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Most performance measurement systems and scorecards fall short of communicating strategic value because they do not relate the metrics of real estate to the larger objectives of an organization. This paper aims to show that choosing the right business metrics and monitoring them through effective scorecards identifies and amplifies the competitive value that corporate real estate (CRE) creates for its host company.

This paper identifies the common failures in performance measurement systems and presents a six‐step process for effective scorecarding that is formulated solely on strategic business objectives.

The paper finds that good performance measurement systems create a direct line of sight between CRE goals and stakeholder interests founded on open, strategic dialogue; refinement to a narrow set of metrics; and commitment to consistent process governance.

The business transparency of a well‐designed performance measurement system helps to prioritize work and clarifies investment and disinvestment decisions.

Leading businesses are increasingly refining the quality of their analytics as the source of competitive advantage. CRE executives who adopt the perspective and process described in this paper can elevate real estate as an integral part of the vision and success of their organizations.

To provide a roadmap for corporate real estate (CRE) directors to effect change in the way they deliver services through enhanced relationships with their “customers,” the users of CRE.

Previous studies and discussions of customer relationship management are combined with the authors' extensive experience to make a case for formalized change management processes and analyze specific methods for enhancing the effectiveness of these processes.

Relationship management integrates real estate processes into larger corporate processes, converting real estate opportunities into competitive advantages. The transition from a reactive to a proactive mode of service is aided by adoption of new mind sets and new skills sets, including tools and processes for communicating within the organization, enhanced financial/analytical acumen, and metrics for determining successful outcomes.

Every CRE department faces unique challenges and opportunities which cannot be fully addressed in a paper designed for broad applicability.

CRE directors will recognize the challenges and opportunities they face and will learn about specific actions and initiatives they can implement to enhance their effectiveness though internal customer relationship management.

Applicability of change and customer relationship management processes to the CRE environment is a new area of focus and is mostly uncharted territory. This roadmap delves deeper than previous papers into specific methods for aligning real estate processes with the “voice of the customer” to further corporate objectives.

The purpose of this paper is to offer a practice guide for where to apply six sigma process improvement methodology to the corporate real estate function.

Based on years of direct experience provide practical guidance on how to get started and to overcome resistance that process improvement is not for service organizations like CRE.

World‐leading CRE departments are addressing cost pressure and performance expectations using process improvement, and the method of choice is six sigma. A methodology that emerged from mechanized manufacturing might seem ill‐adaptive to CRE and similar service cultures. Yet, with guided implementation and disciplined use, six sigma yields tangible results in service environments.

Documenting and benchmarking process improvement results across CRE departments; surveying the level of business adoption of six sigma methodology compared to the level of CRE adoption within the same company and how this leads to business misalignment

World class benchmarks will be set in the future by CRE organizations that adopt six sigma process improvement methodology.

A provocative discourse furthering the cause six sigma within an industry that famously resistant to change.

The purpose of this study/paper is to highlight emerging themes in CRE capabilities and organizational models. The authors explain a Lean Six Sigma-based staffing optimization and integration methodology which ensures organizational design is aligned with enterprise requirements. The ultimate objective is a CRE organizational model that sets resourcing requirements for years ahead while yielding innovative new savings. These priorities set an archetypical precedent for emerging organizational models. The emerging organizational blueprint demonstrates a clear move away from the traditional CRE model by optimizing functional service delivery toward a model that drives business integration, strategy development and creative solution deployment.

Throughout numerous assessments of corporate CRE organizations in the past year, the authors have witnessed emerging themes in CRE priorities and the capabilities required for achieving those priorities. The authors have utilized a Lean Six Sigma-based staffing optimization and integration methodology which ensures that organizational design is aligned with enterprise requirements.

Whereas previous models were built to emphasize functional service delivery, the emerging model is structured to enable a core team to focus on developing strategic relationships and delivering strategic solutions. Functional service delivery is managed directly through a strategic partnership with an outsourced service provider. The emerging model suggests a small, centralized core leadership team. Careful governance and communication protocols must be developed to ensure the duplication and redundancy does not become an issue.

Lean Six Sigma has evolved into a business improvement system that has taken hold within many high-performing real estate and facility services – a methodology that emerged from mechanized manufacturing might seem ill-adapted to CRE organizational development. Yet, with guided implementation and disciplined use, we have observed that Lean Six Sigma yields high-impact results in service environments and even with non-technical areas like organization design. This is a unique vantage point that combines engineering technicality against cultural aspects of organizational development.

