Schmitter, P (2024) Digital Transformation of Facility Management: A Mixed Methods Study to Develop a Conceptual Model to Derive Critical Success Factors for Facility Management in Hospitals. Doctoral thesis, Liverpool John Moores University.

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Abstract

Purpose: Facility management (FM) is a management discipline and organisational function that provides a wide range of non-medical services critical to ensuring efficient, safe and high-quality hospital infrastructure and operations. A primary concern is the lack of practical and conceptual understanding of the digital transformation. The purpose of this study is to (i) research the current understanding of digital transformation from an FM in healthcare perspective, (ii) identify enablers and barriers for facility managers in hospitals to successfully foster and sustain the digital transformation, and (iii) develop a conceptual model to derive critical success factors (CSFs). Research Design and methodological approach: A multi-phase sequential mixed methods design comprising of four phases was developed. In Phase One, secondary data from the academic literature on digital transformation was analysed as part of a scoping review. In Phase Two, primary quantitative and qualitative data was collected and quantitatively analysed, following the group concept mapping methodology. In Phase Three, primary qualitative data was collected through research interviews with professionals holding leadership positions in FM in hospitals, expanding on the findings of Phase Two. This data was qualitatively analysed using thematic analysis, and quantitatively validated through topic modeling. In phase four, the conceptual model for deriving CSFs was developed, and quantitatively evaluated with 28 Swiss hospitals. Findings: The findings indicate that professionals generally acknowledge the significance of the digital transformation, although there are varying perceptions and understandings of what it constitutes for FM. Derived from Phases One and Two, 70 enablers and 61 barriers of the digital transformation relevant to FM were identified. These were further refined, clustered, prioritised and contextualised, resulting in three clusters of 29 enablers and three clusters of 24 barriers. Based on these empirically derived findings, a conceptual model in the form of a Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) was developed, which is specifically oriented towards the derivation of organisation-specific CSFs. Originality: This study provides foundational knowledge, actionable recommendations and a novel mixed methods research approach with implications beyond the FM discipline and hospitals. By using innovative techniques, such as group concept mapping and machine learning (ML), it introduces a novel, multi-perspective approach to academic research in business and management.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	digital transformation; facility management; digitalisation; healthcare; hospital; non-medical support services; enablers; barriers; critical success factors; conceptual model
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > HF5001 Business
Divisions:	Liverpool Business School
SWORD Depositor:	A Symplectic
Date Deposited:	18 Nov 2024 10:54
Last Modified:	18 Nov 2024 10:54
DOI or ID number:	10.24377/LJMU.t.00024652
Supervisors:	Shahgholian, A, Tucker, M and Wilson, H
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/24652

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