RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO: Prof. Raymond S. Mosha
School for New Learning, DePaul University
Course: Research Seminar, LL 300
Competence L-8: Can pose questions and use methods of inquiry to answer and solve
problems.
Competence L-9: Can answer how organizational executives perceive facilities managers and
what factors executives use to determine whether they will use their internal
facilities manager or outsource capital asset management.
Spring Quarter, 2012
APA citation style
What factors lead some executives to consider using their
internal Facility Management teams and not outsourcing
some or all relocation projects?
Submitted by: Liz Vonesh
Date of Submission: June 2, 2012
Email address: lizvonesh@hotmail.com
Telephone numbers: 312-403-1444
312-915-9271
Table of Contents
Introduction .........................................................................................................................................
Chapter I – Articulating the Main Research Question .......................................................................
Area of Interest .......................................................................................................................
Rationale .................................................................................................................................
Audience .................................................................................................................................
Main Question .........................................................................................................................
Sub Questions / Sub Problems ................................................................................................
Chapter II – Literature Review Essay and Hypothesis .......................................................................
Introduction .............................................................................................................................
A Review of the Literature Essay ...........................................................................................
Hypothesis...............................................................................................................................
Chapter III – Research Methodology and Designs .............................................................................
Introduction .............................................................................................................................
Research Methodologies and Designs ....................................................................................
Delimitations ...........................................................................................................................
Chapter IV – Ethical / Moral Issues ....................................................................................................
Introduction .............................................................................................................................
Possible Moral and Ethical Issues/Dilemmas and Resolutions ..............................................
Conclusion ..........................................................................................................................................
Annotated Bibliography ......................................................................................................................
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INTRODUCTION
This Research Proposal is guided by this main research question: what factors lead some
executives to consider using their internal FM teams and not outsourcing some or all relocation
projects? It is a proposal that will guide this researcher in the future if actual field research work
will be done. It is a blue print or road map in preparation for intended future inquiry on this
particular research question.
For many years the experience of this author has been involved in the association for
Facility Managers (FM). Many FMs continue to run into roadblocks when trying to advance in
their career. This researcher would like to aid the industry to understanding the reasons that hold
back FMs from higher-level positions. Making these reasons available for FMs to view, change
or adopt before a job search will provide tools and motivation to reach further beyond the next
job. This researcher wants to make these tools available in order for the entire FM industry to
jumpstart their careers. This researcher therefore believes that if this inquiry were actually to be
carried out in the future, many people would benefit, including, but not limited to, the following:
FMs, corporate real estate managers, property managers, consultants and contractors, and
building managers.
This proposal has four chapters. Chapter One talks about this researcher’s personal
experience, area of interest, reasons for this inquiry, audience, main question, and sub-questions.
Chapter Two consists of the literature review essay, a hypothesis, and reformulated main
question and sub-questions. Chapter Three will talk about the selected Research Methods for this
inquiry, and Chapter Four consists of potential ethical issues in the inquiry and the suggested
resolutions for these issues. The proposal closes with a Conclusion, followed by all the sixteen
annotated scholarly sources that have guided this inquiry in alphabetical order.
CHAPTER ONE: IDENTIFYING THE MAIN RESEARCH
TOPIC
Area of Research
I am fond of the field of Facilities Management and I have been a part of it for many
years. I came into the field as it was developing around 10 to 15 years ago. FMs were morphing
from positions such as Office Managers and receptionists and coordinators. Eventually being
handed more and more responsibility, all of these positions grew into a single, new high-level
position. Now, FMs are an integral part of organizations and are responsible for the second
highest financial burden for organizations next to employee salaries: real estate acquisition and
management. This area is meaningful to me because I am becoming frustrated as to why FMs are
not valued by company executives. I would like to find possible reasons why the FM is not
valued.
For this research class, I would like to investigate and analyze what factors lead some
executives to consider using their internal FM teams and not outsourcing some or all relocation
projects. This statement is meaningful to me because I see both happen and get frustrated as to
why FMs are not valued by company executives. I would like to see what research I could find
as to possible reasons why the FM is not valued.
Reflection
The purpose of the study is to find a viable conclusion from the collection of data as to
why C-suite personnel (Chief Executive Officers, Chief Information Officers, etc.) do or do not
include their facility managers in relocations. The problems this study addresses are defining the
different personnel that could be viewed as the FM, the size of the organization, and the FM’s
role in organizations.
The intended audience for this study includes FMs, property managers, real estate
managers, building managers, commercial interior designers, chief executive officers, chief
operating officers, senior management, relocation consultants and other related parties.
This research project intends to answer the question as to what factors lead some
executives to consider using their internal facility management teams and not outsourcing some
or all relocation projects. Sub questions include such questions as What steps can FMs take in
becoming experts in real estate acquisition in small to mid size organizations? How can a FM get
in the C-suite's informal advisory board after being on-boarded in the organization in order to be
able to perform the relocation(s) when the time comes for the organization? How can a FM be
recognized for their expert-ness in their field with or without the upcoming relocation process?
This research may be limited because not many surveys have been conducted as to the
factors that lead to why or why not executives make the decisions they make. Most have been
conducted only on the actual decisions themselves.
The topic of how the executives of companies interact with FMs is important to me
because I have been in the field for over 10 years now and have seen multiple relationships
between the two entities. I cannot say for sure how these relationships have come about but the
vast differences between how these two entities have and develop to one another is complex and
overwhelming. The Chicago-land area is large in terms of individuals working in professional
settings, yet such a “small world” when it comes to knowing peers in your industry. Due to the
close-knit community of FMs, it is important that I understand the many different ways they
have tried to work with or against executives in order to become a facilities expert myself. Along
the path of becoming an expert myself, I would like to teach others in the field of my findings
and continue to expand my professional development in multiple settings.
Final Research Question
The final research question is what factors lead some executives to consider using their
internal FM teams and not outsourcing some or all relocation projects? Sub-questions include
what steps can FMs take in becoming experts in real estate acquisition in small to mid-size
organizations? How can a FM get in the c-suite's informal advisory board after being on-boarded
in the organization in order to be able to perform the relocation(s) when the time comes for the
organization? How can a FM be recognized for their level of expertise in their field with or
without the upcoming relocation process?
