysis revealed six core dimensions influencing GeM adoption viz. transparency and accountability, corruption reduction, professionalism and fair competition, reliability and standardization, operational efficiency, and real-time access. Distinct factor structures emerged for buyers and suppliers, highlighting their differing priorities. This study offers a novel stakeholder-specific assessment of E-procurement effectiveness - an area underexplored in existing literature. By applying EFA separately to buyers and suppliers, the research provides in-depth understanding of user experiences. Findings highlight the need for user-specific policy interventions for buyers and suppliers on GeM platform. The study calls for targeted support to suppliers, especially MSMEs, to improve their access and competitiveness on GeM.