Diffusion of profession in Sri Lanka organisations: facilities management

Abstract

Facilities Management (FM) is the integrated management of the workplace to enhance the performance of the organization. It is obvious that competent FM will arouse effective working performance and the value of the organisation by increased employee productivity. Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory helps to explain the adoption process of innovation by modelling its entire life cycle according to the aspects of communications and human information interactions. Thus, this research aims to identify the influencing factors and nature of their effect on FM diffusion in Sri Lankan organisations, FM as a sample for the profession. A qualitative research approach was selected to conduct the research. A comprehensive literature synthesis was carried out at first to determine the existing data and also to develop the questionnaire survey which was designed for top management of FM adopted organisations in Sri Lanka. The questionnaire respondents were selected randomly with the available information. Collected data were analysed using manual content analysis and which was validated using a 95% confidence interval test. Research findings revealed that majority of FM adoption decision was taken in the Sri Lankan organisations by Board of Directors/ Managing Director which is authority type organizational innovation-decision and there is nothing which belongs to collective categories such as the decision of the government or any corporation or councils or board. Moreover, the Rogers generalizations regarding internal characteristics for the innovative organizations are most appropriate with the Sri Lankan FM adopted organizations.