Digital Material Procurement in Construction: Barriers, Opportunities, and Conceptual Platform Architecture

Abstract

Material Procurement in construction involves the systematic process of acquiring materials necessary to complete a project efficiently and effectively. While many governments are promoting the digitalization of public procurement to enhance transparency, reduce corruption, and improve operational efficiency, digital procurement in the private sector, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), remains underexplored. In many contexts, procurement practices are still paper-based, informal, and relationship-driven, limiting scalability, speed, and accountability.

Electronic procurement (e-procurement) offers a promising solution by digitizing suppliers’ selection, order processing, tracking, and documentation. However, adoption remains limited due to organizational, technical, and cultural barriers. Despite growing global interest in e-procurement, little research investigates its uptake in fragile or informally structured markets such as Lebanon. In particular, the impact of cultural norms, digital readiness, and user behavior remains poorly understood.

This study addresses this gap by examining the perspectives of contractors and suppliers within Lebanese SMEs, using Reflexive Thematic Analysis and cross-case comparison of 15 semi-structured interviews. Unlike prior research, which often aggregates stakeholders’ views, this study provides a comparative analysis of these two critical actors. The findings are interpreted through an integrated theoretical framework combining the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Diffusion of Innovation (DOI), and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), incorporating constructs such as trust, trialability, social influence, and facilitating conditions.

The findings reveal that operational inefficiencies, communication breakdowns, and culturally embedded practices, particularly those related to trust and informality, pose significant barriers to the adoption of e-procurement. Despite these challenges, participants voiced a strong interest in achieving greater transparency and more efficient coordination related to procurement activities. Drawing on these insights, the study identifies five distinct stakeholder typologies, each characterized by specific attitudes, expectations, and constraints related to digital procurement. These typologies informed the conceptual design of a tailored e-procurement platform, theoretically grounded and responsive to the heterogeneous needs of users operating in fragile and informally structured market environments.