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The purpose of this paper is to address a fundamental question that all facility directors and senior managers face. How should facility management support arrangements be positioned and repositioned to meet the needs and expectations of an organisation, its staff and customers, as priorities shift and business circumstances change?

Case studies were undertaken to investigate the precise nature and reasons for change to FM support arrangements, across a variety of organisational types and sectors. Data were collected through document searches, semi‐structured interviews, direct observations and supplementary questionnaires and follow‐up discussions. Field trials of this prototype framework were conducted to obtain expert opinions, comments, criticisms and suggestions for improvement, employing a methodology similar to that used in clinical trials for new medical procedures.

The main findings from the investigations cover the nature and purpose of change in FM and the key factors that were involved. A number of major opportunities for innovative developments in the facility management field were uncovered, together with five key areas for further research, through which to advance the role and remit of facility management generally.

The research here has produced a generic decision framework for positioning and repositioning FM support arrangements. This framework will enable facility managers to adopt a more secure approach for collecting essential information, identifying key issues and options, and should encourage a more rigorous and critical examination of alternative FM arrangements prior to implementation.

This paper seeks to uncover major differences in current opinion concerning the purpose, scope and priorities of facility management (FM), and to indicate which key areas and factors of FM practice should be considered for inclusion in any theoretical framework for positioning FM. A literature review examines the available knowledge, theories and publications concerning linking FM to organisation and its environments from a range of published literatures. The paper identifies gaps in the existing knowledge base, and clarifies the issues for consideration and development framework for positioning FM. This paper is a part of research being undertaken for PhD study at the Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, University College London. It has produced a theoretical framework for positioning FM which will be further developed in the next stage of the study. The theoretical framework for positioning FM provides useful ground for developing decision method and tools for positioning FM practice. This paper offers a starting point in aligning FM practice to the particular organisation systematically.

The purpose of this exploratory research paper is to present a product‐process matrix that assists FM organizations and their stakeholders to map their value added position in their organizations. Using this matrix, FM practitioners are able to assess the existing value added delivering, how it is formulated and identify actions for improvement.

The paper develops the FM value added product‐process matrix to allow comparisons between different FM products with their FM processes and illustrates their degree of value delivery. The building blocks of the matrix are an FM product structure and an FM process structure. The supporting empirical data were collected through semi‐structured interviews from selected FM organizations supplemented by relevant documents.

Based on a product‐process matrix, a typology of FM value added positions is introduced, namely, support, enable, ensure and enhance. Each position has merits and requirements under specific circumstances for its client's core business. Matching a given type of FM value added position with the appropriate FM product and process under the specific conditions is likely to create greater values to the client's core business. Meanwhile, misaligning dilutes the value delivery.

This normative matrix can be used as a decision‐making tool for a client to assess its FM performances and activities, and to determine the needs of FM provision and services. On the other hand, an FM organization can use it as a self‐evaluation tool for evaluating its FM service/provision performances and aligning its offering with core business needs. However, the matrix needs to be validated and verified from various types of organizations.

This paper presents a typology of FM value added position and substantiates its applicability with empirical evidences. Although a proposed typology is formulated in a context of FM, its applications can be applied into other organizational support functions, for instance human resource (HR), information technology (IT) and finance services.

This paper is a continuing exploration into facilities management (FM) strategy through the arrangement of its decision choices. The purpose of this paper is to identify the existence of FM operation strategy and to add empirical evidence to this subject to the field of FM and property management. Its main objectives are to gain insights into the arrangement of the FM strategic choices in operation and its relationship with business strategy.

The study investigated the configurations of operational approaches and activities that should reflect strategic decisions. The investigation was undertaken through a study of four reputed shopping malls located in Bangkok. The relevant data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the key FM persons of each case study, plus archival document searches, and observations of operational processes. Subsequently, the data were examined in a cross-case analysis to identify the key patterns of relationships between the FM operational arrangements and the business strategy of the mall.

This study found that the functional scheme of FM adopted in operations was deliberately related to the needs of business strategy and the operations of the given shopping mall. A range of strategic choices for FM operations was also found. Certain choices are shared among the case studies, while their arrangements varied according to the particular business strategy and context.

The number of case studies was rather limited, while the results were predominantly involved with a single type of facility.

The study identified the pattern of strategic choices entailed in the FM operations in shopping malls. The findings add to the understanding on FM strategy by widening the perspectives about the strategic choices of FM operations and how they are connected with the business strategy and operation model of retail estate. It adds empirical evidence and case studies regarding FM operations and its strategic features.

The purpose of this paper is to justify the need to integrate facilities management (FM) into the development process (DP) and establish a framework that potentially serves as a guide to optimise the value of FM in the property development industry.

This study looks at the relevant literature to identify the factors that are hindering FM to effectively integrate in the DP. Subsequently, the authors intend to carry out interviews with various professionals in the property development industry in the UK to identify the best practices. This research uses qualitative and quantitative methods in order to establish an FM-DP integration framework.

The literature suggested that contribution of FM towards the property development industry is unquestionable. Surprisingly, in a real world FM has been given a low priority in the property development industry, resulting in Facilities Managers being inadequately integrated into the DP. There is currently no suitable generic mechanism that is practical in all stages of the DP to guide Facilities Managers and/or other professionals to integrate FM into the DP.

