IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i4p2116-d500393.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

When Green Procurement Meets Complexity: The Case of Sustainable Neighborhood Projects

Author

Listed:
  • Hasan A. M. Hamdan

    (Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Faculty of Economics and Management, NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway)

  • Luitzen de Boer

    (Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Faculty of Economics and Management, NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway)

  • Daniela Baer

    (SINTEF Community, 7465 Trondheim, Norway)

Abstract

In a rapidly urbanizing world, cities form the key context for a sustainable transition. The neighborhood scale is suggested as a successful scale to realize cross-sector, inter-organizational collaborations. The multifaceted goals and resulting interdependencies in sustainable neighborhood (SN) developments seem to render them complex. Neighborhood scale can be understood as a program of related projects encompassing a wide range of actors interacting in a non-simple way. The added complexity comprised at the neighborhood scale challenges the promise of sustainable transition, creating a gap between what is promised as SN and what is delivered. While filling this gap is deemed pivotal to boost the performance and success of SNs, this study focuses on the practice of procurement. Green procurement has a prominent role in fostering the sustainable transition and alleviate the projects’ poor performance in energy consumption and carbon emissions. However, green procurement is complicated and often hampered by the complex nature of the programs and projects required to realize SNs. Using an in-depth case study of an ongoing SN development in Norway, we seek to explore green procurement in SN programs. The present study has several contributions. First, we provide a fresh look at SNs using the notion of program management and the principles of nearly decomposable systems. Second, the study demonstrates that green procurement can support coordination in programs, and propose several implications for purchasers to consider when devising a green procurement strategy for SN programs, laying the groundwork for new procurement research focusing on structural complexity. Furthermore, our study encourages purchasers to think like architects to grasp the various levels and make better decisions in complex projects and programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Hasan A. M. Hamdan & Luitzen de Boer & Daniela Baer, 2021. "When Green Procurement Meets Complexity: The Case of Sustainable Neighborhood Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:2116-:d:500393
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/4/2116/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/4/2116/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anna Kadefors & Sofia Lingegård & Stefan Uppenberg & Johanna Alkan-Olsson & Daniel Balian, 2021. "Designing and implementing procurement requirements for carbon reduction in infrastructure construction – international overview and experiences," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 64(4), pages 611-634, March.
    2. Eva Sterner, 2002. "'Green procurement' of buildings: a study of Swedish clients' considerations," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(1), pages 21-30.
    3. Tee, Richard & Davies, Andrew & Whyte, Jennifer, 2019. "Modular designs and integrating practices: Managing collaboration through coordination and cooperation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 51-61.
    4. Joanne Meehan & David Bryde, 2011. "Sustainable procurement practice," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(2), pages 94-106, February.
    5. Rob Vluggen & Cees J. Gelderman & Janjaap Semeijn & Marc van Pelt, 2019. "Sustainable Public Procurement—External Forces and Accountability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-16, October.
    6. Richard Tee, 2019. "Benefiting from modularity within and across firm boundaries," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 28(5), pages 1011-1028.
    7. Orehounig, Kristina & Evins, Ralph & Dorer, Viktor, 2015. "Integration of decentralized energy systems in neighbourhoods using the energy hub approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 277-289.
    8. Bent Flyvbjerg, 2009. "Survival of the unfittest: why the worst infrastructure gets built--and what we can do about it," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 25(3), pages 344-367, Autumn.
    9. Lyra J. Colfer & Carliss Y. Baldwin, 2016. "The mirroring hypothesis: theory, evidence, and exceptions," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 25(5), pages 709-738.
    10. Hofman, Erwin & Halman, Johannes I.M. & Looy, Bart van, 2016. "Do design rules facilitate or complicate architectural innovation in innovation alliance networks?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(7), pages 1436-1448.
    11. Aaron J. Shenhar, 2001. "One Size Does Not Fit All Projects: Exploring Classical Contingency Domains," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 47(3), pages 394-414, March.
    12. Nielsen, Brita Fladvad & Baer, Daniela & Lindkvist, Carmel, 2019. "Identifying and supporting exploratory and exploitative models of innovation in municipal urban planning; key challenges from seven Norwegian energy ambitious neighborhood pilots," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 142-153.
    13. Edquist, Charles & Zabala-Iturriagagoitia, Jon Mikel, 2012. "Public Procurement for Innovation as mission-oriented innovation policy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(10), pages 1757-1769.
