Emelieke Huisman, Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek, Helianthe Kort and Theo Arentze
Board members and real estate managers (decision makers) play an important role in the decision-making process in nursing home organisations. This study aims to provide an…
Abstract
Purpose
Board members and real estate managers (decision makers) play an important role in the decision-making process in nursing home organisations. This study aims to provide an understanding of underlying attributes and benefits sought by decision makers when making nursing home real estate decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
Decision makers from seven different nursing home organisations in The Netherlands were interviewed using the laddering technique to determine the individual requirements, the considerations of the decision alternatives, the relevant attributes and benefits and their mutual relationships.
Findings
This study details the motivations behind real estate management decisions in nursing home organisations. The findings show that apart from financial considerations, decision makers strive to enhance the quality of life and satisfaction of users with their real estate decisions and seek to include residents and employees in the process. These benefits are connected to the goals of well-being and innovation in health care. Furthermore, functionality, physical and functional flexibility and technology are key considerations when undertaking corporate real estate (CRE) decisions, to ensure that real estate management aligns with the strategic goals of the nursing home organisation.
Practical implications
The insights of this study can support decision makers in healthcare facilities to create strategic value with their real estate. Understanding how to obtain certain benefits from nursing home real estate may result in a better realisation of organisational objectives and user needs.
Originality/value
This study reveals the decision-making process in a nursing home context. Moreover, the laddering technique is used as a new method to explore and gain a deep understanding of CRE decision-making processes.
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Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek, Theo van der Voordt, Rik Aussems, Theo Arentze and Pascale Le Blanc
This paper aims to explore, which characteristics of activity-based offices are related to the position of workers on the burnout – engagement continuum.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore, which characteristics of activity-based offices are related to the position of workers on the burnout – engagement continuum.
Design/methodology/approach
Literature review and an online survey amongst knowledge workers in the Netherlands, which provided data of 184 respondents from 14 organisations. The data has been analysed by descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, factor analyses and path analysis, to test the conceptual model.
Findings
Five physical work environment constructs were identified of which three showed to have significant relations with employees’ position on one of the three dimensions of the burnout – engagement continuum. Distraction has a direct and indirect (through overload) negative relation with the individual strain (meaning increased exhaustion). Office comfort has indirect positive relations (through recognition and appreciation) with the interpersonal strain (meaning increased involvement). The possibility for teleworking has an indirect positive relation (through control) on the self-evaluation strain (meaning increased efficacy).
Practical implications
The findings show that in the design and management of a healthy physical work environment, corporate real estate managers and human resource managers should particularly pay attention to lowering distraction, providing comfortable workplaces and considering the option of teleworking to some extent.
Originality/value
This paper provides new insights into the impact of distinct activity-based workplace characteristics on workers’ position on the burnout – engagement continuum.
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Howard Cooke, Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek and Theo Arentze
This paper aims to identify the importance of individual variables in the corporate real estate (CRE) decision-making process.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the importance of individual variables in the corporate real estate (CRE) decision-making process.
Design/methodology/approach
Nine experts received a posed scenario of a changed business strategy requiring a CRE reduction in individual interviews. Based on their suggested response, a decision network was modelled for each expert using the causal network elicitation technique, incorporating the utilities for decision variables and importance weights for attributes and benefits. The decision model offers a graphical representation of decision-benefit links for the decisions CRE managers make in such a period of decline.
Findings
Perceived facilitators of CRE dynamic alignment were identified by calculating lift ratios on their perceived importance of the attributes they mentioned during the interviews as nodes in the network that link decisions to benefits. Facilitators included CRE metrics and workplace strategy, while capital expenditure and landlords inhibit alignment processes. The research provides more granular insight into the variables used in CRE decision-making and the factors that facilitate or inhibit the dynamic alignment process.
Research limitations/implications
The research set a specific scenario for the experts to consider. That could be regarded as small but there was clear evidence of saturation of expert knowledge. Additional face-to-face interviews with the experts may have generated further details on the thought processes of the experts.
Practical implications
The research provides more granular insight into the variables used in CRE decision-making and the factors that facilitate or inhibit the dynamic alignment process. Thereby providing CRE decision-makers with key elements for a decision model.
