Suvi Nenonen

A conceptual framework of CREM performance measurement tools

Purpose – To provide a review and classification of tools, techniques and methodologies, which are and could be used for measuring and identifying the success of corporate real estate and workplace management.Design/methodology/approach – Review of previously published works on performance measurement and measurement models and empirical interviews with 26 corporate real estate executives to examine what are common approaches to measuring performance.Findings – Provides information about the corporate real estate performance measuring methods and practices.Research limitations/implications – The conceptual framework is not an exhaustive list of methods and techniques. It is more like a first analytical review and classification of different kinds of methods, which could be developed over time.Practical implications – A useful source of information and impartial analysis of methods for corporate real estate and workplace managers seeking ways to demonstrate their value to the core business of their firm.Or...

A review and classification of academic research in facilities management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review, evaluate and classify the academic research that has been published in facilities management (FM) and to analyse how FM research and practice are linked.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on literature review and qualitative research. Qualitative data have been gathered from academic papers published in FM‐related journals (i.e. Facilities, Journal of Facilities Management, and the Nordic Journal of Surveying and Real Estate Research – Special Series) and in conjunction with academic conferences (i.e. European Research Symposium in Facilities Management and the CIB W70 Symposium) between 1996–2005.Findings – When analysing empirical research in FM, research papers can be classified according to the FM topics examined in them, the type of research performed and data‐gathering methods used in the study reported, the background of the authors, research field, and research sector. Evaluation of academic papers indicates that the reporting of the...

Analysing the intangible benefits of work space

Social work space is emerging as a major avenue for sharing knowledge and the creation of social capital. Social space and physical space needs to be in balance. Virtual space must also be included in this mix. The physical work environment can support the new sense of place and space in the knowledge work. This paper discusses how to use tangible assets to make intangible social space perform better. In this paper the problem is approached by analysing the balance between physical, social and virtual space. The method used is based on “type” analysis, which uses the structure of a four‐quadrant model based on twin axis for the knowledge production circle. The focus is on the space needed in different phases of creating knowledge. The results of the pilot test show that work environments tend to support explicit knowledge sharing but fail to support tacit knowledge exchange.

Work environment preferences does age make a difference

Purpose – The paper aims to identify the differences and similarities in work environment preferences of office users of different age.Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyses results of a preference survey answered by more than 1,100 office employees in Finland. The survey included questions concerning user preferences in terms of location, buildings, workspaces, and services. The analysis starts with a principal component analysis (PCA). The respondents are divided into five clusters based on their year of birth, and their responses are compared based on regression analysis. The identified differences are confirmed by discriminant analysis.Findings – The study shows that there are differences in the work environment preferences of users of different age. Significant differences were found concerning personal services, commuting, collaboration, restaurant services, and adjustability of indoor climate. The study also identifies areas in which preferences between younger and older employees did not...

Typologies for co-working spaces in Finland – what and how?

Purpose n n n n nThis paper aims to categorize the typologies of co-working spaces and describe their main characteristics. n n n n nDesign/methodology/approach n n n n nThe aim is reached by means of analyzing 15 co-working spaces located in the capital area of Finland. The data used consist of interviews, websites, event presentations and brochures. n n n n nFindings n n n n nAs a result, six co-working space typologies were identified: public offices, third places, collaboration hubs, co-working hotels, incubators and shared studios. The categorization was made by using two axes: business model (for profit and non-profit) and level of user access (public, semi-private and private). n n n n nResearch limitations/implications n n n n nThe results provide a viewpoint on how co-working spaces can be categorized. n n n n nPractical implications n n n n nIn practise, the results can be applied by all stakeholders who are working with alternative workplace solutions to respond to the needs of new ways of working, especially via workplace services for multi-locational and flexible working, including facilities managers, corporate real estate executives and designers. n n n n nOriginality/value n n n n nThis research builds on the previous academic literature on co-working spaces by making the phenomena more explicit for researchers and practitioners who are facing the challenges of developing new alternative workplace offerings.