    14. Davies, Andrew & Brady, Tim, 2000. "Organisational capabilities and learning in complex product systems: towards repeatable solutions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(7-8), pages 931-953, August.
    15. Dubois, Anna & Gadde, Lars-Erik, 2002. "Systematic combining: an abductive approach to case research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 55(7), pages 553-560, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Asha Ramadhan & William Gomera, 2022. "The impact of financial aspect on procurement procedures in achieving sustainable public procurement: A case of Zanzibar urban services project," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 11(10), pages 265-276, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Papachristos, George & Papadonikolaki, Eleni & Morgan, Bethan, 2024. "Projects as a speciation and aggregation mechanism in transitions: Bridging project management and transitions research in the digitalization of UK architecture, engineering, and construction industry," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    2. Jiang Wei & Yang Yang & Sali Li, 2021. "Mirror or no mirror? Architectural design of cross-border integration of Chinese multinational enterprises," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(4), pages 1399-1430, December.
    3. Meissner, Dirk & Burton, Nicholas & Galvin, Peter & Sarpong, David & Bach, Norbert, 2021. "Understanding cross border innovation activities: The linkages between innovation modes, product architecture and firm boundaries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 762-769.
    4. Tee, Richard & Davies, Andrew & Whyte, Jennifer, 2019. "Modular designs and integrating practices: Managing collaboration through coordination and cooperation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 51-61.
    5. Sofia Lingegård & Malena I. Havenvid & Per-Erik Eriksson, 2021. "Circular Public Procurement through Integrated Contracts in the Infrastructure Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-19, October.
    6. Paula Cayolla Trindade & Paula Antunes & Paulo Partidário, 2017. "SPP Toolbox: Supporting Sustainable Public Procurement in the Context of Socio-Technical Transitions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-26, December.
    7. Raja, Jawwad Z. & Frandsen, Thomas & Mouritsen, Jan, 2017. "Exploring the managerial dilemmas encountered by advanced analytical equipment providers in developing service-led growth strategies," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 120-132.
    8. Engwall, Mats, 2003. "No project is an island: linking projects to history and context," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 789-808, May.
    9. Johann Peter & Benedikt Alexander, 2023. "Exploring the structure of internal combustion engine and battery electric vehicles: implications for the architecture of the automotive industry," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 32(1), pages 129-154.
    10. Lina Mao & Jinghua Li & Changwei Guo, 2019. "Integrator’s Coordination on Technological Innovation Performance in China: The Dual Moderating Role of Environmental Dynamism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-24, December.
    11. Klara Granheimer & Per-Erik Eriksson & Tina Karrbom Gustavsson, 2022. "Adaptability in Public Procurement of Engineering Services Promoting Carbon Reduction: An Organizational Control Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-18, May.
    12. Pierre Barbaroux & Victor Santos Paulino, 2022. "Why do motives matter? A demand-based view of the dynamics of a complex products and systems (CoPS) industry," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 1175-1204, September.
    13. De Toni, Alberto F. & Pessot, Elena, 2021. "Investigating organisational learning to master project complexity: An embedded case study," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 541-554.
    14. Bryngemark, Elina & Söderholm, Patrik & Thörn, Martina, 2023. "The adoption of green public procurement practices: Analytical challenges and empirical illustration on Swedish municipalities," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(PA).
    15. Selviaridis, Kostas & Hughes, Alan & Spring, Martin, 2023. "Facilitating public procurement of innovation in the UK defence and health sectors: Innovation intermediaries as institutional entrepreneurs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).
    16. Sofia Lingegård & Johanna Alkan Olsson & Anna Kadefors & Stefan Uppenberg, 2021. "Sustainable Public Procurement in Large Infrastructure Projects—Policy Implementation for Carbon Emission Reductions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-21, October.
    17. Davies, Andrew & Manning, Stephan & Söderlund, Jonas, 2018. "When neighboring disciplines fail to learn from each other: The case of innovation and project management research," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(5), pages 965-979.
    18. Stefano Brusoni & Joachim Henkel & Michael G Jacobides & Samina Karim & Alan Mac & Phanish Puranam & Melissa Schilling, 2023. "The power of modularity today: 20 years of “Design Rules”," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 32(1), pages 1-10.
    19. Svetlana Klessova & Sebastian Engell & Catherine Thomas, 2022. "Dynamics of couplings and their implications in inter-organizational multi-actor research and innovation projects," Post-Print hal-03690108, HAL.
    20. Raymond Stokke & Xinlu Qiu & Magnus Sparrevik & Shannon Truloff & Iselin Borge & Luitzen Boer, 2023. "Procurement for zero-emission construction sites: a comparative study of four European cities," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 72-86, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:2116-:d:500393. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.