Developing facilities management (FM) competencies for Malaysia

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syahrul Nizam Kamaruzzaman ◽  
Nik Elyna Myeda ◽  
Emma Marinie Ahmad Zawawi ◽  
Rozita Mohamed Ramli
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Service Level Agreement ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Facility Management ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Space Planning ◽  
Operational Space ◽  
Technology Service ◽  
Management Association

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the significance of facilities management (FM) competency levels from three different stages, namely, strategic, tactical and operational levels, to propose a set of FM competencies for an enhanced FM industry in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach The overall focus for this paper is to discuss on the area for each level of competencies for asset and facilities management (AFM). This is done through a questionnaire survey focusing on the competency areas posed by FM companies in Malaysia and a comparison review of all FM levels as outlined by the international professional bodies, namely, International Facility Management Association, British Institute of Facilities Management and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. This paper also looks at formulating a holistic framework for an effective AFM for the benefit of FM industry in general and Malaysian FM industry specifically. Findings The findings indicate that among the significant factors for the respective strategic, tactical and operational practice of FM are strategic: managing change, benchmarking and strategic facilities planning; tactical: risk management, emergency preparedness, FM technology, service-level agreement and supply management; and operational: space planning and management. This study also proposes a set of holistic FM competency areas which can be implemented by the FM industry in Malaysia. Originality/value This research sets a baseline for a set of FM competencies, an area of FM which has not been regulated in the FM practice in Malaysia.

Awareness and utilisation of building information modelling (BIM) for facility management (FM) in a developing economy

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 387-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daramola Thompson Olapade ◽  
Benjamin Gbolahan Ekemode
Keyword(s):  
Facility Management ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Property Market ◽  
Building Information Modelling ◽  
Relative Significance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Modelling ◽  
Management Association ◽  
Building Information

Purpose This paper aims to examine the awareness and utilisation of building information modelling (BIM) for facility management (FM) among FM companies in Lagos, Nigeria. This was with a view of increasing the awareness level and promoting adoption of BIM in FM practice. Design/methodology/approach Primary data used for the study were sourced through questionnaire administered on the 37 FM companies that are corporate members of International Facility Management Association in Lagos, Nigeria. Frequency distribution and relative significance index were used for data analysis. Findings Findings of the study suggest a low level of awareness and adoption of BIM for FM in the study area. Only 2 of the 31 FM companies surveyed were using BIM for their FM services. Also, the majority of the respondents (n = 22, 71 per cent) perceived that the awareness of BIM in the facilities management industry in Nigeria is very low. Practical implications The findings of this study provided industry stakeholders with information on the level of awareness and utilisation of BIM for FM practice in Nigeria, thereby giving insights on the possible integration of BIM with FM practices in developing countries. Originality/value The paper is a pioneer research on the awareness and utilisation of BIM for facilities management from the perspective of an emerging property market like Nigeria.

A scientometric analysis of BIM studies in facilities management

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Hilal ◽  
Tayyab Maqsood ◽  
Amir Abdekhodaee
Keyword(s):  
Mapping Method ◽  
Facility Management ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Scientometric Analysis ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Science Mapping ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Visual Maps ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Mapping Techniques

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to statistically classify and categorize Building Information Modelling (BIM)-Facility Management (FM) publications in order to extract useful information related to the adoption and use of BIM in FM. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a quantitative approach using science mapping techniques to examine BIM-FM publications using Web of Science (WOS) database for the period between 2000 and April 2018. Findings The findings guide the researchers who are interested in the BIM-FM model by providing visual maps analysis of that area in a simple, easy and readable way. In addition, they help the researchers to understand which authors and journals to consider when dealing with BIM-FM topics. Finally, knowledge gaps in this domain can be identified easily using the findings of the Scientometric analysis. Research limitations/implications First, the results of the analysis depend on the database that has been extracted from WOS, and therefore it carries any of WOS’s limitations in terms of how much it covers the published studies. Another limitation is that the study is based on exploration of “what” questions, rather than “how” and “why”. These limitations represent the hot topics to be addressed in future research. Originality/value This research is the first to conduct the Scientometric Analysis of BIM-FM topics, in which 68 top-ranked publications were systematically examined using a Science Mapping method through VOSviewer software.

