Government purchasing entails acquiring services and goods to offer public services and the operation of the government. Government purchasing is conducted within specific legal frameworks based on specific principles that aim to fulfill public procurement (Telgen, Harland, and Knight, 2012). On the other hand, private purchasing entails acquiring services and goods that satisfy the needs of the private entity. These services and goods are required for the operation of the business. Private purchasing is more appropriate and efficient than Government purchasing, which follows specific legal frameworks and principles.
The choice between government and private purchasing is linked to the strategic benefits and recognized value that the procurement can bring to the public or private organization. Private purchasing is more flexible and seeks out different suppliers to find the best deal since more time and resources are available. Private procurement is more flexible and open to innovation. Additionally, private purchasing is more people and profit-driven as compared to the highly regulated government purchasing. Government purchasing is mechanically driven to meet the regulations and procedures and is often influenced politically.
The government purchasing has supplier inflexibility since it prevents the public body from choosing among different suppliers due to legal restrictions. The government purchasing is too rule-based to allow more innovative procurement and take advantage of the market shifts (Telgen, Harland and Knight, 2012). For instance, the government purchasing must ensure transparency, decency, and compliance while finding the best deals. Government purchasing has to focus on more objectives, stakeholders, and outcomes than the private sector that only focuses on margin or improved service. Budget is one of the precise cuts between the government and private purchasing. Private purchasing has fewer limitations on spending and funding methods than government purchasing, which has a tight budget, thus reducing the agility of the budget. Therefore, private purchasing is more efficient, flexible, and easier to procure goods and services.
