Riikka Kyrö, Antti Peltokorpi and Karlos Artto
This paper aims to increase understanding on how co-locating in a multi-firm campus setting could be of value to healthcare organizations.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to increase understanding on how co-locating in a multi-firm campus setting could be of value to healthcare organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents a qualitative case study of two health campuses in Finland. The data comprises interviews with different organizations operating on the campuses, complemented by onsite observations, and analysis of archival data.
Findings
Based on the empirical analysis, the value of co-locating as perceived by the organizations operating on campus is grouped into four categories: connectivity, cost-efficiency, community and collaboration (or the “four Cs”).
Research limitations/implications
The study does not aim at statistical genaralizability but rather seeks to draw analytical generalizations based on identified empirical regularities. The developed value framework, the four Cs, contributes to current scholarly knowledge on location strategies.
Practical implications
Furthermore, the managerial implications of the four Cs entail a new twofold role for property management: the traditional facilitator role, which is suitable for delivering the two tangible values of connectivity and cost-efficiency, and the modern era integrator, a community builder that is able to deliver community and collaboration.
Originality/value
Previous literature on healthcare facilities has focused on the technical performance of the buildings, while previous literature on the collaborative value of co-location has studied mainly single-firm corporate campuses. This study uniquely explores the potential value of health campuses, where different private, public and third sector organizations co-locate.
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Karlos Artto, Tuomas Ahola, Riikka Kyrö and Antti Peltokorpi
The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of the logic of business network formation among the co-located and external actors of a facility.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of the logic of business network formation among the co-located and external actors of a facility.
Design/methodology/approach
The research adopts a theory-building approach through developing propositions inductively from the empirical case study on four purposefully sampled modern service station facilities. The focus is on analyzing how a facility and its inherent co-located actors represent an entity that forms a business network with external actors in the facility’s environment.
Findings
The findings propose that when co-located with a large number of actors, the facility and its actors represent an entity that is connected to a wide business network of multiple external actors. On the other hand, when co-located with a small number of actors, the facility becomes a part of the overall supply in the surrounding business environment with a differentiated offering for competitive advantage.
Practical implications
The research suggests that an appropriate co-locating strategy, for example, when planning the tenant mix of the facility, can contribute to creating a vivid business network in the external environment, which raises the facility to a role of a central entity in such a network.
Originality/value
The findings explaining how co-location affects the businesses within the facility and within a wider networked environment are novel to the scholarly knowledge on co-location. The research bridges the theories of co-location and business networks that have been treated as separate discourses in previous research.
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Riikka Kyrö, Tuuli Jylhä and Antti Peltokorpi
Global megatrends such as urbanization and ageing of the population result in fast-paced demographic changes, which pose different types of challenges for different regions. While…
Abstract
Purpose
Global megatrends such as urbanization and ageing of the population result in fast-paced demographic changes, which pose different types of challenges for different regions. While many rural municipalities bear the burden of under-used buildings, cities are in a hurry to develop new ones to meet new space demands. The purpose of this paper is to assess the potential of relocatable modular buildings to address these challenges, following the principles of circular economy, while at the same time offering usability.
Design/methodology/approach
This multiple case study explores existing relocatable modular health-care buildings in Finland. The case buildings host hospital support functions, imaging services, a health-care centre and a care home. The primary data comprise 21 semi-structured interviews and observation during factory and site visits.
Findings
Based on the findings, relocatable modular buildings have many benefits and provide a viable option for cities and municipalities struggling to meet their fluctuating space demands. Some challenges were also identified, mainly derived from the dimensional restrictions of the modules.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the emerging body of knowledge on circular economy in the built environment. More specifically, the research provides a very concrete example of circularity and details a framework for usable and relocatable modular buildings. In conclusion, relocatable modular buildings could solve the challenges posed by quickly changing demographics in different types of regions and deliver both usability and circularity.
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Rita Henriikka Lavikka, Riikka Kyrö, Antti Peltokorpi and Anna Särkilahti
Hospital construction projects often suffer from relatively late changes in the project lifecycle, which disrupt the project execution and impact project productivity. The purpose…
Abstract
Purpose
Hospital construction projects often suffer from relatively late changes in the project lifecycle, which disrupt the project execution and impact project productivity. The purpose of this paper is to explore the root causes of changes in hospital construction projects. The paper aims to propose ways to prepare for the changes.
Design/methodology/approach
The study focuses on changes during the construction of new hospital facilities. An explorative, case study research design is utilised. Five case projects from Finland, Sweden and the USA were selected for in-depth analysis. The primary data comprise semi-structured interviews, supported by secondary evidence such as change order documents.
Findings
The findings reveal eight categories for change sources: contracts, and equipment and systems are reflective of the fast-paced healthcare technology and changing user requirements, while external environment comprises changes caused by both regulatory and physical environment. Changes in operations are reflected in the continuous development of treatment methods and processes. The user, owner, designer and contractor initiated changes represent the stakeholder influence. The paper makes a connection between these change sources and project complexity dimension. A framework for change dynamics is introduced, and product and process flexibility is suggested as a suitable method to prepare for and manage changes.
Originality/value
The paper is the first to link construction changes to project complexity factors. The paper argues that changes, when managed appropriately, are not only necessary but also beneficial to large construction projects in a quickly changing environment. The findings guide project stakeholders in implementing project flexibility, in the product and process dimensions, which is a balancing force to project complexity.
