Course content

Part of specialization module in logistics and purchasing management

The course gives an overview of public purchasing with special emphasis on how public purchasing can contribute to increased value creation for the citizens, the public institutions and the local commercial interests.

Important themes includes:

- Basic processes and procedures within public purchasing and the main points of the EU regulatory framework of the area.

- How to include "qualitative" and non-economic goals into public purchasing, such as increased employment through development of local commercial interests or the increased use of sustainable solutions.

- Innovative public procurements, how can we do them, how do we evaluate the needs, who are the important stakeholders and how do we interact with them

- internal understanding and control of public purchasing (among managers and other internal stakeholders), competence development and cooperation between purchasers and other employee groups.

- Public purchasing on different system levels, cooperation and coordination with external organizations and companies, public-private cooperation, purchasing in larger projects and programs, evaluating the impact our purchasing policies may have on the supplier markets.

- Models for evaluating risks and possible gains and strategy deployment of public purchasing.

The course approaches the field as a body of knowledge built on insights in economics, management and technology.

Learning outcome

The learning outcomes are to make the students understand central theories and concepts regarding public purchasing, and how these theories can be used to analyze how a public organization can contribute to value creation through the way it handles its purchasingb operations. Students are introduced to models and concepts which can be used to map and analyze purchasing opeartions and to make the more efficient and effective.

Competence goals:

The student should:

- acquire deep insight into public purchasing processes, particularly with respect to the use of innovative public procurement for the benefit of more sustainable development, analysis of stakeholders, interaction with supplier markets, risk analysis and handling, activation and orchestration of external partners, competence development, public purchasing on different system levels, coordination of purchasing cooperation, evaluation of effects from purchasing operations on the supplier markets and models for strategic development.

Skills developed:

- students will be trained in performing analysis of their organizations purchasing practice using theories and models acquired throughout the course.

- students should be able to develop improvement of the practice based on the analysis above.

General competeces developed:

Students should be able to do their own independent research and/or development project in the area of public purchasing

Learning methods and activities

The course consists of two seminars, each of which will last two full days. Each seminar has both exercises and lectures, and some lecture material also exists as videos. Students starts with their report after the first seminar and is given an opportunity to hand it in for feedback and also to present it on the second seminar. Another round of feedback is scheduled after the second seminar. Students hand in the report at the end of the semester and the report counts for 100% of the mark in the course.

Further on evaluation

A written report counts for 100% of the mark in the course.

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

To qualify for the course, the student need to fulfil the same criteria as those necessary for the master program to which the course belongs. The number of students is limited, and if the number of students exceed the limit, students will be ranked for participation as per the rules of the study plan of the master program to which the course belongs.

Course materials

The course uses articles and chapters from books. The exact curriculum will be announced at the start of the course.