Ventovuori, T (2007) Elements of sourcing strategy in facilites management services : decision categories and choices. PhD thesis, Helsinki University of Technology, Finland.
Abstract
"It is commonly suggested that effective procurement planning and management of FM services can directly affect the relative success of an organization s business. Therefore, it is surprising that only a few organizations and a few studies have focused on the development of sourcing strategy in FM services or their essential elements, such as outsourcing decisions, service bundling and the selection of relationship type. The lack of theoretical frameworks is perhaps one reason why strategic planning of sourcing is found to be ignored in the field of FM. This study presents the elements of sourcing decisions that are essential for the development of sourcing strategy in FM services, and integrates five scientifically reviewed research papers. The objectives of the study are to identify the different types of sourcing decisions and the alternative choices within the FM services sourcing strategy. Furthermore, the factors used for justifying a specific decision in sourcing FM services are identified and implications of the supply environment in FM services market for identified decisions are discussed. Based on literature review, a theoretical framework for FM service sourcing strategy was developed. The framework was used to examine the sourcing strategies in four case organizations. The case data were collected by using semi-structured interviews, open-ended questionnaires and focus group interviews. Later, the case data was supplemented with market data which were collected from Finnish service companies by using a questionnaire. The market data was aimed to generate additional information for decisions and choices of the framework from a FM services market perspective. This dissertation points out that the realized sourcing strategies in the FM services context are an integration of the different sourcing decisions that have features of different sourcing strategy approaches earlier presented in the supply chain management and FM literature. As information on a certain market is important for the buyers in making well-grounded sourcing decisions, it is suggested that the buyers of FM services should conduct systematic research of the markets prior to competitive bidding. By using a novel framework for selecting sourcing strategy in FM services, the buyers can make more rational sourcing decisions."
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | case study; facilities management services; purchasing decisions; sourcing strategy |
| Index terms: | literature review, strategy, competitive bidding, focus group, interview, research paper, facilities management services, management service, questionnaire, bundling, integration, purchasing, outsourcing, case study, dissertation, markets, strategic planning |
| Subjects: | management, professional development, service delivery, organizational analysis, procurement strategy, business, data collection methods, research dissemination and communication, financial and cost management, economic analysis, bidding, data analysis and analytics |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Information Management, Business Strategy, Cost Management, Organizational Design, Procurement, Project Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here