The aim of this study was to establish who makes procurement decisions, what resources are used while researching the business buying decision-making process in the procurement of capital medical laboratory equipment (CMLE) in public hospitals. Participants for the study were selected using purposive sampling with a view to providing insights into the explored issues. The target respondents were medical superintendents, medical laboratory technologists and procurement officers in six county referral hospitals in Kenya between May-June 2018. The findings show that medical salespersons, catalogues, and referrals from colleagues were consulted when researching CMLE procurement. Factors considered important in the business decision-making included quality, continuity of reagents supply, supplier capability, equipment costs, and ease of use. Public hospitals in Kenya should adopt participatory purchasing models with key stakeholders such as buyers, lower level employees in hospital departments, and physicians, are included in the buying decision-making.

This article focuses on the Middle Eastern State of Qatar’s UK investments as a back-up or legitimacy seeking exercise rather than a strategic economic imperative per se. With investments in France, Spain (Catalan) and England (notably London), Qatar seems to have inadvertently provided itself with a contingency plan, which has only become clearer to the world following the now resolved estranged relationships with its Arabian Gulf siblings – UAE, KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Bahrain and also Egypt since June 2016.

While research shows that investment in sports has started shifting from the North to South and West to East, it has been observed that the latter has been more active than the former as far as sports-related activity is concerned. This is especially the case with popular sports such as football where Middle East investments have been active from outright team purchases (e.g., Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain), stadium naming rights (Etihad Stadium and Emirates Stadium), sponsorships (FC Barcelona/Qatar Airways), and the prized hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. In all these, however, the regions have had very limited, if any, impact in terms accredited officialdom. This study highlights this a potential area for research with implications for Sports Management in particular, and Business & Management more broadly.

This is an exploratory qualitative study drawing upon personal observations and review of documents.