Editorial

Citation

Warren, C.M.J. (2014), "Editorial", Property Management, Vol. 32 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/PM-01-2014-0003

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Property Management, Volume 32, Issue 2

Property Management 2014

This, the second issue of Property Management for the year, has a fascinating mix of papers drawn from around the world. The papers demonstrate the wide diversity of interests that property managers have across a range of property types. They derive from three different continents and address property management issues involving both commercial and residential property.

It is always interesting to reflect on the papers written by researchers in countries which are less frequently represented in the journal and to compare and contrast experiences in those countries with our own. This issue presents two such papers. The first, by Tanja Tyvimaa, examines the rental housing sector in Finland and discusses factors contributing to tenant satisfaction and, consequently, tenant retention. The paper deals with large rental housing providers in Finland that have recorded tenant turnover rates of over 20 percent per annum. This high level of turnover has a cost implication for both landlords and tenants as moving expenses and re-letting fees impact on overall occupancy costs. The results provide a valuable insight into why tenants move and what landlords could do in an attempt to gain greater tenant retention.

The second paper presented from a less frequently represented region is the research undertaken by Nicholas Boamah on the application of development controls in the Offinso region of Ghana. The paper reports on the difficulties planning authorities face in these regions when trying to implement a planning scheme to regulate informal development. The inherent lack of control can be attributed to low public confidence in the planning system and negative perceptions of the planning authorities’ reasons for imposing restrictions. Coupled with socio-cultural and economic constraints, this paints a very difficult environment in which to operate. It is interesting to compare the issues faced in developing regions with the very strict control and levels of compliance experienced in the more developed regions of the world. We are left to consider how a more equitable and robust control system might be achieved without placing too greater restriction on economic development.

Paper three in this issue is an examination of property price indices and their relationship with the broader stock markets. The research by Francesca Salvo, Maria Ciuna and Manuela De Ruggiero from the University Della Calabria, Italy, seeks to establish a model for predicting property price index fluctuations through reference to the changes in stock markets. It draws on data taken from the city of Coserza in southern Italy and presents a fascinating overview of the market in this region.

The fourth paper in this issues moves away from the direct consideration of property management to the wider aspect of education within the property sector. Joanna Poon from Deakin University in Australia reports on research undertaken in both the UK and Australia into the use of blended learning techniques in tertiary education courses. The paper provides an analysis of what constitutes a blended learning environment and compares the attitudes of academics to the use of these teaching and learning techniques. This research is particularly timely given the rapid increase in the number of MOOCs being offered around the world and the rapidly changing nature of education within the online environment.

Peter Jones, David Hillier and Daphne Comfort from the University of Gloucestershire in the UK provide the final paper for this issue. It presents a review of the solar farm industry within the UK and discusses the typical characteristics of solar farms and how planning policies are dealing with this rapidly growing sector of the market. Solar farms represent a significant potential source of renewable energy and, as such, are seen as a means of achieving the UK Government's commitment to achieving 15 percent renewable energy production by 2020. As ever there are issues associated with the rapid expansion of this industry in terms of planning constraints and land values in various parts of the country and these are explored in this paper.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue of Property Management and find the research presentations stimulating. It is always pleasing to receive a diverse range of papers and I look forward to receiving more papers from the less frequently represented regions broaden our understanding of the global issues faced by property managers.

Clive M.J. Warren