Potential Brokerages in Relationally Integrated Value Networks (RIVANS) for Total Facilities Management: Literature Findings

Abstract

The collaborative supply chain networks in relational contracting modes have gained considerable attentions in recent decades as an essential prerequisite for enhancing business performance. Accordingly, integration of Project Management (PM) and Facilities Management (FM) phases of facility lifecycle through a collaborative network of stakeholders has been recommended as value additional strategy for the built environment professionals. Such value networks are called relationally integrated value networks (RIVANS) that operate extending PM and FM towards Total Facilities Management (TFM). TFM involves effective transferring of information, material, and services between PM and FM phases while sharing common goals among all stakeholders in entire life cycle of a facility. However, weak integrations among stakeholders have identified as one of the greatest barriers to form RIVANS between stakeholders in both phases and hence poor performances during FM phase are experienced. TFM provides a holistic approach through RIVANS to bridge the PM phase and the FM phase in the lifecycle of facilities as a favourable approach. Therefore, this paper aims to integrate these two phases through RIVANS by linking stakeholder of both phases. Study found that there are problematic “structural holes” that exist in these networks, which impeded the flow of information, material, and services and are short term oriented. Long term oriented value network appears to be favorable in facilities lifecycle to bridge the two phases through a common set of goals. Hence, the paper concluded that there is a brokerage potential of client’s facilities manager and project manager to bridge two network structures while strengthening structural holes. The brokers help to transfer material, information, and service between different stakeholders while enhancing better value through common goals.