Facility Management: A Strategy for Operations Effectiveness of Indigenous Building Construction Firms in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Facility management is an aspect of building in the construction industry that is capable of contributing maximally in terms of socio-economic development and gross domestic product (GDP) of our country, Nigeria. Hence, the objective of the study was to empirically find how facility management influences the operational effectiveness of building construction firms in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. This was necessitated as a result of a delay in the handover of deliverables and an untimely routine check of facilities deployed to work among the indigenous studied firms. This work was hinged on correlation design. A total number of 143 questionnaires were administered to construction engineers as respondents drawn from 35 building firms studied. Convenience and purposeful sampling technique was used in selecting 35 firms from 51 registered firms in the industry, based on their leadership and dominance in the industry, with the aid of a proportional sampling technique for sample size determination. Responses from questionnaire items structured in accordance with three research questions were analyzed using Spearman Correlation Coefficient in combination with Regression Analysis to determine causation. Findings revealed a strong positive correlation among paired variables. The study concluded that operational effectiveness amongst the studied firms could maximally be sustained for socio-economic development when facilities deployed for productive activities are strategically managed and maintained in the studied firms. Amongst the recommendations proffered was that the project manager should clearly identify and specify the maintenance schedule to be followed during the commissioning or handover of deliverables to the client.