Theory building in facilities management performance measurement : application of some core performance measurement and management principles

Amaratunga, RDG

Abstract

This thesis contributes to the area of performance measurement in facilities management
(FM). The context of the study is FM organisations.
Interest in performance measurement increased dramatically during the 1990's in both
management and academic literature. Performance measurement systems developed as a
means of monitoring and maintaining organisational control, which is the process of
ensuring that an organisation pursues strategies that lead to the achievement of overall goals
and objectives. A performance measure can also be defmed as a metric used to quantify the
efficiency and/or effectiveness of an action.
The role of FM in promoting organisational performance, and thereby in providing
competitive advantage is widely acknowledged. Although performance measurement
concepts are referred to in the FM literature, they have not been applied with the same rigour
as with other academic areas, such as production and manufacturing. Institutions will want
support services that offer the best possible standards to meet the users' needs. Better coordination
between core activities and support services means that institutions can respond
faster and more effectively to those demands for services. Herein lies the general theoretical
gap, which forms the point of departure for this research.
This thesis aims to outline the many different perspectives of performance measurement in
FM organisations. A grounded theory approach has been adopted with the aim of building
theory as opposed to testing theory. Case studies were conducted at several FM intensive
organisations. The identification of performance measurement tools or mechanisms was one
of the aims of the case study phase, as well as providing descriptive accounts of the process.
These tools and mechanisms were incorporated into a performance measurement
questionnaire and were evaluated against the FM organisations in UK.
The research uncovered performance measurement constructs in FM which could be
categorised under the following four broad perspectives: customer, FM internal processes,
FM learning and growth and financial FM. At each level, the FM organisation should strive
to make performance measurement visible with the aim of creating new performance
measurement constructs. Developed theory was further validated against a panel of experts
in the field of FM and in a real life case study.
The findings from both the qualitative and quantitative data points to an FM organisational
performance measurement process which depends on the existing knowledge base of the FM
organisation. The contribution to knowledge in the field may be viewed in terms of a critical
examination of the role of performance measurement and the implications these have for the
core organisation as the contribution made by FM will ultimately be judged by the
organisation's stakeholders over a wide range of performance criteria including both
fmancial and non-financial. FM is seen to be able to contribute to performance in many
ways: strategy, control of resources, service efficiency, supply chain management and
perhaps, most importantly, providing value for money.
Furthermore, the constructs and concepts developed in this thesis provide both a point of
departure for further research and a practical tool with which to assess performance
measurement and management with the FM organisation.

Citation

Amaratunga, R. Theory building in facilities management performance measurement : application of some core performance measurement and management principles. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jul 26, 2011
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 26, 2011
• Award Date: Jan 1, 2001