Table 2.

Description of selected papers

Author codeAuthor(s)CountrySectorJournal nameTitle of articleType of paperMethodologyTheories
A1Aboelazm et al. (2025)United Arab Emirates (UAE)Multiple sectors/no specific sector mentionedCorporate Law and Governance ReviewAmeliorating public procurement performance: Green public procurement policies within a legislative frameworkConcept paperQualitative – ThematicNo
A2Agyekum et al. (2023)Ghana TertiaryEngineering, Construction and Architectural ManagementBarriers to stakeholder engagement in sustainable procurement of public worksEmpirical paperQuantitative – QuestionnaireNo
A3Alqadami et al. (2020a)MalaysiaConstructionIOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and EngineeringChallenges of implementing green procurement in public construction projects in MalaysiaConference paperQuantitative – QuestionnaireNo
A4Anane and Kwarteng (2019) GhanaTechnical universitiesAsian Journal of Economics Business and AccountingProspects and challenges of procurement performance measurement in selected technical universities in GhanaEmpirical paperQuantitative – QuestionnaireInstitutional theory
A5Appiagyei et al. (2018)GhanaPublic universities7th African International Conference on Infrastructure DevelopmentBarriers to the implementation of environmentally sustainable procurement in public universitiesConference paperQualitative – ThematicTriple bottom line
A6Butler and Keaveney (2014) IrelandConstructionInternational Virtual ConferenceAnalysis of barriers to and drivers of green procurement in achieving a more sustainable construction industryEmpirical paperQuantitative – QuestionnaireNo
A7Chari and Chiriseri (2014) ZimbabweBoth public and private (all sectors)Greener Journal of Business and Management StudiesBarriers to sustainable procurement in Zimbabwe: a comparative study of public sector sustainableEmpirical paperQuantitative – Questionnaire interviews, and document inspectionNo
A8Da Costa and Da Motta (2019) BrazilAcross public sector institutions (academics and practitioners)International Journal Sustainable DevelopmentKey factors hindering sustainable procurement in the Brazilian public sector: a Delphi studyEmpirical paperQualitative – DelphiNo
A9Dou et al. (2011)ChinaMunicipal-level governmentSpringer (book chapter)Government green procurement: a fuzzy-DEMATEL analysis of barriersEmpirical paperQualitative – Experts für DEMATELFuzzy set theory
10Faracik (2018) PolandEuropean and national level in PolandEuropean Procurement and Public Private Partnership Law ReviewNon-legal barriers to sustainable public procurement in PolandLiterature reviewQualitative – analysis of secondary dataNo
A11Islam and Siwar (2013) Australia and MalaysiaPublic (all sectors)International Review of Business Research PapersA comparative study of public sector sustainable procurement practices, opportunities and barriersEmpirical paperQuantitative – online survey(questionnaire)No
A12Jin et al. (2024)ChinaHigher educational institutions (HEIs)Journal of Public ProcurementChallenges of sustainable public procurement in Chinese higher education institutions: a Delphi studyEmpirical paperMixed – Delphi and questionnaireNo
A13Leal Filho et al. (2019)WorldHEIsJournal of Cleaner ProductionSustainability and procurement practices in higher education institutions: Barriers and driversEmpirical paperQuantitative – QuestionnaireNo
A14Malatinec (2021) SlovakiaAll public sector institutionsJuridical TribuneLocal barriers in the efficient use of green public procurement - case of SlovakiaReviewNo
A15McMurray et al. (2014)MalaysiaBoth public and private (all sectors)Journal of Purchasing and Supply ManagementSustainable procurement in Malaysian organizations: practices, barriers and opportunitiesEmpirical paperMixed – focus group and questionnaireNo
A16Nemec et al. (2023)Post-socialist countriesAcross sectors (public)International Journal of Public AdministrationThe barriers to green public procurement: analysis of Four “Post-Socialist” countriesEmpirical paperQualitative – focus groupPrincipal agent theory
A17Ogunsanya et al. (2022)NigeriaConstructionInternational Journal of Construction ManagementBarriers to sustainable procurement in the Nigerian construction industry: an exploratory factor analysisEmpirical paperQuantitative – QuestionnaireNo
A18Osei-Kyei et al. (2024)Systematic paperConstructionSustainable FuturesCritical review of the drivers and barriers for adopting net zero carbon procurement for construction projectsSLRQualitative – ThematicProject success theory
A19Oyewobi and Jimoh (2022) NigeriaConstructionSustainabilityBarriers to adoption of sustainable procurement in the Nigerian public construction sectorEmpirical paperQuantitative – QuestionnaireInstitutional and TBL theory
A20Patil et al. (2021) India Humanitarian supply chainInternational Journal of Productivity and Performance ManagementModelling performance measurement barriers of humanitarian supply chainEmpirical paperMixed – Interviews and questionnaireGrey theory
