The appraisal of workplace performance measurement tools

The competitive market has pressured companies to produce more, to a betterquality, in less time with fewer resources, hence the drive to increase businessproductivity and cut costs. In the field of facilities management this has meant thatthe need to demonstrate the contribution made to improve productivity hasintensified. One fundamental attempt to illustrate this contribution has beendirected toward high performance workplaces. This thesis is concerned withworkplace performance measurement tools and methods, and identifying flawedunderstanding within them to distinguish how they could be further developed.The research questions were narrowed down through a content analysis of theproblem defining process of a FM practitioner-led research forum and through aninitial literature review. As a result, it was identified that the over-emphasis on costreduction within FM practice limits potential workplace improvements due toinsufficient evidence needed to demonstrate the value these would add to thebusiness. The practitioners have suggested that one reason for this is a lack ofworkplace performance measurement knowledge. They proposed that tools thatfocus on effectiveness rather than efficiency should be developed to create a linkbetween Facilities Management input and output to demonstrate the contribution ofFM to the core business (workplace productivity). These, mainly practice-initiated,problems have been used as a basis for this research as representing a timely,real world, enquiry.The importance of applying a practical point of view to this research is explainedthrough discussing the philosophies of real world research and describing theconnection between 'management research' and the principles of 'action research';and through highlighting the importance of a 'practice-led and theory-sensitive'approach to enable usefulness for both theory and practice.The aim was to reflect on and critically appraise the current tools and methodsdocumented in literature and used in practice. Eight tools have been identified andexamined. The setting of logical and comprehensive criteria for the criticalappraisal became a fundamental challenge -better understanding of differentapproaches to workplace performance measurement was needed. This wasachieved through a parallel review of the Centre for Facilities Management's casestudy database and through a literature review. Further interviews were alsocarried out with the FM practitioners of the research forum, but also with othercase study organisations (to gain a broader view) to confirm the findings and tobetter understand their practice of workplace performance measurement. As aresult, exploratory criteria were developed and further examined. The creation of aresearch problem was possible through a gap analysis of the identified methodsand tools, and the proposed criteria.It was recognised that these tools and methods place little emphasis on supportingthe continuous change within organisations and that an understanding of peopleactivities, such as communication and team interaction, was underdeveloped. Thefocus was mainly on defining the performance of a physical workplace, rather thanthe effects this has on the people activities. It is argued that these tools often aimto provide feedback for the construction industry to improve the future design,rather than for the purpose of the organisation to improve the suitability of theirworkplace for their business functions.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Master's Level (Level 7)

Year dc:date.issued

2004

Author dc:creator

• Huovala, R

Language dc:language

en

Identifier

oai:salford-repository.worktribe.com:1339249

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:salford-repository.worktribe.com:1339249