Emerging sustainable facilities management practices in health-care sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Sabrina Fathima Nazeer ◽  
Thanuja Ramachandra ◽  
Sachie Gunatilake ◽  
Sepani Senaratne
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Space Planning ◽  
Importance Index ◽  
Research Gap ◽  
Sector Data

Purpose Health-care (HC) is one of the most polluting industries and recognised as the second energy-intensive sector, emitting 8 per cent out of total 40 per cent of total carbon emissions. Integrating sustainability to facilities management operations is imperative and could significantly contribute to reducing energy consumption, waste and day-to-day operational costs of buildings. The integration of sustainability into FM practices depends on factors such as facility type, organisational scale, business sector and organisation characteristics. This paper aims to explore the SFM practice with a specific focus on HC-specific FM services and respective sustainable practice that could be integrated into FM operations. Design/methodology/approach A Delphi survey was administered to ten experts in two rounds, who are specialised in FM and sustainable practices in the HC sector. Data gathered from the survey were analysed using the Relative Importance Index to identify the most significant FM services and sustainable practices. Findings The study found 9 significant FM services and 49 sustainable in HC. The top three significant FM services include “building services (BS)”, “space planning (SP)” and “quality management (QM)”. Further, “identifying applications for energy-saving measures” and “ensure onsite, off-site storage and transport of wastes” were found as the topmost significant sustainable practices. The relevancy of these identified sustainable practices to the principles of sustainability was determined. The results showed that 22, 18 and 09 sustainable practices were relevant to environmental, social and economic principles of sustainability, respectively. Originality/value There is a dearth of literature that integrates sustainable FM practices in HC sector, and this study fulfills this research gap. The study is novel in offering a framework to integrate sustainability into FM practice in HC sector.

Lean facilities management: preliminary findings from Singapore’s international schools

Facilities ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 539-558
Author(s):  
Shang Gao ◽  
Low Sui Pheng ◽  
Wanying Tay
Keyword(s):  
School Environment ◽  
International Schools ◽  
Facility Management ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pull System ◽  
Important Principle ◽  
Representative Study ◽  
People Development

Purpose Lean has been adopted in various industries (i.e. construction, health care and service) over the years; the level of lean adoption in facility management is relatively unknown. The purpose of this study is to analyze the 14 lean management principles (LMPs) and seek to develop an understanding as to whether LMPs, which are most commonly used by the manufacturing companies, are relevant to the facility personnel’s scope of work. The research scope focuses on international schools located in Singapore. Design/methodology/approach For the purpose of this study, a conceptual framework that focuses on connecting the 14 lean production principles to facility management has been developed. Questionnaire survey and interviews were used. A total of 30 facilities professionals from eight international schools participated in the survey. Six interviews were followed up to gain deeper insights into the extent of lean importance and implementation in the work of facility personnel in a school environment. Findings The survey findings revealed that P8 “use of reliable technology”, P9 and P10 relating to leadership and people development, P12 “go and see for yourself” and P14 “continuous improvement” are generally perceived more important than the other LMPs and are also well implemented. On the contrary, P3 “use the ‘pull’ system” is considered the least important principle. The interview findings also offer insights into modifications of some LMPs for the facilities management (FM) sector. Research limitations/implications There are several limitations affecting this study. First, the research sample size was small. Only 30 respondents participated in this study. Second, as this study is one of the first to explore the applicability of lean in FM, there is no consensus on how to define lean, which means that the LMPs could be interpreted in many ways. Originality/value The adoption of lean in FM can potentially optimize the value of the school organization. It is recommended that more research be conducted, resulting in a more holistic and representative study of the applicability of lean FM.