A21Pourvaziri et al. (2024)IranConstruction – both public and privateInternational Journal of Environmental Science and TechnologyBarriers to green procurement of the Iranian construction industry: an interpretive structural modelling approachEmpirical paperQuantitative – QuestionnaireNo
A22Qiao and Wang (2011) ChinaPublic (all sectors)Journal of Environmental ProtectionIssues and challenges in implementing China’s green public procurement programReviewQualitative – ThematicNo
A23Rais et al. (2018)MalaysiaConstruction (cross-check if public or private)IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering Materials Science and EngineeringThe possible challenges of green procurement implementationConference paperQualitative – focus groupNo
A24Shaikh and Channa (2022) PakistanHEIsJournal of Public ProcurementDrivers and deterrents of sustainable procurement practices – an exploratory study in context of Pakistani HEIsEmpirical paperQualitative – ThematicNo
A25Simion et al. (2019)Romania (European Union)State inspectorate for constructions, both at the Central and Bucharest-Ilfov region levelSustainabilityGreen procurement in Romanian construction projects. A cluster analysis of the barriers and enablers to green procurement in construction projects from the Bucharest-Ilfov region of RomaniaEmpirical paperQuantitative – QuestionnaireNo
A26Sourani and Sohail (2011) UKConstructionEngineering SustainabilityBarriers to addressing sustainable construction in public procurement strategiesConference paper - empiricalDelphi exercise, interviews, questionnaire survey and case studiesNo
A27Stokke et al. (2023)Four European citiesConstructionEnvironment Systems and DecisionsProcurement for zero emission construction sites: a comparative study of Four European citiesEmpirical paperQualitative – interviews, observations, and document studiesInnovation ecosystem theory
A28Vejaratnam et al. (2020)Systematic paperSystematic paperJournal of Public ProcurementA systematic review of barriers impeding the implementation of government green procurementSLRQualitative – ThematicNo
A29Vejaratnam et al. (2022)MalaysiaFederal ministriesSustainability Accounting, Management and Policy JournalStrategic responses to environmental performance monitoring barriers: a case study of Malaysian government green procurementEmpirical paperQualitative – Interviews, thematicInstitutional theory
A30Lindgreen et al. (2009)UKPublic sectorSupply Chain Management: an International JournalSustainable procurement in the United Kingdom public sectorEmpirical paperQuantitative – QuestionnaireNo
A31Yap et al. (2024)MalaysiaConstruction (80% of respondents were on privately funded projectsJournal of Civil Engineering and ManagementGreen procurement in the construction industry: Unfolding new underlying barriers for a developing country contextEmpirical paperQuantitative – QuestionnaireNo
A32Zaidi et al. (2019)PakistanPublic sector universitiesSocio-Economic Planning SciencesAddressing the sustainable development through sustainable procurement: What factors resist the implementation of sustainable procurement in Pakistan?Empirical paperQuantitative – QuestionnaireNo
A33Mannaan (2025) BangladeshPublic sectorBRAC UniversityWhat are the key challenges of implementing sustainable public procurement (SPP) in developing nations: a case study of Bangladesh?Empirical paperSurvey questionnaireTriple bottom line
A34Arendse (2010) South AfricaPublic sectorInternational Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) DocumentAdvancing green public procurement in South Africa challenges, opportunities, and strategic pathwaysPolicy documentQualitativeNo
A35Budi et al. (2023)MalaysiaHospital – health sectorAIP Conf. Proc.Challenges in the implementation of green public procurement in public hospitalsEmpirical paperQualitative – Delphi methodMulti-criteria decision-making theory (AHP)
A36Polonsky et al. (2022)WorldwidePublic sectorJournal of Cleaner ProductionIdentifying the drivers and barriers of the public sector procurement of products with recycled material or recovered content: a systematic review and research propositionsSLRQualitative – thematicNo
A37Zaidi et al. (2021)PakistanHealth sectorSocio-Economic Planning SciencesSustainability challenges in public health sector procurement: an application of interpretative structural modellingEmpirical paperQuantitative – Questionnaire
A38Wendt-Rasch et al. (2021)SwedenMunicipalJournal of Cleaner ProductionChemical requirements in Swedish municipal green public procurement: challenges and opportunitiesEmpirical paperQualitative – semi structured interviews and observations
A39Ahsan and Rahman (2017) AustraliaHealthcare sectorJournal of Cleaner ProductionGreen public procurement implementation challenges in Australian public healthcare sectorEmpirical paperAHP-based structured interviewsMCDM – AHP
A40Tian (2010) ChinaPublic sector2010 International Conference on Management and Service Science, MASS 2010Green public procurement in China: current practices, barriers and opportunitiesReview paperQualitative – desk researchNo
Source(s): Authors’ own work (2025)

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