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Riikka Kyrö, Antti Peltokorpi and Lauri Luoma-Halkola
The fast advancement of medical technology and processes poses challenges to hospital construction and management. The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured approach to…
Abstract
Purpose
The fast advancement of medical technology and processes poses challenges to hospital construction and management. The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured approach to advancing adaptability in hospital retrofits, proposing the preferable timing and scope of different adaptability strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative research approach was chosen, with 28 semi-structured interviews designers, project managers, clients and healthcare professionals as the primary research data.
Findings
This paper presents a model for planning for the future in hospital retrofits. The model includes 11 different adaptability strategies, categorized based on the level of adaptability. Furthermore, each strategy is linked to an open building system level, indicating the appropriate timing. Based on the findings, generality strategies in the tertiary building system level are the most effective forms of adaptability, as they are easy to implement and answer to non-specific changes in hospital operations.
Research limitations/implications
The findings contribute to existing knowledge on adaptability in buildings, and provide practical guidance particularly for designers. A new type of service offering, an adaptability roadmap detailing the scope and timing of adaptability, is suggested.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the existing research by detailing different approaches and knowledge related to adaptability and its strategies in hospital retrofits. More specifically, the three-fold categorization of adaptability is linked to both timing and intrusiveness in a novel way.
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Eeva Määttänen, Riikka Kyrö, Anna Aaltonen, Anna-Liisa Sarasoja and Seppo Junnila
The study aims to investigate the effects of a remote energy management service to the energy consumption of retail buildings. The study focuses on analysing the changes in energy…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to investigate the effects of a remote energy management service to the energy consumption of retail buildings. The study focuses on analysing the changes in energy consumption after the implementation of a facility service concept where building processes are optimized with a remote energy management system. The paper seeks to demonstrate that remotely operated building management practices, which allow high competence service for all facilities, have a positive impact, beyond traditional facility services, on energy and environmental performance of buildings.
Design/methodology/approach
The research analyses the metered energy consumption of two retail building portfolios comprising altogether 44 properties. Additionally, secondary data are collected from archive reviews, observation and interviews.
Findings
The research shows that remote energy management service reduced the total energy consumption during the two-year service period by 12 and 6 per cent depending on the portfolio. Electricity consumption was found to decrease by 7 per cent and heating energy by 26 per cent on the average in the first portfolio, and 7 and 4 per cent in the second one, respectively.
Research limitations/implications
Variation between buildings was found to be relatively high as the individual characteristics and history of the different buildings inevitably affect the achieved results.
Practical implications
The study indicates that remote energy management offers an effective means to reduce the energy consumption and costs, and ultimately climate impacts derived from buildings.
Originality/value
The study adds to the knowledge of facilities management in context to energy management and environmental performance of buildings.
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Anna Aaltonen, Eeva Määttänen, Riikka Kyrö and Anna‐Liisa Sarasoja
The aim of this study is to identify and understand the role of facility services in the environmental performance of existing office buildings.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to identify and understand the role of facility services in the environmental performance of existing office buildings.
Design/methodology/approach
The study observes how a facilities management (FM) service provider develops its service processes to meet environmental efficiency objectives. The environmental objectives are adopted from a commonly used green building rating system. The developed processes and services are then analysed and tested against a case facility.
Findings
The results indicate that FM service processes have both direct and indirect influence on the building environmental performance metrics. The results show that, by relatively light changes and modifications to the FM service processes, quite extensive environmental benefits can be achieved.
Research limitations/implications
The study is preliminary and the results are based on the single case study. Only one service provider was assessed. Moreover, the case study represents a situation where all FM services are provided by one service provider.
Practical implications
FM providers readily hold a great portion of the data required for green management. It can be argued that FM services play a central role in the environmental performance of an office building and FM organizations can significantly support client organizations in their efforts to minimize their total environmental impact.
Social implications
The majority of carbon dioxide emissions caused by buildings are created during the operating phase of existing buildings. In other words, the way a building is managed and maintained has a major impact on the environmental performance of the building.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the discussion on the role of FM in climate change.
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There is an identified need in higher education research for methods which have the capacity to generate conceptual insights grounded in concrete local practice but with wider…
Abstract
There is an identified need in higher education research for methods which have the capacity to generate conceptual insights grounded in concrete local practice but with wider applicability in understanding and facilitating research-based change. This chapter outlines an intermediate approach to qualitative data analysis which can support theoretical knowledge advancement from practice-based research, which I call the difference-within-similarity approach. It involves a particular way of conducting dialogues with our data: of interanimating similarities and differences within our qualitative datasets. The approach outlined involves first identifying a similarity, then systematically examining differences within that similarity to generate theoretical explanations. Drawing on sociocultural theorising, particularly dialogic theory and cultural–historical activity theory, the approach is based on the idea that new meanings arise from a comparison of multiple perspectives on the ‘same’ phenomenon. The tensions between such perspectives are seen as a key driver for change in educational practice. Therefore, articulating and examining such tensions in our data gives an opportunity to simulate the possibility of change in our analysis and, hence, develop insights which can inform change beyond local settings. Important here is that the differences examined are bound together by an analytically productive similarity. Through multiple research examples, the chapter identifies and illustrates a range of ways of articulating productive analytical similarities for comparison in our data: through theory/literature, through forward and backwards processing of data itself and through a process termed ‘weaving’.