Crisis leadership competencies: the facility management sector in Thailand

Facilities ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (13/14) ◽  
pp. 881-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boonkiat Wisittigars ◽  
Sununta Siengthai
Keyword(s):  
Crisis Management ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Delphi Technique ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Leadership Competencies ◽  
Facility Management ◽  
Crisis Leadership ◽  
Human Resource Managers ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to identify crisis leadership competencies in the facility management (FM) sector in Thailand. Design/methodology/approach The Delphi technique was used in three rounds of opinion evaluation from 24 Thai FM experts, based on which a large-scale questionnaire survey instrument was developed and administered. Of the 350 questionnaires distributed, 290 usable questionnaires were obtained (82.85 per cent response rate). Factor analysis was used to reveal important leadership competencies for managing facilities in crisis situations. Findings The Delphi technique identified 32 potential FM crisis leadership competencies. Of these, principal component analysis revealed 29 significant competencies. These competencies were grouped, using factor loadings, into five different competencies: emergency preparedness; crisis communication; emotional intelligence; leadership skills; and problem-solving. Emergency preparedness was found to be the most important leadership competency in FM crisis management. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to the experiences of FM experts in Thailand. Its empirical results can help human resource managers to develop appropriate training programs and policies for FM practitioners, as well as to help junior FM practitioners develop competencies essential for leaders in the FM sector. Originality/value This is a novel empirical study of leadership competencies in a growing business sector in Thailand (FM) and possibly other countries in the Asian region. Leaders in FM can benefit from recognizing the leadership competencies that are critical during crisis management.

Applying the KANO model to analyse the value of green FM

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 312-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eeva Määttänen ◽  
Tuuli Jylhä ◽  
Seppo Junnila
Keyword(s):  
Process Development ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Facility Management ◽  
Office Buildings ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Kano Model ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Concept

Purpose – This research project studies office tenants’ perceived value of green service attributes, with the focus being on facility services and management. The purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding of what kind of green attributes tenants value in their office buildings. Design/methodology/approach – The research project was conducted using a single case study methodology. A green facilities management concept was tested in a pilot building. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire based on the Kano model of attractive quality. In addition, open-ended questions were asked to further understand the tenants’ views on the matter. Findings – The findings of the research project indicate that tenants have begun to value green attributes in their office buildings. While environmental efficiency is not yet a strategic guideline for small tenants, it would increase their satisfaction with facility management and services. Practical implications – Facility management and service organisations can utilise the results of this study in their own service scopes and process development. Originality/value – This study provides insight into the value of green facilities and user services for small office tenants.

The need for a comprehensive facility decision-making process

Facilities ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Carl Backus ◽  
Jakob C. Bruhl
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Facility Management ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Face ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Intuitive Decision Making ◽  
Physical Assets

Purpose The facility decision-making process (FDMP), as described in this paper, is a framework based on decades of proven effectiveness in analogous military applications. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate key factors which justify the need for the FDMP before describing the FDMP. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducts a literature review as it relates to facilities specific decision-making, puts forward a new concept for those processes and provides an abridged case study of the concept in application. Findings Facilities management is a key function for nearly every type of business or enterprise. As part of facilities management, many decisions are made about physical assets that a business or enterprise owns or maintains. Currently, there is no uniform decision-making framework, in literature or in practice, which enables consistency, robustness and scalability for facility management decisions. Such a framework would enable facility managers to effectively justify decisions related to capital and operational expenses. Practical implications The FDMP provides a robust procedure for facilities managers and engineers that enables enhanced strength in the face of business enterprise scrutiny as compared with the often-intuitive decision-making processes currently used in practice. Originality/value This novel conceptual process articulates the opportunity to provide for a comprehensive facilities decision-making process that enables better decisions especially as it relates to what are often ill-defined problem sets in facilities management.

scholarly journals The role of maintenance and facility management in logistics: a literature review

Facilities ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 241-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulio Mangano ◽  
Alberto De Marco
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Facility Management ◽  
Operational Performance ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a literature review on the different ways of carrying out facility management and related topics in order to uncover that there is limited research regarding the impact of facility management on the logistics and operational performance of warehouses. Design/methodology/approach – Four different focus areas have been identified and for each one different methodologies and streams of research have been studied. Findings – The study underlines the importance of facility management for the logistics operations; therefore it supports the notion that investments aiming at preserving the status of the building and service components of warehouses are crucial. Originality/value – This paper aims to suggest to facilities management managers that they can contribute to enhance business performance by designing effective facility management strategies.

