Knowledge Base of Businesses on Facilities Management
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Since the main role of facilities
management is to provide non-core business services to an organization to
enable it perform at the most efficient and effective level (Atkin and
Brooks, 2000), it is therefore important that businesses or organizations have
a fair working knowledge of facilities management and its effect on their
operations. Fortunately, businesses
are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of knowledge management; thus
taking action to make more efficient use of corporate knowledge (Herbert and
Chaney, 2011).
In order for an enterprise to
preserve the knowledge, their facilities management professionals have already
generated, it is necessary to employ knowledge management to encourage the
transmission of knowledge from individual to individual (Garg and Deshmukh,
2006).
In a knowledge economy, the one
who learns and knows more earns more. Hence, one more reason for businesses to
develop a knowledge base on FM. Pathirage et
al. (2008) argue effectively for the adoption of knowledge management by
any enterprise that wishes to preserve a competitive edge in a global
marketplace that is increasingly knowledge driven. Pathirage et al. (2008) observe that commerce is
becoming more and more “knowledge intensive,” and “only the ‘knowledgeable’
survive”.
In his survey of the history and
value of knowledge management, Wiig (1997) of the Knowledge Research Institute
summarizes the authority of this discipline: “It is the role of knowledge
management to keep the body of knowledge alive and vibrant to secure the
enterprise’s well-being and long-term viability”. He further stresses the necessity
of careful knowledge management in the “current economic reality where knowledge
is a differentiating competitive factor for individuals, corporations, and nations.”
For the enterprise to thrive, the
lifeblood of the modern global enterprise is knowledge (Herbert and Channey,
2011), and for that matter knowledge on facilities management, since FM touches
on every aspect of the organization; and this knowledge must be properly
administered.
Maintenance, and as such
facilities management, in time perspective is no longer seen as a necessary
evil like that known in the 1950s , but it is now spoken of as a partnership
system that works as a profit contributor in manufacturing organization
(Waeyenbergh and Pintelon, 2002; Garg and Deshmukh, 2006) as well as in the
real estate industry. A dilapidated building will attract a lower value
compared to another building in pristine condition.
Reviewing literature on
maintenance management, Garg and Deshmukh (2006) observed a striking change in
attitude towards maintenance from a necessary evil to “external and internal
partnerships.” This is probably due to increased development of the knowledge
base of businesses on facilities management (FM), leading to better
understanding of what FM does. The aforementioned possible explanation of
attitudinal change of businesses to facilities management, and for that matter maintenance,
ties in with Herbert and Chaney’s (2011) observation that businesses are
increasingly becoming aware of the importance of knowledge management.
Based on the forerunning, it could
be said that as organizations grew in knowledge and understanding of the role
of maintenance, the concept of maintenance metamorphosed. During the 1950s only
corrective maintenance was undertaken i.e. “fix it when it breaks” and it was
during this period that maintenance was viewed as a necessary evil (Garg and
Deshmukh, 2006). This maintenance paradigm gradually translated to preventive
maintenance and its various forms like predictive maintenance, condition-based
maintenance and so on. Concept of reliability came during 1980s in the form of
reliability centred maintenance which directed maintenance efforts at those
parts and units where reliability is critical. This was followed by total
productive maintenance, which revolved around solving maintenance problems
using quality circles method. Current emerging trend is towards integration of
these various approaches in the form of effectiveness centered maintenance
which stresses “doing the right things” instead of “doing things right” or strategic
maintenance management approach, where maintenance is viewed as a multi-disciplinary
activity (Garg and Deshmukh, 2006).
Additionally, Pathirage et
al. (2008) argue that the facilities management (FM) literature (Amaratunga,
2001) identifies four generations of FM that focus on the changes to the management
of facilities over the last few decades.
In the first generation, FM was considered as an overhead to
the organization and was something that had to be managed for minimum cost
rather than optimum value.
In the second generation, FM took a process perspective and
promoted the process focus between the organization’s individual businesses and
the FM organization by making FM activities within the organization a
continuous process (Amaratunga, 2001 in Pathirage et al., 2008).
In the third generation, FM becomes more concerned with
resource management, concentrating on managing supply chain issues associated
with the FM functions.
Finally, the fourth generation focuses on the alignment
between organizational structure, work processes and the enabling physical
environment arguing that the organization’s strategic intent must clearly
reflect the facilities dimensions in its strategic business plans.
Clearly,
the knowledge base and perspectives of organizations on facilities managements
have evolved over time.
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