From market shaping to market stewarding: Governing markets through public procurement

Public procurement plays a decisive role in shaping markets. While it accounts for a substantial share of GDP in most economies, it is still
widely understood as a technocratic function focused on price and compliance. This dissertation proposes an alternative view: public buyers can and do engage in market stewarding, actively shaping the structure, diversity, and direction of the markets they depend on.
The research begins from the observation that public buyers face a tension between concentration and diversity. Decades of efficiency driven policies and fragmented procurement practices have led to markets dominated by a few large suppliers, reinforcing dependence, limiting innovation, and leaving public authorities vulnerable to disruptions. At the same time, buyers increasingly confront societal challenges that require more diverse, resilient, and innovative supplier ecosystems, such as climate change, digital transitions, and social inequality. The central question guiding this dissertation is therefore: How can public buyers shape and steward markets?