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PurposeThis paper analyzes procurement negotiators' skills and attributes by considering perceptions of procurement professionals in Tanzania.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a cross-sectional research design in which procurement professionals' opinions were collected through questionnaires. The study proposed that the skills and attributes of procurement negotiators are necessary for negotiation proceedings, and they were tested through confirmatory factor analysis.FindingsFindings suggest that listening skills, persuasion skills, communication skills and planning skills are all important skills that contribute to overall procurement negotiation skills. Furthermore, trust, flexibility, honesty and emotion are statistically determined to be necessary attributes for procurement negotiators. All of the observed variables were statistically significant (p < 0.001) and contributed positively to explaining the skills and attributes of procurement negotiators.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample included only respondents from a single country. This may affect the generalization of results as there is a variation in institutional regulatory compliance governing public procurement undertakings in different countries. Also, the study did not include the outcome of negotiation proceedings and relied only on opinions collected from the procurement professionals in Tanzania.Practical implicationsThis study's findings provide suggestions for practitioners on the necessary skills and attributes of procurement negotiators that might be well considered when appointing members of negotiation teams for procurement deals.Originality/valueThis paper adds value to the existing literature on the necessary skills and attributes of members of negotiation teams for procurement undertakings in the public sector.

This study reviewed forms, benefits, and challenges of collaborative procurement practice that could be applied in public organizations in developing countries like Tanzania. The study is exploratory and descriptive in nature under which a systematic literature review was conducted to examine the various forms, benefits, and challenges of collaborative procurement. In this approach, information was gathered from the existing body of literature on collaborative procurement and cooperative purchasing practices. Based on the main results, the study ascertained that piggy-backing groups, third-party groups, professional networks, and project groups are the main four forms of collaborative procurement practices that may be applicable in public organizations. Results suggested that organizations that engage in collaborative procurement practices enjoy several benefits, including minimum prices, low transaction costs, high-quality products, reduced workloads, and minimal supply risks. However, demand heterogeneity can complicate the procurement process, and inflexibility and control of collaborative procurement activities are major challenges for implementing collaborative procurement practices. Despite these challenges, the study concluded that collaborative procurement practices can be beneficial in public organizations in developing countries like Tanzania. The study recommends that collaborative members establish clear guidelines and agreements for collaborative procurement practices to ensure successful implementation.