Pitfall benchmarking of cleaning costs in hospitals

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Koch ◽  
Sabrina Eitzinger
Keyword(s):  
Real Estate ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Facility Management ◽  
Statistical Problem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Aggregated Data ◽  
Great Caution ◽  
Operation Costs ◽  
Management Association ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose It is typical of public real estate benchmarking reports to show only highly aggregated benchmarks based on buildings’ floor areas. They hardly provide disaggregated benchmarks for usage clusters. The aim of this study is to show the caveats from highly aggregated benchmarking without consideration of cluster-specific characteristics. Design/methodology/approach Based on the parameters of the German facility management association 812 standards, cleaning costs and costs for the surfaces of seven hospitals have been collected and allocated to specific room clusters. Using these basic data, a calculation and simulation conducted with the aim of simulating facilities that are comparable in the sum of costs yet feature varying sub-clusters as cost drivers. In particular, during this simulation, area ratios were varied randomly and the average cleaning costs per cluster were held constant for all hospitals. Therefore, the costs per square meter in the clusters of all simulated hospitals are identical and the full costs only depend on the area ratios. Findings The simulation shows that highly aggregated cleaning costs lead to large spans, and thus, to misinterpretations in the field of action. In the case, the aggregate benchmark ranges from 40.6 to 66.5 EUR/m², although, for all hospitals the same costs per square meter had been used. Thus, the bias results only from varying the share of area across the clusters. This finding is caused by a well-known statistical problem: the Simpson’s paradoxon, which currently receives little attention in real estate benchmarking. Practical implications The results show, that the regular benchmarking with high aggregated data, often used in practice, cannot be recommended. The author consider using a detailed benchmarking as meaningful and purposeful. To be able to make a detailed benchmarking, it is essential to identify and collect the influencing factors. Only if all important factors, in this case, the clusters will be regarded in the benchmarking, a reasonable benchmarking and useful interpretation can be given. Using a simple benchmarking to get a rough overview is refused steadfastly. Originality/value The study highlights that a comparison with public benchmarking reports (operation costs) must be taken with great caution. The author has quantified the bias from the aggregated benchmarking and have shown, that the Simpson’s paradox fully explains the consequences.

Reducing carbon footprint of facilities using a facility management approach

Facilities ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 247-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manish K. Dixit ◽  
Charles H. Culp ◽  
Jose L. Fernandez-Solis ◽  
Sarel Lavy
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Facility Management ◽  
Embodied Energy ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Life Cycle Approach ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the importance of a life cycle approach in facilities management practices to reduce the carbon footprint of built facilities. A model to holistic life cycle energy and carbon reduction is also proposed. Design/methodology/approach A literature-based discovery approach was applied to collect, analyze and synthesize the results of published case studies from around the globe. The energy use results of 95 published case studies were analyzed to derive conclusions. Findings A comparison of energy-efficient and conventional facilities revealed that decreasing operating energy may increase the embodied energy components. Additionally, the analysis of 95 commercial buildings indicated that nearly 10 per cent of the total US carbon emissions was influenced by facilities management practices. Research limitations/implications The results were derived from case studies that belonged to various locations across the globe and included facilities constructed with a variety of materials. Practical implications The proposed approach to holistic carbon footprint reduction can guide facility management research and practice to make meaningful contributions to the efforts for creating a sustainable built environment. Originality/value This paper quantifies the extent to which a facilities management professional can contribute to the global efforts of reducing carbon emission.

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