Open‐plan measures in the determination of facilities space management

Presents findings from research on open‐plan measures in the determination of facilities space management. The aim of the research is to determine the impact of open‐plan measures on the effectiveness of facilities space management of CBD commercial office buildings ‐ the end‐view being to establish criteria for effective management and re‐engineering of open‐plan workspaces. A review of the literature reveals that this issue has not been definitively investigated. Hence, open‐plan measures remain virtually under‐exploited for the purpose of greater effectiveness of facilities space management. A sample of 102 open‐plan offices was studied, and data analysed using descriptive (such as mean, standard deviation, range) and inferential statistics (such as Spearman’s rho and partial correlations, multiple regression and path analysis). Direct and indirect associations were found between open‐plan and the effectiveness of facilities space management measures. However, some of the relationships were partly and wholly explained by management control measures. Though only multiple regression results are presented here, for reasons of brevity, this study concludes that, in many ways, certain open‐plan measures independently determine the effectiveness of facilities space management. This conclusion serves as a basis for developing criteria for effective management and re‐engineering of open‐plan workspaces.