Originality/value
The research technique, causal network elicitation technique, uses semi-structured interviews to create decision networks, which is a technique that has not been widely applied to CRE research. The research provides a granular view of what are important inhibitors or facilitators of dynamic alignment of CRE to business strategy.
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Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek, Sven Steps, Remy Wenmaekers and Theo Arentze
To study effects of different sources of noise in office environments on perceived productivity, how different types of employees cope with different noise sources, and the…
Abstract
Purpose
To study effects of different sources of noise in office environments on perceived productivity, how different types of employees cope with different noise sources, and the perceived effect of different coping strategies on individual productivity.
Design/methodology/approach
Data on coping behavior and noise perception was collected through a survey among 150 employees of 3 organizations with an office in the Netherlands. These were analyzed with X2-tests and the lift-ratio.
Findings
When coping with noise, people are most inclined to either “Make even a greater effort” or “Discuss the noise problem with colleagues,” despite the expectation that this does not have a major positive effect on their productivity. Overall, approach coping strategies were chosen less often than the avoidance coping strategies. There are clear preferences for specific coping strategies when exposed to specific noise sources. Personal differences did not appear to relate to the perception of noise sources but did show differences in coping behavior as well.
Originality/value
This study adds insights about preferred coping strategies for specific noise sources, differences in these preferences related to specific personal characteristics, and how successful these strategies are perceived to be with regard to support of individual productivity.
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Minou Weijs-Perrée, Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek, Theo Arentze and Georges Romme
Knowledge sharing is a process where individuals mutually exchange knowledge to create new knowledge. Understanding the knowledge-sharing process, during which organizations share…
Abstract
Purpose
Knowledge sharing is a process where individuals mutually exchange knowledge to create new knowledge. Understanding the knowledge-sharing process, during which organizations share spaces, facilities and services, is highly important for owners/managers who seek to optimize their business centres and to attract more innovative tenants. For users of business centres, it is interesting to know how, where and what type of knowledge is shared. However, there is hardly any research into sharing different types of knowledge in business centres. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of personal and organizational characteristics on sharing different types of knowledge within and between organizations in business centres.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected using a questionnaire that was completed by 268 users of 53 business centres in The Netherlands. A seemingly unrelated regression analysis was used to simultaneously analyse the influence of personal and organizational characteristics on knowledge sharing in business centres.
Findings
The results show that public and private non-codified knowledge is more frequently shared with people from other organizations by those who more frequently use an event space, lounge space, canteen or consultancy services. Knowledge sharing with colleagues within organizations was influenced by the use of individual closed workspaces, meeting spaces and restaurant/canteen and gender.
Originality/value
The study suggests that owners and managers of business centres can optimize their business centres by offering specific facilities, services and workspaces to attract a specific group of tenants. In addition, organizations that want to enhance knowledge sharing with other organizations need to stimulate their employees to use shared facilities and services.
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Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek, Mike van de Kar, Pauline van den Berg and Theo Arentze
Serviced offices are popular, offering many services and facilities to attract tenants. As research showed that most business centres occupy similar buildings, services are…
Abstract
Purpose
Serviced offices are popular, offering many services and facilities to attract tenants. As research showed that most business centres occupy similar buildings, services are important to differentiate. All kinds of people use them (from freelancers to employees of large corporates) and their characteristics are likely to influence how they value different services. This study aims to identify which services/facilities are perceived as most important and whether end-user characteristics explain differences between users regarding these preferences. Serviced office owners and operators can use the insights obtained from this study to differentiate their product offer from competitors and aim for specific tenant market segments.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through a questionnaire among 137 end-users in 13 serviced offices in The Netherlands. With principal component analysis, 31 services and facilities could be reduced to six independent factors and four additional services. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine effects of user characteristics (employee demographics, job characteristics and reasons for using serviced offices) on perceived importance of each service/facility (factor).
Findings
Results showed that organisational characteristics had little effect on perceived importance of services and facilities. Especially the time spent at the office and the reasons for using it showed effects on importance of different services and facilities. Amenities like a gym and childcare were not deemed important by most of the respondents.
Originality/value
So far, research on office users focused largely on single-tenant offices and large corporates. Serviced offices have only been studied from the supply side until now.
