New patterns in facilities management: industry best practice and new organisational theory

Abstract

Examines best practices in several areas of facilities management (FM), based on case work completed over the last four years by FMGC (formerly UFMR). Compares them by reference to two dominant paradigms, or patterns, of modern organisational theory and argues that a view of organisations as living, learning systems better explains – and more importantly better enables – best practice. The challenges facing facilities managers in the future are, as in other areas, those of finding new ways of leading, of cultivating environments for performing, and of finding new conversations with clients, customers and staff.