Future research:
o non-existent marketing of the FM to internal and external clients of what FMs have done,
but also their forthcoming planned projects (branding the FM as a capital real estate
expert)
o higher education negligence on the part of business schools in preparing future FMs
o the inconsistency of incorporating IT solutions that are geared toward designers rather
than FMs (who actually have to use these tools in the field on a daily basis)
o the inability of FMs to comfortably incorporate all the different aspects of a corporate
real estate project intelligently to management so that they are viewed as an expert by the
CEO. and present the plans to their executive counterparts for flawless execution
CHAPTER TWO: THE LITERATURE REVIEW ESSAY
Introduction
This essay reviews fifteen scholarly sources that the author reviewed in accordance to the
main research question: what factors lead some executives to consider using their internal FM
teams and not outsourcing some or all relocation projects? These scholarly sources have all
contributed to a comprehensive examination of the topic and information to help in answering
the main question. In the review, several important themes emerged. The APA citation style will
be used to reference the different authors when discussing their work. The conclusion from the
author will provide analysis of all the scholarly sources. This section will also include reflection
from this author on how the sources have helped build comprehension regarding the topic and
research question. The facility management profession has struggled to evolve into one that
provides expertise in design, planning, implementation, and management of strategic capital
facilities by (working or collaborating) with others involved in such corporate activity. The
author has found five major themes in reviewing the literature that supports this research.
Shareholder Wealth
Mazzarol & Choo (2003), Lynch (2002), and Manning, Rodriguez & Ghosh (1999) found
that maximizing shareholder wealth was a concern for a relocation as well as a reduction of
costs. Manning et al., found factors such as transportation cost, the amount of space that
employees need, lower labor costs and rent, and more productivity from the workers depending
on the site selected for corporate facilities, to be of great importance to management. Manning et
al., mention that the motivation in “moving to the CEOs favorite community” (p. 10) can cause a
decrease in the stock price of the company. Lynch reports that capital budgets can be maximized
to increase shareholder value by “the expertise of …facility managers and others from
throughout the organization” (p. 3). Mazzarol & Choo found stakeholder wealth as a concern for
small to mid-level organizations to decide upon relocation projects in Australia. The authors
describe the behavior of integration between work groups in smaller organizations as buying
centres. These buying centres “are likely to rely more upon external consultants (e.g. relocation
consultants, real estate agents, lawyers, accountants and bank managers) than would be the case
with larger firms” (p. 5). Mazzarol & Choo, Lynch, and Manning et al. all mention integration
between different work groups as a point of interest for executives in how they view relocations.
The outcome of shareholder wealth is a factor that C-suite executives weigh decisions on when
considering who to receive input from on capital projects.
Integration of all work groups
The ability of different work groups to collaborate through the different parts of a
relocation or acquisition of facilities has been mentioned by Lynch (2002); Brochner (2003); and
Holtham (2007). Lynch feels “business plans…visions and values…are the responsibility of the
chief executive and [to] coordinate efforts both up and down the organizational chart as well as
across business units or agencies” (p. 2). Lynch states that “improving the capital budgeting
process requires leadership at the executive level and initiatives at the business unit level” (p. 2).
Brochner stresses the need for integration in all stages of relocation or acquisition for the
“design, construction and use of a building” (p. 20). She includes a diagram showing the FM
functioning in several organization contexts. Brochner is a proponent of the FM becoming a
“developer of projects” (p. 20). Brochner is concerned about technology being a reason why
“physical distance is still a determinant for integration” (p. 22). Where Brochner focuses on
technology on those work groups that are usually focused on relocations and site planning,
Holtham’s research focuses on the inclusion of the end users in the design. Holtham references
typical design work groups (IT, property development, facilities management, architects), but
adds the knowledge worker and users of the office to those who should be included in the design
stating that they were the ones who would know best. He states that “architects place an equally
vital role in converting …viable physical space, but…one or more senior managers provided the
leadership from the client side necessary to …creating space for effective knowledge work” (p.
9). Strategic planning is an area where different work groups are required to work together to
produce high-level organizational goals. How executives choose to utilize their internal staff
rather than bringing in consultants is shown by how the work groups are assembled and relates to
this author’s research.
Strategic Planning
Kovac and Thompson (1994) ran a case study of a long-term strategic facilities plan and
cite reasons why they believe their model makes the process more adaptable. The survey found
"strategic value of real estate and workplace design" (p. 1) to be important to the CEOs and the
“most essential to successful implementation of business strategy” (p. 1). The CEOs who
reported a relocation “did not perceive that these changes effectively contributed to strategy
execution” (p. 1). It is noted that an “interorganizational team of internal managers worked with
an outside consultant” (p. 2) deemed as the working committee and this committee reported to
the steering committee which consisted of upper management. Allard and Barber’s (2003)
survey results show that “real estate and workplace play a role in a company’s ability to execute
strategy successfully because they are closely linked” to “clarify roles and
accountability...[and]team-work among executives” (p. 2). Frisch’s (2011) research introduces
the “kitchen cabinet” that supplements the executive committees. Frisch found that CEOs are
utilizing an “ad hoc, unofficial, flexible” team of trusted advisors for their decision-making. The
“major decisions are nevertheless being made elsewhere” (p. 3) than the senior executive team.
Frisch recommends figuring out how to join this “kitchen cabinet” team rather than fighting this
phenomenon. The reasons Frisch found the kitchen cabinet to be advantageous are that it is small
in size, not fixed, and has no name attached. Most organizations do not outsource their strategic
planning sessions; therefore it is important that CEOs involve all members of their senior
management team, specifically FMs, at this stage in the process.
FMs as support functions, not leaders or experts
Lynch notes the “pace of change in the business world is accelerating, while the facilities
management profession has not evolved as rapidly” (p. 1). The next year, Brochner (2003)
writes, “by further extrapolation, the logical next step would be a process change where the
facilities manager emerges as a developer of projects” (p. 20). Nonaka & Takeuchi’s (2011)
research encompasses what good leaders are and what qualities they should possess in order to
be successful. They stress the CEO as the leader and decision maker yet give concrete examples
of the qualities any good leader can exemplify in order to be a good decision maker. Frisch’s
idea of the leader is clear that it is the CEO as well. Frisch makes the point that senior executives
feel the they are “brought in too late in the process for its input to matter…[and] appear to have
power to protect the interests of the departments they oversee-but they really don’t” (p. 3). He
feels organizational accountability rests with individuals, not teams. Frisch found that CEOs
think teams are slow at making difficult decisions, are associated with opportunity costs, and do
not understand the implied corporate perspective versus the functional perspective that senior
executives have to deal with in meetings with the C-suite. This theme relates to the author’s main
question because it is a direct factor in why CEOs consciously and directly use their teams or
find them incapable of performance within a certain scope.