This chapter focuses on artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and generative AI (Gen-AI) literacy frameworks. The first part of the chapter offers an overview of the AI literacy framework. This framework was developed by Ng and colleagues and has been used regularly as the theoretical foundation for AI literacy curriculum design. It includes four dimensions, namely, knowledge and understanding of AI, use and application of AI, evaluation and creation of AI, and AI ethics. In this part, the authors also explore the applications of the AI literacy framework in different education settings.

The second part of the chapter emphasises a new framework, Gen-AI literacy framework. This framework is developed upon the AI literacy framework and is designed by the authors of the book. This framework aims specifically at Gen-AI literacy and addresses the key topics that need to be included with regard to Gen-AI. Also in this part, the differences between the AI literacy and Gen-AI literacy frameworks are explored and recommendations on how to use the new framework in designing and developing Gen-AI literacy education are provided.

Although artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing in influence across different fields, the subject of AI literacy in higher education (HE) remains inadequately explored. Through a systematic review of 19 peer-reviewed journal articles, this chapter fills that gap.

The findings of this study highlight the advancements in AI literacy education across different subject disciplines. It emphasises the importance of critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and practical skills in managing the increasingly complicated world driven by AI.

Humanitarian logistics is critical to providing relief to people in regions affected by hardship and disaster. This study examines literature on humanitarian logistics and service-learning and evaluates the integration of concepts.

An exploratory case study approach was used to understand the integration of service-learning and humanitarian logistics. This was achieved by exploring current literature, piloting courses, providing relief, and documenting factors that facilitate successful service-learning experiences.

Findings from this information-oriented work demonstrate the applicability of service-learning methods in humanitarian logistics education and contributes to current research by addressing urgent global needs.

This case has practical relevance for logistics educators, humanitarian agencies, and service-learning leaders as it outlines various challenges and steps to developing a humanitarian logistics course with potential pathways for research. By integrating the theories and principles of service-learning with major logistics and supply-chain management concepts, colleges, and universities in collaboration with relief agencies can facilitate an impactful humanitarian logistics learning experience that provides needed support to disaster response.

There is a scarcity of literature that connects humanitarian logistics and service-learning. This case shows that the service-learning movement shares a common purpose with many humanitarian organizations that work to foster citizenship, education, and community well-being. This paper is a first of its kind to study the efforts necessary to create a successful humanitarian logistics course that benefits students, faculty, communities, and institutions through applying service-learning principles.

In light of recent calls to increase the diversity of America’s police, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of agency and leadership diversification on officer job satisfaction and reported perceptions of fairness within the organization, factors known to influence retention and performance.

A survey of 15,236 officers representing 88 agencies was used, as well as other agency- and community-level variables. Multi-level models were used to assess how these individual- and agency-level variables, including measures of diversification, affected job satisfaction and perceptions of fairness.

Diversification in agency leadership positions was found to improve perceptions of fairness among all officers, in addition to ameliorating some feelings of unfairness among African-American officers. Diversification of the sworn ranks, in comparison to the population of the community, however, was not found to significantly affect the outcome measures.

The study only examined the effects of diversification on officer perceptions. Future studies that link measures of diversification to citizen perceptions are needed to understand how members of the public respond to the image and characteristics of sworn personnel in their communities.

The results indicate the importance of retention and promotion of more diverse leadership in police agencies.

This study is one of the first to assess the effects of diversification in such a large sample of agencies of all types and sizes throughout the USA.

Interventions that have been successful in removing barriers to the success of women and people of color in corporate environments have not been afforded the same attention as the barriers themselves. This paper goes beyond the barriers to focus on successful interventions.Design/methodology/approach – Research on leadership issues is reviewed to determine the skills needed to pursue diversity in executive development successfully. Practical application is discussed.Findings – Common barriers to minority advancement include stereotypes about roles and abilities, the scarcity of mentors and personal networks, the lack of significant line experience and visible assignments, and, particularly for women, family responsibilities. Successful intervention methods include holding managers accountable for progress on diversity metrics, and training about diversity and associated attitudes and behaviors. Formal networks, mentoring programs, high potential talent identification and development, and work‐life supports can also help an organization's diversity efforts. The creation of a strong business case linking the desired managerial changes to business outcomes is necessary, but research indicates that this may not be enough. A sense of social responsibility and distributive justice – eliminating inequities and stereotypes as the right thing to do – may also have to play a role.Originality/value – Although the number of women and people of color are increasing in the executive ranks of corporate America, the numbers are quite small. Senior leadership and anyone charged with developing executive talent will benefit from comparing their current practices with those discussed in this paper. Without active leadership from senior executives, existing cultural norms and managerial attitudes will not change.