Barriers and Prospects of e-Procurement in construction Paper N0: SACQSP2014-030 Barriers and prospects of e-Procurement in the South African construction industry Samuel Laryea 1 & Eziyi Ibem 2 1 School of Construction Economics and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Samuel.Laryea@wits.ac.za . Tel: +2711717 7657 2 School of Construction Economics and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Eziyi.Ibem@wits.ac.za . Tel +27 11 717 7670 ABSTRACT Purpose of this paper The use of electronic procurement in construction is increasing with the associated barriers and prospects in the different countries. However, the extent of barriers to, and prospects of e- procurement uptake in the South African construction industry is not well articulated in the literature. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to report findings of a study conducted to investigate the barriers to e-procurement adoption in the South African construction industry. This is with a view to suggesting ways to mitigating the barriers and enhancing the prospects of e-procurement in the South African construction industry. Design/methodology/approach The study was exploratory in nature and the data used were derived from online questionnaire survey involving 603 respondents comprising architects, clients, construction/project managers, contractors, engineers, quantity surveyors, procurement and supply chain officials in the construction industry conducted between March and June 2014 in South Africa. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical and content analyses. Findings. The main barriers to e-procurement uptake in the construction sector are related to unreliable ICT infrastructure, cultural issues, concern over security and data protection, unequal access to IT infrastructure by all categories of firms, inadequate knowledge on e-procurement systems and legal issues. Practical Implications The study indicates that there is a possibility of future success in the use and maximization of the benefits of e-procurement in the South African construction industry. However, these depend on the availability of reliable ICT infrastructure and knowledgeable construction professionals; improved access to ICT infrastructure across the country and supportive legal environment. What is original/value of paper The paper provides insight into the current barriers to e-procurement use and suggests how the identified barriers can be mitigated to maximise the benefits of e-procurement in the South African construction industry Keywords: e-procurement, Construction sector, online survey; Barriers; South Africa