Partnering relations: Justification and success factors from facilities management services perspective

There is an on-going transition towards more collaborative approaches (i.e., usage of partnering relations) in the procurement of facilities management (FM) services. However, sometimes partnering is used also in cases in which it is not the most appropriate choice. This may happen due to the fact that most organizations do not have adequate knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of different relationship approaches. In addition, confusion prevails about the nature of partnering relations as relationships and the manner in which they should be managed.

This study looks at issues surrounding the selection of relationship type and the management of partnering relations between a client and FM service providers, and integrates five scientifically reviewed research papers. The objectives of the study are to find out in which situations partnering approach is chosen and to identify the factors rendering a partnering relation a success. Furthermore, reasons for the dissolution of earlier relationships are identified.

The empirical part of the study consists of two phases. The first phase is qualitative one, and the data are collected by semi-structured and focus group interviews. It aims towards deeper understanding of the selection criteria of relationship type, the differences between alternative relationship types in FM services, and partnering success factors. Although the focus is on the client's perspective, the representatives of service providers are also interviewed in order to achieve greater wealth of information. In order to confirm the findings of the first phase and, furthermore, to recognize the procurement trends of FM services, a survey is carried out as a second part of the empirical study. The data are collected using an internet-based questionnaire provided by client companies.

The results provide understanding of partnering phenomenon in the FM services context and suggest new insights on when to choose partnering approach and how to manage partnering relations successfully. The results indicate that companies should adopt a more strategic approach towards sourcing decisions in relation to FM services. Furthermore, in order to ensure the partnering success, precise goal setting with organized forms of cooperation and interaction is needed.