Workplace experience – a journey through a business park

Purpose – This paper aims to present a methodology for assessing end‐user experiences of workplace environments and proposes an “experience sheet” as a way to illustrate the findings.Design/methodology/approach – In the theoretical part, the article combines understanding from post‐occupancy evaluations in the facilities management field with service process audits in the hospitability sector. This methodology is then tested in a case environment.Findings – The findings suggest that the methodology and the experience sheet provide a usable and interesting way of assessing user experience in the workplace environment.Practical implications – This article offers an illustrative way to understand user experience in workplace environments, and through that helps in improving existing working environments and in creating new ones.Originality/value – This article combines theoretical understanding in a cross‐disciplinary manner in a novel way, and through that introduces a usable method for workplace improvemen...

Rehabilitation Centers in Change: Participatory Methods for Managing Redesign and Renovation

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to describe a set of participatory methods that we have either developed or modified for developing future work and service environments to better suit renewable rehabilitation processes. We discuss the methods in a larger framework of change process model and participatory design. BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation organizations are currently in transition; customer groups, financing, services, and the processes of rehabilitation centers are changing. The pressure for change challenges the centers to develop both their processes and facilities. There is a need for methods that support change management. METHODS: Four participatory methods were developed: future workshop, change survey, multi-method assessment tool, and participatory design generator cards. They were tested and evaluated in three rehabilitation centers at the different phases of their change process. RESULTS: The developed methods were considered useful in creating a mutual understanding of the change goals between different stakeholders, providing a good picture of the work communitys attitudes toward the change, forming an integrated overview of the built and perceived environment, inspiring new solutions, and supporting the management in steering the change process. CONCLUSIONS: The change process model described in this article serves as a practical framework that combined the viewpoints of organizational and facility development. However, participatory design continues to face challenges concerning communication between different stakeholders, and further development of the methods and processes is still needed. Intervention studies could provide data on the success factors that enhance the transformations in the rehabilitation sector.

Evolution of co-working places: drivers and possibilities

ABSTRACT The popularization of information and collaboration technologies in the workplace in addition to global economic changes and the requisites of sociability have created a need for flexible office locations that support mobile and collaborative work. Co-working is currently a globally generalizing workplace phenomenon. This study investigates the evolution of co-working places from the 1960s until today to identify the primary concepts and drivers of this development. An analysis of the academic literature demonstrates that the evolution of co-working spaces involves three primary concepts: telecentres, serviced offices and co-working spaces. The main drivers of these concepts relate to new ways of working, attractiveness, work-life balance, economic efficiency, sustainability and regional development. The aim of this review is to provide perspectives for designers, service providers and facility managers working in both the private and public sectors when developing new collaborative workplace service concepts.

Role configurations in the service provision process: empirical insights into co‐creation of value

Purpose – Research on value co‐creation has gained ground rapidly but remained at a very theoretical level. Thus, it has provided relatively little insight into the nature of individual processes of service provision/value creation, and how firms interact with their customers and contribute to their value creation processes. On this basis, the purpose of this paper is to identify and elaborate possible roles firms and their customers enact in the service provision/value creation process.Design/methodology/approach – The research utilizes a multiple case study approach building primarily on qualitative interview data from eight service concepts in the Finnish residential real estate industry.Findings – The research reveals three roles of the firm based on the extent to which firms engage in service provision/value creation processes with their customers. At one extreme, the output of the firms acts as a resource, which is transformed into an outcome and used by the customers. At the other, firms and custom...

User preferences of office occupiers: investigating the differences

Purpose – The work environment has been identified to influence employee satisfaction and work performance. In order to develop and provide work environments that meet the preferences of as many employees as possible, more information about user preferences and possible preference differences between different kinds of users is required. The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding concerning office users work environment preferences. The aim is to investigate whether there are differences in the preferences of office users based on their age, gender, their mobility, and whether they work individually or with others.Design/methodology/approach – Office users work environment preferences are studied through a survey directed to office employees. Statistical analysis is used in order to identify work environment preference differences between respondents of different age, gender, and the way they work.Findings – The results indicate that there are differences between office users work envir...