Ethical behaviors in E-Tendering based construction procurement process in Malaysia

Abstract

Nowadays, application of electronic commerce is increasing in commercial fields, this includes procurement process which introduced e-Tendering in construction industry. E-Tendering concept is to engage lesser paperwork and higher transparency in every transaction of procurement process. The aim of this paper is to study ethical issues related e-Tendering in Malaysia construction industry. This paper reviewed previous and recent literature in order to identify the ethical issues and risk of corruption encountered in electronic commerce. Questionnaire survey was used to identify the current situation of e-Tendering involving ethical issues and factors that contributed to these issues. This study proposed potential initiatives to resolve the issues of procurement transparency that improve ethical behaviour of parties in managing and bidding tender. This study concluded that the key factor for ethical issue in current e-Tendering was the ethical awareness within the individual that involves in the construction industry and it was necessary to be addressed by erecting high level of ethical awareness based on the professional code of ethic