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The purpose of this paper is to explore sourcing strategies for facilities management services using core-competency theory of outsourcing. The aim is to develop a screening framework for deciding the suitability of outsourcing versus in-house delivery for these services based on three levels of managerial functions prevalent in a typical commercial organization.

A questionnaire survey was administered for facilities managers in Sri Lanka to investigate the relative importance of these managerial functions for facilities management services and obtain their opinions on the best delivery mode. The managerial functions were derived from a literature review and verified using three semi-structured interviews prior to the questionnaire survey design.

The findings showed that facilities management services that are aligned to strategic functions are suitable for in-house delivery, while those that are aligned to tactical and operational functions for outsourcing.

Further studies should be conducted and extended to other types of organizations beyond commercial ones. Secondly, the quantitative study employed a smaller sample (n = 40), and the survey items were based on the review of literature which was verified using a very small number of interviews (n = 3).

The proposed framework can be utilized when choosing the best facilities management approach for commercial organizations in developing countries such as Sri Lanka.

This study contributes to the body of knowledge on the subject of facilities management by exploring the context in Sri Lankan which has not previously been done.

In the last decade, cloud manufacturing (CMfg) has attracted considerable attention from academia and industry worldwide. It is widely accepted that the design and analysis of cloud manufacturing architecture (CMfg-A) are the basis for developing and applying CMfg systems. However, in existing studies, analysis of the status, development process and internal characteristics of CMfg-A is lacking, hindering an understanding of the research hotspots and development trends of CMfg-A. Meanwhile, effective guidance is lacking on the construction of superior CMfg-As. The purpose of this paper is to review the relevant research on CMfg-A via identification of the main layers, elements, relationships, structure and functions of CMfg-A to provide valuable information to scholars and practitioners for further research on key CMfg-A technologies and the construction of CMfg systems with superior performance.

This study systematically reviews the relevant research on CMfg-A across transformation process to internal characteristics by integrating quantitative and qualitative methods. First, the split and reorganization method is used to recognize the main layers of CMfg-A. Then, the transformation process of six main layers is analysed through retrospective analysis, and the similarities and differences in CMfg-A are obtained. Subsequently, based on systematic theory, the elements, relationships, structure and functions of CMfg-A are inductively studied. A 3D printing architecture design case is conducted to discuss the weakness of the previous architecture and demonstrate how to improve it. Finally, the primary current trends and future opportunities are presented.

By analyzing the transformation process of CMfg-A, this study finds that CMfg-A resources are developing from tangible resources into intangible resources and intelligent resources. CMfg-A technology is developing from traditional cloud computing-based technology towards advanced manufacturing technology, and CMfg-A application scope is gradually expanding from traditional manufacturing industry to emerging manufacturing industry. In addition, by analyzing the elements, relationships, structure and functions of CMfg-A, this study finds that CMfg-A is undergoing a new generation of transformation, with trends of integrated development, intelligent development, innovative development and green development. Case study shows that the analysis of the development trend and internal characteristics of the architecture facilitates the design of a more effective architecture.

This paper predominantly focuses on journal articles and some key conference papers published in English and Chinese. The reason for considering Chinese articles is that CMfg was proposed by the Chinese and a lot of Chinese CMfg-A articles have been published in recent years. CMfg is suitable for the development of China’s manufacturing industry because of China’s intelligent manufacturing environment. It is believed that this research has reached a reliable comprehensiveness that can help scholars and practitioners establish new research directions and evaluate their work in CMfg-A.

Prior studies ignore the identification and analysis of development process and internal characteristics for the current development of CMfg-A, including the main layers identification of different CMfg-As and the transformation process analysis of these main layers, and in-depth analysis of the inner essence of CMfg-A (such as its elements, relationships, structure and functions). This study addresses these limitations and provides a comprehensive literature review.

A system for solving a wide variety of inverse and optimization problems in solid mechanics is introduced. The system consists of a general purpose finite element method (FEM) analysis system “Elfen” and a shell which controls this system. The shell functions as a stand‐alone programme, so the system is physically divided into two separated parts. The “optimization part”, which corresponds to the shell, possesses optimization and inverse problem solution algorithms. The “analysis part”, which corresponds to an FEM system, serves for the definition of the objective function to which these algorithms are applied. The shell has a user interface implemented in the form of file interpreter which imposes a great flexibility at the definition of various optimization and inverse problems, including parameter identification in constitutive modelling, frictional contact problems and heat transfer. Concepts of the shell are discussed in detail.

This paper seeks to examine whether the decision to outsource human resource (HR) activities and the performance of the HR department are influenced by the particular business strategy espoused by the organisation. Four distinct strategies are considered: quality‐based, proactive, breadth, and reactive.

The data for the study were obtained from survey responses from 232 organisations, of which 113 were engaged in HR outsourcing.

The findings suggest that there is a significant relationship between organisations with proactive strategies and the decision to outsource both traditional and transactional HR functions. Breadth strategies demonstrate a negative significant relationship with outsourcing of traditional functions. Outsourcing of both functions has a significant relationship with HR performance – traditional with a positive impact and transactional with a negative impact.