Design education
Allard & Barber briefly mention the importance of good design of real estate and
workplaces and them being correlated with a long-term strategic view. Winter’s research in 2005
falls in the middle of the research findings of this study, which this author finds worth
mentioning. Winter’s findings deal with students in higher education being instructed on skills
necessary for incorporating design and practical wisdom in applications involving real estate
design and the affects of their planning strategies. Winter found that “to execute each of the four
phases successfully, students had to master the tools that facilities professionals use” (p. 8).
While the students are coming out of real-world scenarios with degrees, Winter found that
“while out in the working world, Sim’s students sometimes meet resistance from corporate
executives who question the practicality of their suggestions” (p. 9). Winter also adds that the
concept of hoteling was originally researched by the College of Human Ecology as part of the
curriculum for the students. While the industry “argued that hoteling wasn’t practical. Today,
hoteling is a mainstay that saves companies not only hundreds of thousands of dollars annually
but also enhances employee performance and job satisfaction” (p. 9). The design and education
of future FMs will answer some questions as to why CEOs do not feel their in-house FM is
capable of performing all of their functions. The concept of higher education as it relates to the
FM is relevant to this research because it is one of the factors CEOs use in deciding if this
position will serve on the leadership team.
Conclusion
The limited findings uncovered (thus far) present difficulty in concluding all the factors
to which a CEO and their internal FMs will work together on as far as capital projects to
complete relocations, renovations or strategic planning for real estate portfolios. The evidence
reviewed in this paper suggests there are many possible reasons FMs (and quite possibly other
such divisions such as finance or human resources though not reviewed in this research) should
be concerned that they are not seen as the expert in their field and to present their successes to
the masses. This author found it interesting that aside from Cotts (2010), these experts did not
discuss the need for FMs to possess strong budget and financial analyst skills to help gain entree
to the CEOs trusted advisory group. The research focused more on the CEO requiring strong
cognitive and practical intelligence in order to become a trusted advisor. Notice the author’s use
of “advisor” rather than “expert”, here. While it is clear from the research that FMs should hone
their ability to think practically, they will not automatically be entered into the elite “kitchen
cabinet” that Frisch introduced. The CEOs will still have a strong tendency to consider the
financial risks their own burden, no matter who they ask for advice. CEOs will have to continue
to make the tough decisions they always have had to make.
This current perception of the FM not being a leader and lack of high education in
planning and design have the position relegated to the level of implementation of tactics rather
than part of the strategic planning process. The author felt that the research provides only a
glimpse of the factors of how CEOs work with their FMs and thinks that further research will be
necessary, more so on the FM’s side as to what steps they are taking to get into the C-suite. This
author appreciated gathering experts’ views of the different styles of CEOs and what they found
to be important in their leadership. The author is interested in pursuing this research because it
will help in making her a facilities expert. This author believes that the following directions are
necessary for future research as part of the research question in this paper:
o non-existent marketing of the FM to internal and external clients of what FMs have done,
but also their forthcoming planned projects (branding the FM as a capital real estate
expert)
o higher education negligence on the part of business schools in preparing future FMs
o the inconsistency of incorporating IT solutions that are geared toward designers rather
than FMs (who actually have to use these tools in the field on a daily basis)
o the inability of FMs to comfortably incorporate all the different aspects of a corporate
real estate project intelligently to management so that they are viewed as an expert by the
CEO. and present the plans to their executive counterparts for flawless execution
Hypothesis: Some factors are of the overall organization’s shareholder wealth outcomes of
relocations, risk-level of capital investment failure not being associated with job expectation,
team work groups rather than individual silo structures, and the insufficient level of higher
education of facility management practices.
Final research question: what factors lead some executives to consider using their internal FM
teams and not outsourcing some or all relocation projects? Sub questions include what steps can
FMs take in becoming experts in real estate acquisition in small to mid size organizations? How
can a FM get in the c-suite's informal advisory board after being on-boarded in the organization
in order to be able to perform the relocation(s) when the time comes for the organization? How
can a FM be recognized for their level of expertise in their field with or without the upcoming
relocation process?
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS AND DESIGNS
Research Design and Methods
This project is spearheaded by the research question that asks, “what factors lead some
executives to consider using their internal FM teams and not outsourcing some or all relocation
projects?” In my field research, I will use the mixed method, which incorporates aspects of the
quantitative and the qualitative methods. For the quantitative method, I will use the survey study
design. As part of the qualitative method, I will use the case study design.
Quantitative Method
For the quantitative method, this project will use an electronic survey design of 10
questions (eight closed-ended and two open-ended) sent by email. The sample of selected
participants will include two distinct groups. One group consists of participants in a previous
study, which included the CEOs of over one hundred Fortune 500 companies that were highly
ranked in terms of success and admiration within their industry. These participants can be found
and drawn from the original study conducted by Lucy E. Allard and Christine Barber. The group
was surveyed back in 2003 and so a study conducted next year, in 2013, would provide an
excellent ten-year anniversary follow-up survey to their original study. The other group will
bring in the FM viewpoint. The sample population for this group will be drawn from the
International Facility Management Association (IFMA). The association, formed in 1980,
certifies FMs, conducts research, provides educational programs, recognizes facility management
certificate programs and produces World Workplace, the world’s largest facility management
conference and exposition. Finding and including all FMs from the IFMA membership will
balance the survey tool for this research project. A survey conducted with Chief Executive
Officers (CEO) and FMs is key to gaining insight into the factors being considered in the
research question.
One benefit to conducting a survey with CEOs and FMs is the opportunity to gain data
from a very large group of participants that are heavily involved in decision-making related to
the research question being studied. A drawback in using surveys is that response rates are
sometimes low. While it is true that a percentage of this group might choose not to partake in the
survey, even if a small amount do not choose to participate in the survey for whatever reason, the
final amount of respondents will still represent a large amount of potential survey participants. If
both groups have a significant amount of people that choose not to complete the survey, this tool
will be a challenge to make informed interpretations of the data for the project. Another benefit
of the survey will be a large amount of participants, which yield better results than smaller
survey pools. Another drawback of the tool is the data collected will only represent how the
participants felt at the time of the survey. This is important to point out because the place and
time the survey is conducted can have an effect on the results. For example, if the survey is sent
out right before budget forecast season, the data might show that financial concern is a major
factor across the entire participant population. If it is sent out right before performance reviews,
the data might show that professional development is a major factor instead.
