Brenda Groen, Theo van der Voordt, Bartele Hoekstra and Hester van Sprang
This paper aims to explore the relationship between satisfaction with buildings, facilities and services and perceived productivity support and to test whether the findings from a…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the relationship between satisfaction with buildings, facilities and services and perceived productivity support and to test whether the findings from a similar study of Batenburg and Van der Voordt (2008) are confirmed in a repeat study after 10 years with more recent data.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were traced from a database with data on user satisfaction and perceived productivity support. These data were collected through the work environment diagnostic tool WODI light. The data include responses from 25,947 respondents and 191 organisations that have been analysed by stepwise multiple-regression analyses.
Findings
In total 38% of the variation of office employees’ satisfaction with support of productivity can be explained by employee satisfaction with facilities, the organisation, current work processes and personal- and job-related characteristics. The most important predictor of self-assessed support of productivity is employee satisfaction with facilities. In particular, psychological aspects, i.e. opportunities to concentrate and to communicate, privacy, level of openness, and functionality, comfort and diversity of the workplaces are very important. The findings confirm that employee satisfaction with facilities correlates significantly with perceived productivity support. Other factors that are not included in the data set, such as intrinsic motivation, labour circumstances and human resource management may have an impact as well.
Originality/value
This research provides a clear insight in the relation between employee satisfaction with facilities and the perceived support of productivity, based on survey data collected over almost 10 years in 191 organisations.
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Hester van Sprang, Jasper Driessen and Brenda Groen
This study aims to explore modern learning (ML) scenarios in Dutch higher education towards 2030 and corresponding consequences for facility management (FM) and corporate real…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore modern learning (ML) scenarios in Dutch higher education towards 2030 and corresponding consequences for facility management (FM) and corporate real estate strategies (CRES) of universities of applied sciences (UAS).
Design/methodology/approach
The designing an accommodation strategy model is used to retrieve the match between demand and supply in real estate of Dutch UAS for both present and future. Application of this model resulted in a scenario-planning session with six education experts to determine future demand in education towards 2030. Subsequently, corporate real estate (CRE) managers of nine Dutch UAS were interviewed concerning this subject (one per UAS).
Findings
The results show that CRES of Dutch UAS is only partly aligned to consequences of ML scenarios towards 2030. Most UAS have real estate portfolios that are only partially flexible, so changes in qualitative and quantitative demand due to ML scenarios are not easy to adapt to. The consequences for FM and real estate of the ML scenarios “institute learning” and “mass customization” seem manageable for Dutch UAS, whereas the other ML scenarios, namely, “navigator” and “natural learning”, would create major portfolio problems.
Originality/value
There is an ongoing interest in developments in higher education combined with FM and CRES and its alignment with the corporate vision. Previous studies into modern ways of learning mainly focused on the past and present. However, this study is explorative and explores possible future ML scenarios. These scenarios can contribute to awareness amongst UAS in The Netherlands and abroad regarding their long-term vision. Moreover, these scenarios will help Dutch UAS facility and CRE managers to develop a more future-proof strategic real estate strategy aligned with the corporate vision.
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Julia Gracheva and Brenda H. Groen
This paper aims to determine the advantages and disadvantages associated with integrating a coworking environment into the real estate portfolios of large office-based…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to determine the advantages and disadvantages associated with integrating a coworking environment into the real estate portfolios of large office-based organizations. The study discusses both external and internal coworking solutions.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is a literature review and qualitative research based on 12 semistructured interviews with high-level real estate practitioners, including users, suppliers and consultants.
Findings
The authors examined the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating coworking environments into the real estate portfolios of large organizations from the four perspectives of Krumm et al. (2000). These perspectives were operationalized through the 12 real estate added value parameters of Jensen and Van der Voordt (2017). The findings show that improved adaptability is the greatest advantage of external coworking solutions (facility management perspective). The most significant advantage of internal coworking is related to stimulation of innovation, creativity and knowledge sharing (general management perspective). The disadvantages of external and internal coworking partly overlap and are mainly the negative effect on the corporate culture (general management perspective).
Originality/value
The findings contribute to the understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating both external and internal coworking solutions from multiple perspectives and allow to compare them. The authors developed and tested an operationalization of the four perspectives of Krumm (2000) through the 12 added values of Jensen and Van der Voordt (2017). Opinions and perceptions of professionals regarding internal and external coworking models are presented in a framework and related to earlier findings.
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The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the usefulness of referring to a theory of the firm as a way to strongly improve internal consistency in both research and practice. To…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the usefulness of referring to a theory of the firm as a way to strongly improve internal consistency in both research and practice. To this end, the paper explores how a theory-of-the-firm perspective can assist in a consistent analysis of IC, focusing on five IC-related issues: the definition and the origins of IC; the set of property rights on IC; its role in the competitive advantage and the value generation process of the firm; the way IC can be valued, including issues relating to the internal and external reporting; and finally the most efficient way to effectively manage and control IC. Analysis is carried out referring to the strengths and weaknesses of the resource-based view (RBV), being the main reference theories for IC scholars and practitioners.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper employs a deductive approach to explore how different theories of the firm shape the way IC-related issues could be consistently analysed.
Findings
The research finds that referring to a theory of the firm assists investigating IC-related issues. It carries out the analysis of five important issues under the two forms of the RBV, demonstrating how a different theory of the firm differentiates analysis and offers room for improving the internal consistency for both research and practice.
Research limitations/implications
Implications of the paper are mainly for improving consistency in research, but they also support practice as for consciousness and awareness. Limitations are as follows. First, the paper offers an analysis of only two selected theories of the firm. Second, the analysis is based on a deductive reasoning which can be criticised for the results, even if not for the aim.
Practical implications
The paper offer stimuli to both theoretical and empirical research and practice. As for research, the paper highlights how consistency can be developed and also focusses on the way empirical research could be consistently carried out. As for practitioners, the paper assists in enlightening covered links between practice and theories.
Originality/value
The paper pays attention to the role of the theory of the firm, as a way for improving internal consistency in the study and the practice of IC.