By Ozigbo Chinelo Adline
Facility management emerged as a result of the growing need to adequately maintain and manage special facilities and components in buildings. It has a very wide spectrum as several disciplines, particularly those of the built environment, are in one way or the other connected with it. There exists a deep-seated misconception even amongst professionals and the elite over the distinction between the practice areas of facility management and property management. Basically, facility management has a much broader scope than property management. Property management falls within the core competency of the Estate Surveyor and Valuer. Given this backdrop, this study was brought about by the need to establish the dividing line between the two concepts so as to put a lasting stop to the lingering bickering between operators and stakeholders in both areas. Specific objectives were to: (i) examine the training curriculum of each of the disciplines with a view to establishing the differences between them, (ii) clearly ascertain the fundamental responsibilities of facility management, (iii) find out the actual goals of property management and (iv) identify the gaps between facility management obligations and those of property management. The study was guided by four hypotheses. The study adopted the purposive field survey approach targeting Estate Surveyors and Valuers. Respondents were Estate Surveyors and Valuers. Interviews and questionnaires were used to collect primary data, and secondary data were from reviewed related literature. The purposive sampling technique limited the questionnaire administration and interview to only Estate Surveyors and Valuers that make up the population of study. Estate Surveyors and Valuers sampled were from the South Eastern States of Nigeria. A total number of 140 questionnaires were administered to various respondents in the five states of the South Eastern part of Nigeria. In Enugu state, a total of 60 questionnaires were administered, Ebonyi had 20 number, Anambra 20 number, Abia 20 number, and lmo 20 number. The number of questionnaires administered in Enugu State represents 42% of the population of study, while Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo and Abia States had 14% representation respectively. Out of the 140 questionnaires administered 113 were properly completed and duly returned. The data obtained were analysed using the Chi-Square test. Eighty-eight percent (88%) of the respondents were of the opinion that Estate Surveying and Valuation had similar training and curriculum with facility management while 12% stated otherwise. Sixty-six percent (66%) believed that Estate Surveying and Valuation had similar responsibilities with facility management while 12% did not believe that the responsibilities were similar. Also, 98% agreed that property management had its actual goals, but a negligible value which is 1.8% stated that property management did not have actual goals. Sixty-five percent (65%) indicated that there were areas of gaps between facility management obligations and those of property management while 35% indicated that there were no areas of gaps. Estate Surveying and Valuation had similar training and curriculum with facility management (x2cal = 73.94 > x2tab = 9.488, α = 0.05). Estate Surveying and Valuation had similar responsibilities with facility management (x2cal = 13.94 > x2tab = 9.488,
α = 0.05). Property management had its actual goals (x2cal = 120.50 > x2tab = 9.488,
α = 0.05). There were areas of gaps between facility management obligations and those of property management (x2cal = 12.58 > x2tab = 9.488, α = 0.05).