Learning through briefing: For strategic facilities management in the health sector

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the process of cultural learning during the briefing process, to enable facilities managers to move into more strategic roles in the health sector. Design/methodology/approach: Using a new hospital as an in depth case study the authors use comparative cause mapping to illustrate the cultural learning processes between actors in the briefing process. Findings: The focus during the briefing process is primarily on the mechanical transfer of explicit technical knowledge about building requirements rather than the cognitive learning of tacit cultural knowledge. This results in the omission of important strategic information in the briefing process. Research limitations/implications: This research is limited to a single case study. Although this results in a high level of validity, more research is needed in other contexts to test the generalisability of the findings. Practical implications: The new strategic model produced should help facility managers reconceptualise briefing as a cyclical process where project actors can arrive at a shared meaning of each other's values, beliefs and needs over time. Social implications: More effective hospital facilities can significantly contribute to better health outcomes in communities. Originality/value: This is the first time that briefing has been explored using cognitive cause mapping. It is also the first time that cultural learning has been explored in this context.