Qualitative Method
The case study design will be performed in one-on-one personal interviews using an
audio recording device to capture full excerpts during each interview. For this research, the
researcher will conduct a total of six interviews. The researcher will conduct three one-on-one
personal interviews with current FMs, one from each of the three organization sizes: small, mid,
and large. The researcher will conduct three one-on-one personal interviews with current CEOs
from each of the three organization sizes. The interview protocol used in the research will
contain a different set of questions for the two sample populations. The three FMs will be asked
one set of questions and the CEOs will all be asked another set of questions.
All interviews will be held at a neutral location near the offices, yet not in the building of
the organization. The removal of interviewees from their offices will provide the opportunity for
them to focus on the interview without distractions and also allows the researcher to determine
the mood participants are in when answering the questions, which will be included in the
analysis of the interview excerpts. The researcher will be looking for patterns within the same
groups as well as across the two groups. By including different size organizations, I hope to
either confirm or dispel that the size of the organization matters in determining what factors are
included in answering my research question. The research will gain momentum through the
collection of personal responses that provide insight in what factors are important to the research
question. Through the use of open-ended questions in this study, the researcher hopes to discover
the factors that determine why internal FMs are not getting the business of relocations within
their organizations.
The benefits of this method will be the collection of data reflecting personal statements
that provide insight in what factors lead CEOs to use their FMs for relocations. A drawback of a
case study using one-on-one personal interviews is the amount of time the researcher has to
spend in order to collect and decode the interview data. Another challenge is that the researcher
must be careful when analyzing the data to make sure not to assume any cause and effect
relationships. As an interviewer, the researcher must remain emotion free and not react to any
answers given during interviews.
This research project will have data from both a case study and a survey tool. The
combined tools are called the mixed method. By combining the case study one-on-one personal
interviews with a survey tool, the collective data will provide the nature of the relationship
between the two sample populations for this study; FMs and CEOs. The benefit of the mixed
method research will be the in-depth, perspective data collected from the case studies compared
to the large-scale, statistical data from the survey in a combined analysis.
Data Collection Instrument
Survey Questionnaire
Closed-ended questions
Question one: How many square feet does your organization currently lease or own?
A) 0-10,000 square feet
B)10,000-50,000 square feet
C) 50,000-100,000 square feet
D) over 100,000 square feet
E) Not applicable
Question two: How many full time facilities staff are currently employed by your organization?
A) 0-5
B) 5-10
C) 10-50
D) over 50 full time staff
E) No full time, only contract
Question three: Does your organization employ one or more full time capital facilities staff
present and included in the senior management team? Yes or No
Question four: Has your organization ever conducted a relocation or major renovation? Yes or
No
Question five: If yes, was the project handled internally or was a consultant hired on for the
project?
A) Internally handled
B) A consultant was brought in to manage
C) Internally managed with the help of an outside consultant
D) Not applicable
Question six: If more than one renovation or relocation has been executed in the organization,
were all the projects handled the same as your answer in the previous question? Yes or No
Question seven: Were you involved with the formulation of the team designated to coordinate
the relocation or renovation? Yes or No
Question eight: Does your organization have a relocation or renovation planned within the next
five years? Yes or No
Case Study Questionnaire
Facility Managers
Question one: How long have you practiced in the facility management field?
Question two: What is the highest degree you possess?
Question three: Do you have a degree in facility management? Interior design? Architectural
engineering? Business?
Question four: In your career, how many relocations or renovations have you managed? Explain
a little about them.
Question five: For the past two projects, describe the level of participation throughout your
involvement.
Question six: How do you feel about the current field of facility management in regards to level
of expertise?
Question seven: How do you feel about the relationship between FMs and CEOs in general?
Question eight: What step(s) do you recommend FMs take to become experts in real estate
acquisition?
Question nine: How can a FM be recognized as an expert in other areas of facility management
besides the capital relocation aspect?
Chief Executive Officers
Question one: How long have you been in an executive role?
Question two: In your career, how many relocations or renovations have you managed?
Question three: Of all the relocation projects you have been involved with, what percentage of
the projects were managed by your internal facilities management department?
Question four: Describe the level of involvement that you were involved in the last two
relocations that you managed.
Question five: Describe the parties involved in the planning of the last two relocations that you
managed.
Question six: How do you feel about the relationship between you and FMs in general?
Question seven: How do you feel about the relationship between you and FM in regards to
capital asset management?
Question eight: What step(s) do you recommend FMs take to become experts in real estate
acquisition?
Question nine: How can a FM be recognized as an expert in other areas of facility management
besides the capital relocation aspect?
CHAPTER FOUR: ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN
RESEARCH
Research Ethics Training
Upon researching this topic so far, I was aware of some of the subject matter since I have
been a FM for quite some time. Some ideas were new and brought insight to the subject I had not
been aware of before the literature review. I will make sure that the data is kept within the
privacy and confidentiality standards to uphold the law regarding research practices. I will refer
to the laws and ethics when performing the rest of the steps in the proposal and also for all future
proposals.
Ethical Considerations in my Research
Issues that can arise in research involving human subjects can include giving the
appropriate levels of: respect given to individuals participating in the experiment, beneficence,
confidentiality the researcher can or should promise, and justice applied to those receiving
benefits of the experiments. Another potential issue is improperly assessing what constitutes a
minimum amount of risk to the participants. If this project goes further and I begin to interview
human subjects, such as CEOs or FMs, respect will be shown to all individuals included in the
project as peers. I will also have to assure a minimum amount of risk in the participants’ job
safety after participation. In this project, an ethical issue that may arise is the level of
confidentiality of the participants. I can address this issue by ensuring the participant’s data will
be not traceable. The step to ensure that I am careful with the participants’ data will be to destroy
traceable identifiers. By performing this step, I can then assure the participants that their
confidentiality will not be compromised and this step also aids in the job safety issue. When this
project goes for publication, I will apply for an exempt review because of the low risk to
participants.
Avoiding Personal Bias
As a current, practicing FM and a volunteer for a local chapter in an association for
facility management, I greatly value the facility management field and its accomplishments. I
believe that every FM should be seen as an expert as much so as other department heads are seen
by the C-suite. My research tries to include both the CEO’s point of view and the FM’s point of
view to make sure I answer my research question fully without having any bias. I feel FMs are
worth more than some may know of the field and its work. Because of this feeling, I might be
inclined to show more support to the research I found that the FM’s worth is not appreciated by
the CEO. I could also be seen to be influenced by peers in the industry to place a heavier weight
on research that shows CEOs are not experts at capital investments and relocation planning.