The paper focuses on the perceptions, knowledge and experience of senior HR managers. Therefore there are understandable limitations in respect of generalisation. In addition, the impact of HR outsourcing on the performance of the HR department focuses only on the reduction of the number of HR employees from the department.

The results indicate that HR outsourcing has the potential to empower HR managers, allowing them to focus on strategic activities that add more value to their organisation. Also, the results show that HR reduces actual HR labour costs.

The study applies to a very under‐researched area.

Facilities management has inherited the understanding of how organisations work as value creators from various management models such as Porter's, where value is created through “primary” and “support” activities. The gap between the aspiration of strategic relevance and reality has prompted the facilities management profession to begin to address the question of whether facilities management is a legitimate discipline with attendant theories, research and practice. This paper attempts to bring an alternative theoretical perspective to such aspirations.

Facilities management arrangements and their value as a key organisational competence are outlined. Finally knowledge‐based functional competency is described that encapsulates the new perspective.

The paper provides an alternative perspective that will facilitate its acceptance as a strategically placed corporate function. A new knowledge‐based legitimisation for facilities management is proposed, marking a shift from facilities management's functional knowledge to an organisation‐wide knowledge base.

The way the discipline of facilities management is located within the business organisation sees its primary role in being fundamentally “supportive” to the parent organisation's primary function whether it is product provision or service delivery. This is problematic for a discipline that has been trying to align itself as strategically oriented. This orientation needs to be redefined to allow facilities management to be rather seen as a knowledge‐based core competency and a function that permeates the boundaries of primary and support functions.

The paper encourages wider debate and dialogue within the community on what appears to be a pivotal crossroads in the development of the discipline.

Relates evidence which suggests that launching a vertical brand extension generally has a negative impact on the core brand because it dilutes the core brand image, advising that a brand extension should be introduced only when its profit potential exceeds the losses that will be sustained as a result of damage to the core brand. Describes two important tools which can reduce the dilution of the core brand image and/or enhance the success of a new brand extension introduction distancing, and information cues: Explains that, to reduce damage to a valuable core brand or to benefit a new step‐up brand extension, the extension should be maximally distanced from the core brand; however, to benefit a new step‐down brand extension (at the expense of the core brand), the extension should be positioned close to the core brand. Highlights how information cues that describe a brand extension can also act like distancing techniques, simply by serving to reinforce the similarities (implied closeness) or differences (implied distance) between the brand extension and the core brand.

This paper stresses the importance of the strategic integration of the organisational facilities management function as being an essential prerequisite towards facilities and organisational effectiveness. The impact of both the strategic and operational facilities management function on community health‐care facility users is also documented. The value of the facilities management function in terms of other health‐care related organisational core deliverables is also observed. Mechanisms for general organisational facilities management improvement are identified and a number of facilities management performance measuring tools outlined.

This paper stresses the importance of the strategic integration of the organisational facilities management function as being an essential prerequisite towards facilities and organisational effectiveness. The impact of both the strategic and operational facilities management function on community health‐care facility users is also documented. The value of the facilities management function in terms of other health‐care related organisational core deliverables is also observed. Mechanisms for general organisational facilities management improvement are identified and a number of facilities management performance measuring tools outlined.

The corporate landscape is evolving towards a focus on core business functions. Company operations that are not direct contributors to the core success of the business are being outsourced. For many corporate real estate departments, this means that the internal function is being examined for potential outsourcing. Given this new environment, Corporate Real Estate (CRE) must adapt by focusing on its own core internal processes and outsourcing the non‐core work now being performed by internal staff. The transformation from internal to external provides many challenges, including staff realignment issues and service‐provider selection. When effective, CRE can focus on providing real and measurable benefits to the company as well as enhancing the CRE executive’s career.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the trend of human resource (HR) outsourcing among manufacturing companies in Malaysia.

The data for the study were obtained from survey responses from 232 manufacturing companies in Malaysia, of which were engaged in HR outsourcing. Descriptive analyses were performed to obtain the information on the practices of HR outsourcing among these companies. The practices to be explored include the types of HR functions outsourced, and the reasons for and for not engaging HR outsourcing.

The findings suggest that only 49 percent of manufacturing companies engage HR outsourcing. This implies that the trend of HR outsourcing is still a relatively new practice, but is increasing considerably. Many companies tend to outsource recruitment functions because they want to get access to expert services. However, many companies also refuse to outsource HR functions because it is not appropriate for their business operations.

This study is merely descriptive. Therefore, it does not test the relationship on the factors that induce the companies to engage HR outsourcing. In fact, it would be interesting for future studies to analyze the antecedents and consequences of HR outsourcing.

Manufacturing companies are aware of which HR functions are frequently outsourced. It guides them on the conditions in which HR outsourcing is most desired, such as the reasons for engaging with HR outsourcing and the reasons for not outsourcing HR functions. From this information, companies should be attentive to the potential HR functions to be outsourced.

As HR outsourcing is expected to boom in Malaysia in the next few years, this study provides an input for manufacturing companies to determine their HR deliveries in future.