Editorial

Citation

Lavy, S. (2014), "Editorial", Facilities, Vol. 32 No. 9/10. https://doi.org/10.1108/F-04-2014-0041

Editorial

Article Type:

Editorial

From:

Facilities, Volume 32, Issue 9/10

This issue of Facilities covers various aspects of facility management (FM) from different places in the world. Topics encompass social infrastructure delivery in Australia, outsourcing of FM services in Nigeria, the maturity of the FM industry in Malaysia, the perception of FM in residential buildings in Hong Kong, cyclone shelters in Bangladesh, delivery of retail goods in India, FM from a service-oriented perspective and energy management in aquatic centers in Australia.

The paper by Love, O’Donoghue, Davis and Smith examines the understanding of current practices and participants’ knowledge about benefits and barriers involved in using early contractor involvement (ECI) for the delivery of infrastructure projects. The research involved a qualitative survey and quantitative interviews of government employees based on their current project procurement techniques and experience with ECI. The research demonstrates the potential of using nontraditional procurement techniques to deliver a project.

The paper by Ikediashi, Ogunlana and Boateng facilitates the decision-making process for outsourcing FM services by identifying key influencing factors and analyzing their relative importance. A survey approach was adopted for data collection on individuals representing licensed commercial banks in Nigeria. The study provides a basis for decision support models for outsourcing FM services, and it also provides clarity on what factors financial organizations deem important when a decision to outsource FM services is made.

The main objective of the paper by Myeda and Pitt was to study the FM industry in Malaysia, a developing country, and to compare the progression in the industry to those of developed countries, like the United Kingdom. A questionnaire was used for this purpose. The study reveals that the lack of governmental and public support for the FM industry in Malaysia can be derived from the fact that this industry is still immature. However, support may increase as time passes and as the importance of services provided by this industry becomes clearer to building owners and users.

The paper by Lai aims to determine the influence of personal attributes within the perceptions of FM services for residential projects. The data were collected through an interview process conducted in Hong Kong. The feedback about FM services was generated through a 5-point scale to establish their levels of importance and performance. With this information, one can determine the performance contributions of a service; this may help improve those indicators that could result in better quality of living.

With Bangladesh being one of the most vulnerable nations when dealing with natural disasters, certain Multi-Purpose Cyclone Shelters (MPCS) need to be reevaluated. While there are certainly MPCS facilities large enough to accommodate a large number of people, their locations are usually of concern, especially for the coastal populations. The paper by Mahmood, Dhakal and Keast responds to the lack of systematic review of existing shelter management practices, and explores the state of existing MPCS facilities in Bangladesh based on a “multi-capitals” framework.

The paper by Khare explores the variation in the delivery of retail goods to the consumer base and captures the psychology that drives comfort and, ultimately, preference. Retail methods considered traditional for an older population allow for a reassuringly positive purchasing experience. The younger population of India, however, prefers modern methods of distribution. The method of delivery to the public can be adapted to cater to both age groups with some attention to detail. This could certainly aid in marketing and store development efforts when starting a business in India.

The paper by Coenen and von Felten discusses customary perceptions of facility maintenance. Specifically, process, tangibility, personnel and relationship management are points of focus. Tangibility relates to the fact that various aspects of facility maintenance go unrealized by many individuals, that is, until there is profound issue at hand. Additionally, properly applied FM techniques may enhance a firm’s financial health. Client edification, employee development measures, “service blueprinting” to enhance the delivery process and tangibility enhancement through branding efforts are essential. Finally, the application of evidence-based analysis is imperative.

With the growing number of participants in aquatic sports, there has been a higher demand for facilities and concern for those facilities’ efficient operations. The paper by Rajagopalan investigates the energy performance of aquatic centers in Victoria, Australia, in response to the need for managers of large aquatic facilities to benchmark the energy consumption of their facilities. This study demonstrates a systematic method to measure the energy effectiveness of an aquatic center, and to identify the opportunities for energy conservation, involving no or little capital investment.

Sarel Lavy
Co-Editor