However, any conflicts that purposefully include or discard data that would sway my judgment
are minimal due to the enormous amount of determination to prepare and deliver a respected
research proposal. I plan to continue to build on this initial research so to address the conflict of
peer influence, I will conduct personal interviews with FMs and CEOs both using the same
questions. For those readers that oppose my research, the facts I have collected integrates both
sides of the issue and are represented from both the CEO point of view and the FM point of
view. Reflecting on the research I gathered, my conclusion reveals my own thoughts on the
subject. Readers that oppose my theory are welcome to forward me their theories to be included
in on-going research about this topic.
CONCLUSION
This research has given me a better understanding of the factors that executives use to
conduct business that I did not understand. The concept of the kitchen cabinet or unrecognized
inner circle of trusted advisors is a common sense tactic but I was not aware of the large scale
use of it before this literature review. Understanding tools the C-suite uses gives me a better
sense of the scope of tools that executives can be influenced by, make decisions upon, and gain
direction for their organizations. Having the knowledge of these concepts and tools the C-suite
uses and relies on made me realize that I must raise my level of thinking to gain insight as to
what the C-suite does. Now that I know how many directions an executive is pulled in to make
their organizations thrive, I can answer my research question with these factors. I must think like
an executive to be like them, be able to talk to them, and to please them in my FM capacity. This
realization is difficult because beginning this project, I had assumed I would find an easy to
accomplish couple of answers to what factors the C-suite looks for in FMs. In retrospect,
knowing the answer is more challenging to perform will deter more FMs if the goals to become
better FMs are too difficult to attain.
While conducting the literature research, I found it quite easy to find authors who discuss
certain aspects of my research but not the actual concept itself. However, peers have made the
same inquiries as my research question. Peers who have made ventures into personal businesses,
performed facilities positions at high, senior management levels, and those peers who have
moved up the ranks from the boiler room. The inquiries by many different levels of peers in
organizational employee levels tells me that the industry is still searching for the answer to my
research question. I am hoping to find research that is void of ethical concerns.
Personally, I believe that with skillful, subsequent research projects, I believe that this
research question will be eventually answered and distributed to those in search of the answer. If
I am to conduct these projects, my skills as a writer and researcher will have no choice but to be
improved upon. Eventually, my skill set would be considered worthy enough (after many
publishings) to be considered the expert in facilities experts.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Citation: Allard, L.E., & Barber, C. (2003). Challenges and Opportunities in Aligning Real
Estate and the Workplace with Business Strategy: A Survey of Leading CEOs. Journal of
Corporate Real Estate, 5(3), 213.
Source: ABI/INFORM Complete
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.lib.depaul.edu/docview/233380443/1363CB5B151522E475
B/6?accountid=10477
Annotation: The researchers attempted to find out what CEOs deemed factors to success and
how they utilized them in their companies. Survey questions in a quantitative format asked the
CEOs to choose which practices were used and then to rank them in order of importance. The
study revealed CEOs believe the strategic goals would benefit from a stronger leverage of
physical assets. The survey found "strategic value of real estate and workplace design" (1) to be
important to the CEOs and the “most essential to successful implementation of business
strategy” (Page 1). The survey showed that relocation and workplace design are highly
interdependent. Other varied factors made up the rest of the list as being important to success.
The interdependence of all of the factors found is what has led to success for these organizations.
Significant: the CEOs who reported a relocation “did not perceive that these changes effectively
contributed to strategy execution” (Page 1). This article contributes to this research project by
giving data and its analyzation by the survey conductors toward proving that Facilities is
important and will hopefully be able to be supported through other research.
Citation: Bröchner, J. (2003). Integrated Development of Facilities Design and Services.
Journal Of Performance Of Constructed Facilities, 17(1), 19.
Source: Academic Search Complete
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.lib.depaul.edu/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=24&sid=be64d27455d0-4441-8b39d53497fd776a%40sessionmgr12&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=
a9h&AN=8925763
Annotation: The researcher’s purpose for conducting this research was to show that due to
changes in organizational work processes, facilities managers need to be included in the design
of the new space in a stronger way. The research question is “what are the paths and obstacles in
the construction sector that facilities can be integrated to help plan?” The methods used were
research. The results reveal that education is key for FMs in the design of how buildings are
constructed in order to help the construction sector design and plan the new spaces. Remarkable
about this study is the mention of education which was present in other articles presented in this
project. This article contributes to this research because it shows the integration of different
entities in the facilities management field and future successes if they are to be. Also the mention
of transportation costs is mentioned as it is as well in other articles this project includes. Quote:
“It is believed that there are good reasons for a strong design element in the education of future
facilities managers.” (Page 23) Quote: “By further extrapolation, the logical next step would be
a process change where the facilities manager emerges as a developer of projects.” (Page 20)
Citation: Coenen, C., Daniel, v. F., & Schmid, M. (2010). Reputation and public awareness of
facilities management - a quantitative survey. Journal of Facilities Management, 8(4), 256-268.
Source: ABI/INFORM Complete
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy2.lib.depaul.edu/docview/807420726/1364B24661D6DA43F
0F/2?accountid=10477
Annotation: The researcher’s purpose for this research is to provide public awareness of the
facilities management profession and the reputations of them. The researcher’s question is “how
do you see reputation impacting the organization’s brand recognition and public awareness of
facilities management in Switzerland?” The research method used quantitative survey and
comparative. The subjects included potential customers and stakeholders. Over 2,100 people
between 15-75 years old took the telephone survey. The results reveal that many do not know
what facilities management actually is or does. 79% had no idea what it meant. Those who know
what facilities management is score higher on professionalism. Future demand of facilities
management was found to have an increase especially for those that knew what it meant.
Remarkable about this study is the difference in knowledge of the industry, respect of what a
facilities management does, and how they are valued varies in different countries. This article
contributes to this research because internationally, the field of facilities management could still
be fighting its way into being recognized and regarded as professional and expert-driven. Quote:
“Despite the attempts of single FM corporations in reputation management and regardless of the
current image campaigns, the appropriate characteristics of the general public awareness and
reputation of FM are still unknown and have yet to be examined. It would thus be of great
interest to learn how much the general public is aware of FM as a business sector.” (Page 1)
Citation: Cotts, D., Roper, K., & Payant, R. (2010). The Facility Management Handbook Third
Edition. New York: Library of Congress.
