Purpose: The objective of this paper is to examine the continuing debate over the nature, scope and definition of facilities management and the implications of FM practice in the field of outsourcing for the development of the field and the profession. Design/methodology/approach: The paper offers both a conceptual review of key issues in the definition of facilities management and a critique of these definitions in the context of the popular identity of facilities management as a means of generating cost savings through outsourcing. Findings: The discussion asserts that, perhaps contrary to the many published doubts expressed over the possibility of achieving consensus on the scope of facilities management, an emerging and broadly consensual model of facilities management can be discerned. This model, it is suggested, is inhibited from further development primarily because of a lack of leadership in the professional and academic communities together with a preoccupation by necessity of the FM profession with operational imperatives. Originality/value: The paper, through synthesis and critique, offers a variant perspective on the debate about the nature of facilities management.
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Purpose – This paper aims to develop an understanding of the potential for application of facilities management concepts and principles in the context of the “zoo sector”. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a conceptual one and begins with a narrative designed to provide sufficient background to understanding key issues relevant to the practice of facilities management in zoological and similar institutions, including the implications of conservational/scientific and display imperatives of zoological facilities for facilities management. We then consider how these issues can be worked through in the context of four broad dimensions of facilities management: strategies for the management of stakeholder behaviour (non-human animals, personnel and visitors); building and environmental design (including space usage); safety, security and health; and “miscellaneous” services. The paper concludes by providing a provisional framework for further research into facilities management in the zoo sector. Findings – As a conceptual paper, there are no empirical findings. Conceptually, the paper offers an initial and simple framework for interpreting the possible application of facilities management in zoological and related facilities. Originality/value – In a search of the two principal journals in the field of facilities management, nothing could be found of direct relevance to the management of facilities in zoological and similar organizations. This paper is thus a singular contribution to the field. Conceptually, the authors attribute neglect of the topic to the distinctive traditions in the study of facilities management, which, at the risk of caricature, emphasise either the pre-eminence of a building and building services approach to facilities management, or an approach which is almost exclusively focused on the “human” dimensions to the discipline.
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Purpose This paper aims to identify antecedents that influence perceived cleanliness by consulting experts and end-users in the field of facilities management (facility service providers, clients of facility service providers and consultants). Business models were evaluated to understand why some antecedents are adopted by practitioners and others are not. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative study, with end-users (n = 7) and experts (n = 24) in the field of facilities management, was carried out to identify antecedents of perceived cleanliness. Following the Delphi approach, different research methods including interviews, group discussions and surveys were applied. Findings Actual cleanliness, cleaning staff behaviour and the appearance of the environment were identified as the three main antecedents of perceived cleanliness. Client organisations tend to have a stronger focus on antecedents that are not related to the cleaning process compared to facility service providers. Practical implications More (visible) cleaning, maintenance, toilets, scent, architecture and use of materials offer interesting starting points for practitioners to positively influence perceived cleanliness. These antecedents may also be used for the development of a standard for perceived cleanliness. Originality/value A basis was created for the development of an instrument that measures perceived cleanliness and includes antecedents that are typically not included in most of the current standards of actual cleanliness (e.g. NEN 2075, ISSA).
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De horeca-sector en het toerisme worden zwaar getroffen door de huidige crisis. Omzetschade is historisch groot; tegelijkertijd zijn er vanuit de praktijk veel vragen over hoe nieuwe werkwijzen moeten worden ontwikkeld en toegepast. Voor onze sector voorziet onderzoek in het kader van de Impuls-regeling daarom onmiskenbaar in een grote maatschappelijke behoefte. Hotelschool The Hague (HTH) zet strategisch in op het behoud en de versterking van praktijkgericht onderzoek en op het onderzoekend vermogen van haar studenten. Onderzoekend vermogen is, voor toekomstige afstudeerders in een snel veranderende arbeidsmarkt, door de HTH gedefinieerd als cruciale kernvaardigheid. In dit kader zijn recent de onderwijs- en onderzoeksprogramma’s van de HTH hervormd rond de principes van Design Oriented Research. Door de COVID-19 crisis is de continuïteit van het praktijkgericht onderzoek van de HTH, misschien nog wel meer dan bij brede hogescholen onder druk komen te staan. Met het hier voorgestelde Impuls 2020 bestedingsplan wil HTH de onderzoeksfunctie van haar praktische outlets — haar schoolrestaurants en -hotels— verder versterken zodat deze kunnen worden ingericht en gebruikt als ‘test-beds’ of HTH Labs. De schoolrestaurants en -hotels worden hiermee een faciliteit voor experimenteel, praktijkgericht onderzoek waar in commerciële bedrijven vaak geen mogelijkheid voor is. Dit Impuls 2020 voorstel behelst de visievorming voor de HTH Labs en de netwerkvorming met andere kennisinstellingen en met bedrijven als beoogde afnemers van de kennis die in de Labs ontwikkeld zal worden. Het voorstel voorziet tevens in de uitvoering van 3 pilotstudies die de mogelijkheden van de HTH Labs inzichtelijk maken voor het bedrijfsleven. De Impuls financiering zal uiteindelijk resulteren in een operationele onderzoeksfaciliteit in de schoolrestaurants en -hotels van de HTH, en in drie onderzoeksrapporten met bijbehorende disseminatie-activiteiten.
