Implementing organisational change in a digitalising facilities management organisation through stewardship interventions

Koos Johannes, Hans Voordijk, Ingrid Wakkee, Guillermo Aranda-Mena

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Abstract

While digitalisation requires facilities management (FM) organisations to change at an increasing rate, little is known about the mechanisms that create ownership and enable individuals to implement changes in everyday FM practice. In this study, these mechanisms are explored from a stewardship perspective. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights in the dynamics of organisational change in FM by analysing how stewardship behaviour leads to change.
A process model for implementing organisational change is constructed, based on existing theoretical insights from stewardship and intrapreneurship literature. The model is evaluated in a case study through analysis of critical events. Interviewing was the key data collection method.
The process model gives an event-driven explanation of change through psychological ownership. Analysis of multiple critical events suggests that the model explains intra-organisational as well as inter-organisational change. The case data further suggests that, compared to intra-organisational change, tailored relational and motivational support is more important for inter-organisational change because of the higher risks involved. Job crafting emerged as an unanticipated finding that offers interesting prospects for future FM research.
The process model offers guidance for leaders in FM organisations on providing tailored support to internal and external employees during periods of organisational change.
Stewardship and intrapreneurship are combined to provide insights on organisational change in FM. The study demonstrates how intrapreneurial behaviour and stewardship behaviour can be linked to create innovation within and between organisations.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Facilities Management
Volume22
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 8 Jan 2024

Funding

When digital data volumes increased, the senior manager of the asset management team (follower), at the same time, wanted the contractors to use the data definitions provided by the university but also learn from the main contractor’s expertise and experience (, trigger #1). A managerial frame for collaboration in a relationship network (trigger #2) was provided by the F&AM director (leader). The senior manager of the asset management team transformed the problem of incompatible data definitions into a change opportunity through his understanding of this relationship network (trigger #3,4). He engaged teams from both the FM organisation and the contractor in a series of meetings over several months (trigger #6,7) to discuss asset hierarchies; the naming of conventions for mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and other assets; and cost allocation units. This went as far as detailing and defining the data hierarchies, formats and syntax. The output of this process was a detailed list of asset terms and definitions. Managerial support was provided by the F&AM director (leader) who relationally and motivationally supported his employees. In working with his team, he deployed “you-time” (trigger #5,8): This research was financially supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) under project number 023.007.046 and by the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. This research has been approved by RMIT’s Human Research Ethics Committee, reference number 20747. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the ARCOM online 2021 conference.

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