This study is to provide evidence that the property development industry needs a framework that potentially serves as a guide to optimise the value of FM in the DP.

This paper introduces the special issue, which includes some papers originally presented at the “Futures in Property and Facility Management II” conference in March 2004. Focuses on the themes of this and a previous conference, several years ago – “Futures in Property and Facility Management”, at University College London in June 1999. The conferences considered the strategic opportunities for property and facility management worldwide, bringing together senior facility professionals, service providers, property clients and academics to debate alternative futures. The first conference focused on four themes; new strategic directions, new performance imperatives, policy and investment and the promotion of knowledge exchange. The second “Futures” conference had four interrelated themes: possibilities for new alignments in the future, real estate dilemmas, work, time and place, and a reform debate.

The purpose of this paper is to enhance decision-making process for the procurement of facilities management (FM) services within aviation corporate organisation, where the FM services functions to support the business operation. It builds on considering the fundamental elements comprising the FM procurement process from the aviation perspective.

The paper investigates the characteristics of the different types of sourcing approaches and the underpinning factors affecting its selection for the procurement of FM services within the aviation industry. The decision-making framework for the procurement of FM services is developed based on the qualitative case study by interview and focus group discussion with the custodian department that is directly involved in the procurement of FM services.

The degree of outsourcing is increasing due to corporate organisation’s persona. Procurement of FM services is a complex process required detailed review, efforts and time in choosing the right sourcing approach. Off the shelf guidelines for the procurement of FM services suits property professional which directly involved with the procurement of FM services. However, decision-making process for the procurement of FM services specifically for aeronautical and non-aeronautical corporate organisation are rarely found. The case study findings signify that the respondents are familiar with the in-sourcing, outsourcing and right sourcing approaches. The underpinning factors affecting sourcing approaches were categorised according to the main reasons for the procurement of FM services, considerable factors during the procurement stage and value-adding criteria. The use of strategic management tools is not widely imposed, and intelligent client guideline is not available. Hence, the decision-making framework has been developed to fill the gap in this study.

The research is based on a study of aviation or airline corporate organisation, which limits the possibility of holistic view to the FM industry as a whole but highlights the research gap of FM procurement which is scarce within the case study of airline companies. The focus area is also bounded within the procurement of FM services designated for the office buildings.

The paper provides initial guideline for the airline company in sourcing the procurement of FM services that were developed based on established guidelines from accrediting bodies and scholars, as well as from the sampling feedback analysis. It is also among the firsts that examine the procurement of FM services in the context of aviation or airline industry. The outcome of this paper is a decision-making framework for the procurement of FM services that is specially designed for the airlines corporate organisations, which fills the gap that exists in the industry.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Leading organisations expect that all business processes, including facilities management (FM), achieve world‐class standards. This paper presents the results of an international, collaborative investigation, on behalf of a UK‐based blue chip company and a member of the Facilities Management Foundation, to identify organisations that are recognised as exemplars of world‐class FM (WCFM) and to understand the processes that underpin world‐class performance. Much FM practice remains cost focused, rooted in operations and concerned primarily with maintaining the steady‐state position of an organisation. In contrast, most authors propose that facilities should be strategically planned, aligned to business needs and demonstrate contribution to achieving explicit business objectives. They argue for a common language and for conditions that ensure that facilities add value to the business. Very little is known about how these conditions are created in different organisational contexts. The paper describes a heuristic study of three cases, selected as exemplars of WCFM, focusing on the underlying processes. Project partners in Australia, Norway and the UK conducted the case studies to a common brief. The paper presents the framework that was created to enable comparison of FM processes in the case studies and a matrix of business drivers and FM outputs that was adapted for the project. The investigation identifies three FM roles ‐ as translator, processor and demonstrator. Facilities management identifies business needs and translates strategy into workplaces, owns the processes of providing those workplaces and demonstrates their impact on organisational outcomes. The paper develops a WCFM framework to provide a management tool for considering and relating FM projects at different levels in an organisation. The study highlights the importance of reframing FM projects as business projects, and concludes that participation at senior management, business unit and individual levels in the organisation is an important factor in obtaining value. The study also highlights the need for effective change management processes continually to adapt the workplace to changing business needs, and shows how FM provides value through sustaining the organisation through business cycles.

The purpose of this paper is to consider how a facilities management (FM) organisation can strategically manage its intellectual capital with regard to environmental management services and to suggest a conceptual strategy for determining FM intangible assets' competitiveness and performance.

This paper is based on a literature review of published work within the industry in relation to environmental issues and FM knowledge management, forming a basis for a further research paradigm.

Building on the resource‐based view of the FM organisation, the FM intellectual capital framework is referred to emphasize the significance of green strategy in its knowledge components.

This paper emphasizes the importance of FM intellectual capital in achieving overall sustainability and profitability to an organisation. However, due to limitations of experience within the FM knowledge perspective, it will take a while before significant results can be provided in proof of this.

This paper establishes an imperative approach about FM knowledge capital capability to drive a greater environmental effectiveness and to reduce liability from a pertinent environmental directive.

This paper theoretically evaluates the importance of FM intangible assets to the development of environmental management by an FM firm.