Source: Book
Annotation: The authors’ purpose for writing this book was to equip the FM with a knowledge
base and tools considered best practices covering each area of expertise that any FM should
have. The authors question is “what are key criteria and areas of knowledge that a FM should
have?” The method used to conduct the research was both quantitative and qualitative. The
authors personally contacted individuals, screened surveys, interviewed, performed research and
reviewed publications. The results reveal competency based areas of knowledge bases that FMs
should know in order to be experts. There might be a slight bias of the authors considering they
are FMs or sustainability experts. Remarkable about this study is the section in the handbook on
how to sell the facility management to internal and external customers. This article contributes to
this research because although this book details what the FM should include in their knowledge
base to be considered a good FM, it is not robust in the detail of the competencies. Quote: “a
recent Aberdeen Group study of the industry states, ‘Although real estate and facilities life-cycle
management has been viewed as playing a more strategic role within enterprises, the ultimate
impact of these groups (facility and building management) is in question.’ This should cause us
all to pause. Are we really projecting the management image that we want? Why aren’t facilities
viewed as strategic as human resources and information technology, for instance? FMs who
thrive in the current environment have shed the role of technician and have adopted the
characteristics shown in the above list.” (Page 13)
Citation: Frisch, B. (2011). Who Really Makes the Big Decisions in Your Company? Harvard
Business Review, 89(12), 104-111.
Source: EBSCOHost
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy1.lib.depaul.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=3a447f720b25-4a58-b67f-4bacc648abfc%40sessionmgr14&vid=5&hid=12
Annotation: The author wrote this article to shed light as to who the decision makers are in
companies and ways they have power when other senior managers do not receive the same
treatment. The author’s questions are “who really makes the major strategic decisions in your
company: the acquisition and divestiture decisions; the capital investment decisions; the where,
when, and how to go to market decisions; the decisions to expand or shut down operations?” The
subjects the author interviewed were CEOs of companies and this is an example of a qualitative
method of research. The results from the interviews reveal that important decisions are made
without team input. There is also a “kitchen cabinet” group heavily replied upon by the CEO.
The kitchen cabinet does not necessarily include employees yet are trusted advisors who offer
their advice, not making decisions. The senior management team is usually invited to strategic
planning discussions. However, they only get between 10% and 25% of a functional perspective
and are expected to take the overall corporate perspective. The author argues to make the most of
the senior management team’s abilities, the portion of time should be reversed in these meetings.
Remarkable about this study is the CEOs acting in this manner in running their businesses.
People usually assume that they placed competent people in senior level positions so they could
be consulted with on a regular basis. It might be found alarming to the senior management
personnel that read this project are people not looked at as experts in their division This article
contributes to this research project because it grasps a hidden dimension of the CEO practice that
will allow me to understand their front about including an FM in strategic decision-making
discussions. Quote: “CEOs who acknowledge and think through the role of their kitchen cabinets
and refocus their senior management teams on the tasks to which they are best suited will more
ably avoid clashes between appearance and reality.” (Page 8)
Citation: Holtham, C. (2007). Place and Space Strategies for 21st-Century Organizations. In
(Ed.), 21st Century Management: A Reference Handbook (pp. 452-461).
Source: Sage Publications, Inc.
http://www.sageereference.com.ezproxy1.lib.depaul.edu/view/management/n44.xml?rskey=zrZo2V&result=2&q
=place%20and%20space%20strategies%20for%2021st-century%20organizations
Annotation: The researcher’s purpose for conducting this research was to show what forms and
trends will be upcoming for office design and related working environments. The researcher’s
question is “what are the future designs of the office, how will they be efficient and effective and
why are they important?” The methods used were case studies. The subjects were surveyed. The
results of the findings are such that of what an office actually is and who uses them for what
purpose. Design can be from an architect but to support successful knowledge work is best
undertaken by those that actually work within the space. The design is best from a collective
contribution rather than just the facilities manager (or any other one person). The trend of
knowledge work can change from privacy to group participation so flexibility in the design is
crucial. The “office” can be viewed as physical or other ways. To change the dimension alters
the others (task, technology, structure, and people). It is viewed that a new office format is
expected to improve productivity and creativity. The seven core functions of the modern office
will drive the future designs. Remarkable about this study is that the best design came from the
medieval monasteries the monks used. In addition, that one senior executive thought that it was
impossible to conduct knowledge work in an office, only at home. This article contributes to this
research project because it is geared toward the office setting this project is most interested in:
the knowledge worker office. This collaborative effort will aid this research project when it
attempts to argue why the FM is not involved. Quote: “So when it comes to the question of
design of space for knowledge work, this is a topic not simply of concern to the professional
designer, to the property developer or the facilities manager.” (Page 2)
Citation: Kovac, E. J., & Thompson, R. A. (1994). Strategic facilities planning. Strategy &
Leadership, 22(1), 44-44.
Source: ABI/INFORM Complete
http://search.proquest.com/docview/194361747?accountid=10477
Annotation: The author wrote this article as a case study to describe the steps to take to create a
strategic facilities plan and who to present it to. The author’s questions are “what are the
necessary components of a strategic facilities plan?” The subjects the author used is one
company, Bellcore, the senior officers, the facilities staff, an outside consultant, and conducted a
series of interviews, an example of a qualitative method of research. The results from the
interviews reveal five major approaches to creating a strategic facilities plan. This article
included a summary of five planning innovations which can be used to implement strategic
facility plans by others. The author could be biased since he worked for the company Bellcore.
Remarkable about this study is that the plan is flexible and can be applied to many different
organizations and is timeless. This article contributes to this research project because it appears
as though these tactics are used today in strategic development. Yet, FMs are not being valued
for their contributions to the organization as key players. The FM is still not getting to the
“kitchen cabinet” secret insider CEO advisory club. Quote: “because the innovations devised by
Bellcore’s interorganizational teams tend to make strategic facilities planning more adaptable,
this methodology would be especially useful to corporations in times of dynamic change – for
example, during corporate restructuring, mergers, and takeovers.” (Page 1) Quote: “Hence, a
broad base of participation is desirable in any strategic facilities planning effort. This is a
departure from traditional facility planning efforts, which usually involve a small subset of a
company’s total organization, typically, a few top executives plus facilities management.” (Page
5)
Citation: Kruyt, M., Malan, J., & Tuffield, R. (2011). Three Steps to Building a Better Top
Team. Mckinsey Quarterly, (10, 113-117.
Source: EBSCOHost
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy1.lib.depaul.edu/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=12&sid=2b6df1cf-
42f4-41e0-98c5e22e7af08b53%40sessionmgr14&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=
bth&AN=58573474
Annotation: The author’s purpose for this article is to show how ineffective relationships can
be changed by three priorities between the CEO and all strategic teams and how they are
important for the organization’s performance goals to succeed. The question asked by the authors
was “what are priorities for constructing and managing effective top teams?” The methods used
included surveys with 600 senior executives of 30 of the more than 100 leading multinational
companies and this is an example of qualitative research. The results from the interviews reveal
three critical ways to build a better top team. First is “get the right people on the team…and the
wrong ones off”. Second is “make sure the top team does just the work only it can do”. Third is
“address team dynamics and processes”. Decide what contributions the team must make and then
change them. Stop letting the top teams do everything else. Get effective and productive.
