Performance measurement in facilities management - the case of outsourced service contracts

Moss, QZ

Abstract

Performance measurement is common practice and a well-researched topic in many
disciplines including Facilities Management (FM). This thesis focuses on FM service
performance and specifically addresses an identified gap in knowledge about measurement
of performance in outsourced service contracts in FM.
Conceptual and practical performance measurement literatures were assessed in a critical
review with the Quality Managed Facilities (QMF) model. The thesis identified QMF's
potential as a structured approach to performance measurement, which was tested through
a single, embedded exploratory case study. QMF model was adapted in a four-phased action
research project in a UK Central Government Department. QMF was selected because of its
unique capability of mapping FM outputs, especially in quality, value and risk, directly with
strategic business drivers. The project assisted the case study organisation in setting up a
performance management system for multiple service providers at strategic, tactical and
operation levels. Leading practitioners and academics were interviewed in the further
reflection phase to update and verify contemporary issues in performance measurement
and FM.
The case study organisation has reflected many of the most common problems with
performance measurement systems for outsourced FM contracts: lack of strategic
alignment and heavy focus on Service Level Agreement compliance in particular. Although
six years have elapsed since the case study, the supplementary interviews confirmed that
these problems still exist in the industry. Referring to the common saying of 'what gets
measured gets done', the limitations of current performance measurement practice have
contributed to the perception that FM companies are operational service providers who can
only deliver cost reductions.
The research calls for the internal FM team to take the lead, to adopt a much more
strategically aligned approach in developing performance measurement system, and to
move away from efficiency measures to effectiveness measures so to demonstrate how FM
contributes to core business. It also brings out the importance of the socio-cultural issues,
the language used and the relationships amongst actors are important determinants of the
successful application of any performance management system.

Citation

Moss, Q. Performance measurement in facilities management - the case of outsourced service contracts. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Aug 5, 2021
• Award Date: Aug 1, 2012