Navigating the Labyrinth: A Qualitative Analysis of Institutional Dysfunction in Public Procurement in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

This research analyzes the micro-mechanisms behind the failure of public procurement in Punjab, Pakistan. Conducting qualitative interviews with procurement officials, we outline a self-reinforcing cycle of dysfunction caused by the interaction of political interference, capacity gaps, regulatory vagueness, technology deficits, and a culture of avoidance. This study also examined the impact of digital literacy on the prospects associated with its application in public procurement. These internal and external factors do not act in isolation, amplifying one another to create a systemic institutional problem, rather than a series of discrete problems. It is argued that the introduction of professional rules to the procurement cadre, the simplification of rules, and the strengthening of multi-way stakeholder oversight and engagement will ensure that intended reforms to the procurement system will succeed. The demand for computer-literacy curtails from the manner through which ICTs are dominating diverse characteristics in modern working environment These measures will address the gap between the informal and formal rules that govern procurement.