KnowledgeFlows in Marine Spatial Planning - Sharing Innovation in Higher Education(KnowledgeFlows) aims at further enforcing the European higher education community to meet the growing demands for knowledge, skills and innovation within the still emerging field of marine or maritime spatial planning (MSP).Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is an emerging governmental approach towards a more effective use of the sea. MSP is of great interest in Europe and can be considered a societal process to balance conflicting interests of maritime stakeholders and the marine environment. Many different activities take place at sea, ranging from shipping, fisheries, to offshore wind energy activities. Simultaneously, new and evolving policies focus on strategies to integrate different marine demands in space and resources. MSP is now legally binding in the EU and is much needed approach to manage and organize the use of the sea, while also protecting the environment.KnowledgeFlows will contribute to the development of new innovative approaches to higher education and training on MSP by means of problem-based learning schemes, transdisciplinary collaboration, and advanced e-learning concepts. KnowledgeFlows builds on results from former project outputs (Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership for Marine Spatial Planning SP-MSP), such as the online learning platform MSP Education Arena (https://www.sp-msp.uol.de).The strategic partnership consists of a transnational network of experts both in research and in practice based in the north Atlantic, Baltic Sea and North Sea Regions including Aalborg University (DK, lead partner), The University of Oldenburg (D), the University of Liverpool (U.K.), the University of Nantes (F), the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (D), the Breda University of Applied Sciences (NL), University of Ulster (U.K.), and the Finnish Environment Institute (FI). Gothenburg University, also being a higher education organisation, will be associated partner.Furthermore, three international organisations, the Marine Spatial Planning Research Network, the Baltic inter-governmental VASAB and the pan-Nordic Nordregio will be involved in the partnership as associated organisations deeply rooted in the MSP community of practice.The further improvement of curricula, exchange of knowledge and experts, and transparency and recognition of learning outcomes to reach higher qualifications in MSP are key components of KnowledgeFlows. A mutual learning environment for MSP higher education will enable problem-driven innovation among students and their educators from research and governance also involving stakeholders. Related activities on intellectual outputs, multiplier events and lecturing will be carried out by all participating organisations.The intellectual outputs are related to three major contributions to the European higher education landscape:1) an advanced level international topical MSP course (Step-up MSP)2) digital learning facilities and tools (MSP Education Arena)3) designing problem-based learning in MSP (MSP directory)The advanced level inter-institutional topical MSP course will include different teaching and training activities within a problem-based learning environment. Digital learning facilities enabling communication and training will include a further enrichment of the MSP Education Arena platform for students, practitioners and lecturers for including modules forcollaborate learning activities, documentation and dissemination, mobilisation/recruitment, thesis opportunities, placements/internships. Designing problem-based learning in MSP will include topics as; the design of didactics and methods; guidance for lecturers, supervisors and students; evaluation and quality assurance; assessment.Five multiplier events back to back or as part of conferences within the MSP community will be organised to mainstream the outputs and innovative MSP didactics among other universities and institutions.Different teaching and training activities feeds into the intellectual output activities, which will include serious gaming sessions (MSP Challenge (http://www.mspchallenge.info/) and others), workshops, excursions, courses/classes as well as a conference with a specific focus on facilitating the exchange of innovative ideas and approaches among students at bachelor´s, master´s and doctoral level and the MSP community of practice.Project management meetings (twice a year) will assure coherence in project planning and implementation. As the core focus of the strategic partnership is on collaboration, mutual learning, and innovation among educators, students, and practitioners in order to meet actual and future needs regarding knowledge exchange and training within the MSP community, the project will be designed to have long lasting effects.Results
This book discusses whether, and if so, how facility management (FM) can contribute toeducational achievements at Dutch higher education institutions. Although there is increasingevidence that the quality of the lecturer is decisive for the performance and development ofstudents (Marzano 2007; Mourshed, Chijioke and Barber 2010), and in addition, educationalleadership can shape the necessary boundary conditions for these primary actors to succeed,nowadays this must be considered as a too narrow conception of what good education is allabout. Up to date, in literature there is a lively debate about the effective use of facilitydesign, as a mixture of designed features of physical facilities and services, to contribute toeducation as well. We have seen many examples of the so-called human factor beingnegatively influenced by seemingly fringe events, but that suddenly appears to beprecondition for education. Too warm, too cold, too crowded, too loud, too messy, and noidea why this device doesn’t work are phrases that come to mind. We now know that the builtschool environment and facility services that are offered are among the elements that caninfluence good education. The evidence comes from a multiple disciplines, such asenvironmental-psychology (Durán-Narucki 2008; Hygge and Knez 2001), medicine(Hutchinson 2003), educational research (Blackmore et al. 2011; Oblinger 2006; Schneider2002; Temple 2007), and real estate and facility management (Daisey, Angell and Apte 2003;Duyar 2010; Barrett et al. 2013). Considering all the above, there seems to be a scientificblack box with respect to the relatively new scientific discipline of FM. Deeply rooted inpractice, the abstractions that have existed until now have hardly led to a fundamentalunderstanding of the contribution of FM to education. Therefore, the main objective of thisbook is as follows.