Remarkable about this study is the top team personnel were doing everything else other than
their job. By changing the dynamics of the processes of the right teams, companies can expect to
receive higher satisfaction results from their customers. This article contributes to this research
project because by having the CEO really delve into the personnel and their focus, the
organization can continuously adjust top teams and make the business itself run better. Quote:
“Little surprise, then, that more than one-third of the executives we surveyed said their top teams
did not have the right people and capabilities.” (Page 1)
Citation: Lynch, B. (2002). Maximising FMs contribution to shareholder value part 1: Can the
capital expenditure process for fixed assets be improved? Journal of Facilities Management,
1(1), 48-55.
Source: ABI/INFORM Complete
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.lib.depaul.edu/docview/218906841/13647496F307B91CFD
A/7?accountid=10477
Annotation: The researcher’s purpose for conducting this article was to expand on whether FMs
can contribute to an organization’s shareholder wealth by improving the expenditure process for
fixed assets. The researchers question is “can the capital expenditure process for fixed assets be
improved?” The research method used by the author is only stated as a review of literature and
conversations with many FMs and executives. This is an example of qualitative. The results
reveal the capital expenditure process for fixed assets can be improved and do contribute to
shareholder value. The pace of change in organizations is rapid but the FM profession has not
kept up in time. This gap is the business expectations and facilities performance is the major
concern of business leaders. Design and construction process as well as modernization, which
both fall in the FM’s realm of duties, do not usually make it into the long-term capital budgets
planning processes which impact the approach of having real time feedback which is causing the
issue of evolution reduction of the facility management profession. Organizations usually
overlook the capital budgeting process because too many departments “own” the budget.
Remarkable about this study is that this is the only article that attempts to answer my research
question about the disconnect of the c-suite and the FM. This article contributes to this research
project because this article shows the answer to my research question if it had been asked in
2002 and needs to be ascertained as to whether it still holds true today. Quote: “The pace of
change in the business world is accelerating, while the facilities management profession has not
evolved as rapidly especially with respect to delivering new facilities.” (Page 1)
Citation: Manning, C., Rodriguez, M., & Ghosh, C. (1999). Devising a corporate facility
location strategy to maximize shareholder wealth. The Journal of Real Estate Research, 17(3),
321-340.
Source: EBSCO Host
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.lib.depaul.edu/docview/200300047/1364019FBD7564EEFF
3/7?accountid=10477
Annotation: The author wrote this article to show how corporate facilities relocations do or not
maximize shareholder wealth and if so, in what ways. The author’s question is “in what ways can
organizations plan to maximize their shareholder wealth?” The subjects the author found were
announcements from the Wall Street Journal about relocation or moving. The authors found a
usable 182 cases. They used standard event study methodology. The authors also used empirical
tests of the sample portfolio. The author also used regression models to try to explain. For one
area, the authors interviewed eight corporate real estate executives by telephone. The results
reveal that “corporate location decisions can have a significant impact on shareholder wealth.”
The case studies of Travelers Co. and Ernst & Young show that some corporate costs take into
consideration such factors as wages, taxes, rental rates, utilities, raw materials, components,
transportation costs, sales volume, space expenditures, and future changes in how the
organization will run. Work ethic, education, productivity and stability of prospective employees
were found to be factors in where relocations occur. Some companies have changed employee
job descriptions, consolidated some employee support services, and reduced employee turnover
which improve worker productivity as a way of reducing salary overhead and space
expenditures. Being prepared for future trends should be a concern for corporate real estate
managers. Remarkable in this study is the amount of data collected regarding projected wealth
for a company due to relocation. This article contributes to this research project because even
though this is geared toward a for-profit organization audience, many of these factors not being
known or understood by a FM might contribute to why CEOs deem FMs incapable of knowing
enough to be considered the expert in a relocation endeavor. Quote: “Although effective
placement or replacement of facilities can dramatically improve bottom-line performance, few
chief executives fully understand or appreciate the value added through effective location
decisions.” (R.C. Wilson, 1987) (Page 1)
Citation: Mazzarol, T., & Choo, S. (2003). A study of the factors influencing the operating
location decisions of small firms. Property Management, 21(2), 190-190.
Source: ABI/INFORM Complete
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.lib.depaul.edu/docview/213302163/13640F3CDF55E7B446
9/7?accountid=10477
Annotation: The author conducted this research to investigate what factors are used in the
selection of industrial land by small to medium organizations. The author’s question is “what
factors influence the selection of industrial land?” There were three stages used to collect the
data. The results reveal that small to mid level firm executives were motivated by personal issues
to relocate. The selection and acquisition is still important to the future success. Porter is
referenced about the substantial impact on the firm’s ability to compete competitively and thrive.
In the pattern of behavior, the authors discussed the “buying centre” which is essentially the
same as the “kitchen cabinet” discussed in Frisch’s annotation. For the small to midowner/manager, the level of risk for a purchase (rather than renting space) is high because the
owner/manager is personally liable for the financial risk. As the risk associated with a purchase
increases, the buying centre will become larger and more complex. Also, participants in the
process will be more educated and possess greater levels of experience in their particular area of
expertise. Remarkable about this study is that Porter is referenced and the idea of this informal,
advisory formation to the decision-maker. This article contributes to this research project by the
inclusion of this informal advisory board and the multiple references to Porter signifying that a
relocation is significant to the organization and has adverse affects in the poor handling of it.
Quote: “It is likely that SME owner-manager s will follow a similar pattern to that described
above in their search, evaluation and selection process. However, the overall scale of this
response is likely to differ in proportion to the size of the firm. Larger SMEs may be able to
develop buying centres, albeit for short periods of time, while they confront the challenge of land
acquisition. Such buying centres are likely to rely more upon external consultants (e.g. relocation
consultants, real estate agents, lawyers, accountants and bank managers) than would be the case
with larger firms.” (Page 5)
Citation: Nonaka, I., & Takeuchi, H. (2011). The Wise Leader. Harvard Business Review,
89(5), 58-67.