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Ifigenia Psarra, Theo Arentze and Harry Timmermans
This chapter discusses the formulation of an agent-based model to simulate day-to-day dynamics in activity-travel patterns, based on short and long-term adaptations to exogenous…
Abstract
Purpose
This chapter discusses the formulation of an agent-based model to simulate day-to-day dynamics in activity-travel patterns, based on short and long-term adaptations to exogenous and exogenous changes.
Theory
The model is based on theoretical considerations of bounded rationality. Agents are able to explore the area, adapt their aspirations and develop habitual behaviour. If they experience dissatisfaction, stress emerges and this may lead to short or long-term adaptations of an agent’s activity-travel patterns. Both cognitive and affective responses are taken into account, when agents evaluate available options. Moreover, memory-activation and forgetting processes play a significant role in the development of habitual behaviour.
Findings
Results of numerical simulations show the effect of memory-activation and emotion-related parameters on habit formation, on the decision-making process and on overall model behaviour. Effects of specific aspects of bounded rationality on the evolution of dynamics in the activity-travel patterns of an individual are illustrated. Effects seem realistic, behaviourally rich and, therefore, more sensitive to a larger spectrum of policies.
Originality and value
The model is unique in its kind. It is one of the first attempts to formulate a dynamic model of activity-travel behaviour, based on principle of bounded rationality, which includes both cognitive and affective mechanism of adaptation.
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Oliver Horeni, Theo Arentze, Benedict G. C. Dellaert and Harry Timmermans
This chapter focuses on individuals’ mental representations of complex decision problems in transportation. An overview of approaches and techniques in this recent area of…
Abstract
Purpose
This chapter focuses on individuals’ mental representations of complex decision problems in transportation. An overview of approaches and techniques in this recent area of research is given as well as an illustration. The illustration concerns an application of CNET (causal network elicitation technique) to measure mental representations in a shopping activity scheduling task. The presence of an online shopping alternative is varied to investigate the influence of an online alternative on how individuals represent the choice problem.
Theory
Mental-model and means-ends-chain theories are discussed. These theories state that individuals when faced with a decision problem construct a mental representation of the choice alternatives by activating relevant parts of their broader causal knowledge that allow them to evaluate consequences regarding their existing needs. Furthermore, these theories emphasise that situational and person dependence of this process can explain observed variability in preferences of travellers.
Findings
The results indicate that considerable variation exists between individuals in terms of both the complexity, and the attributes and benefits that are activated in the mental representation of the choice problem. Presence of an online alternative has an influence on the benefits that individuals consider important. The impact is however small.
Originality and value
The chapter provides an overview of recent developments in the study of mental representations underlying choice behaviour. Traditionally, this has been the exclusive domain of qualitative research methods. The techniques reviewed enable larger samples and a formal representation of mental representations. Thus, the approach can help to better understand preference heterogeneity and incorporate this in (transport) choice models.
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Howard Cooke, Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek and Theo Arentz
The purpose of this paper is to identify the variables that influence corporate real estate (CRE) decision-making and gauge their relative importance to each other, thereby…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the variables that influence corporate real estate (CRE) decision-making and gauge their relative importance to each other, thereby understanding the consequent challenges/implications for CRE managers (CREM’s).
Design/methodology/approach
Interviews were undertaken with experienced CREM’s using the causal network elicitation technique to create decision networks for the variables they considered for the specifically defined scenario: dealing with surplus property from a change of business strategy. These networks illustrate the complexity of the mental representations required for the realignment of the CRE portfolio. The key variables are more extensive than alignment theory suggests, namely, financial stakeholders. Additional variables identified include risk, lease accounting, costs, financial analysis, business metrics and motivational drivers. The latter indicates the importance of self-esteem and peer recognition for CREM’s and financial benefits for the C-suite. Accordingly strategy alignment needs to incorporate CRE both in terms of strategy creation and implementation.
Findings
These networks illustrate the complexity of the mental representations required for the realignment of the CRE portfolio. The key variables are more extensive than alignment theory suggests, namely, financial stakeholders. Additional variables identified include risk, lease accounting, costs, financial analysis, business metrics and motivational drivers. The latter indicates the importance of self-esteem and peer recognition for CREM’s and financial benefits for the C-suite. Accordingly, strategy alignment needs to incorporate CRE both in terms of strategy creation and implementation.
Originality/value
This research appears to be the first that looks in detail at the mental representations used by decision-makers while making CRE decisions.