Shopping for work, English chaps in favour of short trousers (11)
I believe the answer is:
procurement
'shopping for work' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.
'english chaps in favour of short trousers' is the wordplay.
'english' becomes 'E' (abbreviation).
'chaps' becomes 'men' (chap can mean a man).
'in favour of' becomes 'pro' (being pro a particular cause).
'short' becomes 'curt' (synonyms).
'trousers' indicates putting letters inside (trouser can mean to steal or take).
'pro'+'curt'='procurt'
'e'+'men'='emen'
'emen' placed within 'procurt' is 'PROCUREMENT'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for procurement that I've seen before include "Act of obtaining (something) for another's use" , "Buying of materials and equipment" , "Acquisition process" .)