Source: EBSCOHost
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy1.lib.depaul.edu/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=12&sid=6cea5e81f7f0-4305-b673a537b7ec7e5e%40sessionmgr4&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=bt
h&AN=60156363
Annotation: The author wrote this article to “identify how leaders can systematically make
decisions that will allow companies to live in harmony with society rather than clash with it”
determine what CEOs can do to have better companies if just having a necessary amount of
knowledge doesn’t automatically yield success. The author’s question is “Why doesn’t
knowledge result in wise leadership”? The subjects were from two decades of leadership where
they interviewed generations of leaders in some cases and this is an example of a qualitative
method of research. The results from the interviews reveal six abilities leaders must have in order
to be successful. They are abilities that can be learned and the authors describe in detail how to
do so. First; wise leaders can judge goodness. Second; grasp the essence. Third; create shared
contexts. Fourth; communicate the essence. Fifth; exercise political power. Last; foster practical
wisdom in others. The use of knowledge is not enough, CEOs must also be able to draw on
practical wisdom. When leaders cultivate practical knowledge throughout the organization, they
create fresh knowledge as well as make enlightened decisions. A point to be made here: this
study was done in Japan. Remarkable about this study is the length of time and scope of project:
two decades and studying, interviewing, and teaching. Also, the inclusion of Aristotle and the
relation of CEOs making decisions that not only affect the organization but the society. This
article contributes to this research project because this shows me that good leaders are the same
as others and can learn to incorporate good decision-making skills as part of the whole. Quote:
“CEOs need to ask if decisions are good for society as well as for their companies; management
must serve a higher purpose”. (Page 3)
Citation: Nunnington, N., & Haynes, B. (2011). Examining the building selection decisionmaking process within corporate relocations. Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 13(2), 109-121.
Source: ABI/INFORM Complete
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.lib.depaul.edu/docview/871270302/1363CD53CE32EA305
3E/3?accountid=10477
Annotation: The author wrote this article to examine how organizations consider real estate
issues such as site or building selection and the process of acquiring it. The project was driven by
inexperienced students and led to an evaluation of how they need to learn the process in practice.
The author’s question is “how far the industry has come and are mistakes still being made in real
estate acquisitions?” The subjects the author defines are over 15 years of student projects and the
Dutch designed system the real estate norm (REM). The empirical form is used. The results from
the article reveal that due to increased accountability, relocation decisions need to be based more
on objective approaches. The relocation evaluation process should include considering factors
which impact productivity and staff morale and their likeliness to stay. The relocation is the time
to match the building site and design with the organizational demand. To determine the rate of
success on the various tools used to determine the building site and workplace satisfaction, a
post-occupancy evaluation should be distributed and on-going. The tools have been used in
controlled conditions by some of the researcher’s students (both under and postgraduate). The
feedback is positive yet suggested that the checklists and tick box tools significantly shifted the
focus of the methodology from building supply to occupier demand. Remarkable about this study
is the admittance of some chairmen or chief executives still decide based on their personal
preferences. This article contributes to this research project because students are learning how to
think like CEOs and be able to make strategic business decisions using skills learned in
professional development. Quote: “With increased transparency, accountability and corporate
social responsibility, decisions based on more rigorous and objective approaches are starting to
be demanded. The authors believe that this can only increase as international accounting
standards evolve and greater interest in the credibility and objectivity of decision-making takes
place. It is proposed from our research that the Corporate Real Estate Asset Management
professional now has a responsibility to undertake a much more objective, criteria-based
approach.” (Page 2)
Citation: Per, A. J. (2011). Organisation of facilities management in relation to core business.
Journal of Facilities Management, 9(2), 78-95.
Source: ABI/INFORM Complete
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.lib.depaul.edu/docview/866420605/1363C55706A2E1468A
D/1?accountid=10477
Annotation: The author wrote this article to describe clearly the relationships between FMs and
core business and how they vary between strategic and operational depending on the situation.
The author’s question is “whether it would be possible to maintain interest in issues related to
strategic facility management and real estate among top management of the company after the
relocation?” The empirical and theoretical methods of research are present in this project. Ten
managers in the company were surveyed. The results from the interviews reveal the FM in
different roles at different times in different settings. The FM can only provide support functions.
Then in value chain analysis, the role of the FM is not mentioned in either the top management
or support groups that are essential. Michael Porter’s theory is mentioned and is found not to
include the FM. O’Hara also noticed this. Depending on the size of the company and the state the
organization is at with regards to strategic long term goals, an FM can move between being
utilized as a strategic partner in the top management or fulfilling operational facilities
management duties only. Only when real estate enters the strategic goals of the organization does
the FM get invited to discuss matters with the top management. Remarkable about this study is
that it is a research paper by another student extremely close to what this project is trying to
research. This article contributes to this research project because this research shows an aspect of
the research question that the original direction of this project did not follow. The analyzation of
this piece should prove to yield some interesting points. Quote: “So, FM can be regarded as a
generic strategic field which becomes a current strategic focus area for top management in
specific periods – in contrast, for instance, to product and sales development, which has constant
attention from top management in most corporations.” (Page 6)
Citation: Winter, M. (2005). Students Become Facility Strategists in Simulations with Real
Companies. College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, 33(2), 6.
Source: Questia
http://www.human.cornell.edu/outreach/upload/HEMag33_2.pdf
Annotation: The researcher’s purpose for conducting this article was to shed light on the
professors at Cornell about their strategies to prepare students for the real world solutions they
need to possess. The author’s question is “what specific skills does the class deliver to students
in order them to be prepared for critical thinking and coming up with solutions for clients when
entering the work force?” The methods the author used to conduct the article was an interview
with the professor and this is an example of qualitative research. The results reveal the course
work is designed to provide history of how buildings were designed and how organizational
change prompts design. An internship is formed. The students are formed into facilities
management consultants and work with real companies in phases to get a sense of the
organization’s practices and goals, create a plan to relocate some of the organization’s operating
units, choose best site, design the space, and then manage the move. Students’ reports are part of
a portfolio. Remarkable about this study is the forward-thinking ideas these students bring to the
industry and then get hired right out of college because they have actual experience rather than
an internship only. This article contributes to this research because if CEOs claim that FMs do
not possess critical thinking and planning skills, this course is a way to disprove it. Quote: “Take
hoteling as an example. The original research behind this office space allocation system that
saved IBM so much money was conducted in the College of Human Ecology. When it was first
proposed to the field’s trade organization, the International Facilities Management Association,
attendees argued that hoteling wasn’t practical. Today, hoteling is a mainstay that saves
companies not only hundreds of thousands of dollars annually but also enhances employee
performance and job satisfaction.” (Page 9)