Evaluating the Performance of Campus
Facility Management through Structural
Equation Modeling Based on Key
Performance Indicators
Murat Gunduz, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE
1
; Khalid K. Naji, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE
2
;
and Omar Maki
3
Abstract: This paper presents the development of a comprehensive campus facility management performance assessment model (CFMPM).
The model employs structural equation modeling (SEM) and incorporates a thorough list of crucial success factors. The CFMPM tool is
intended for use by industry shareholders to evaluate the operational effectiveness of campus facility management (CFM) and analyze the
proficiency and constraints of CFM organization across diverse managerial tiers. Key CFM success factors were collected using interviews
with experts and relevant literature, validated using two rounds of the Delphi technique with 14 highly qualified experts, and disseminated via
an online questionnaire to industry experts who rated them according to their significance. Data were obtained from 402 participants hailing
from diverse regions. Then, SEM was used to perform a quantitative analysis of the interconnectedness between the various aspects of CFM
performance, with the aim of ascertaining the influence of each construct on overall performance. The model was rigorously assessed for
its robustness across several parameters, including goodness-of-fit measurements, multivariate normality tests, and reliability and validity
tests, in addition to hypothesis analysis. The gathered data were used to construct a CFMPM comprising 45 key performance indicators of
successful CFM grouped into seven different constructs. The application of SEM revealed a noteworthy correlation between the operational
indicators of proficient CFM and the construct groups, in addition to the impact of efficacious CFM constructs on CFM performance overall.
This research enhances the existing knowledge base by identifying vital indicators for the evaluation of CFM effectiveness and utilizing them
to formulate an inclusive global SEM capable of serving as a tool for gauging the efficiency of CFM. This could lend valuable support
for organizations, facility managers, and policy makers when making well-informed decisions. DOI: 10.1061/JMENEA.MEENG-5641.
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
Author keywords: Effective campus facility management (CFM); Importance index; Confirmatory factor analysis; Critical project success
factors (CSF); Key performance indicators; Structural equation modeling (SEM).
Introduction
Over time, facility management (FM) has transitioned from the
convergence of maintenance management and entrepreneurial de-
velopment to an established industry in most countries. The world-
wide market for FM is anticipated to expand significantly, from
$1,260.36 billion in 2022 to $1,856.44 billion by 2029, represent-
ing a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7% (Fortune
Business Insights 2022). Moreover, in the UK alone, FM generates
an estimated annual revenue of approximately £115 billion and
provides employment to 3% of the working population (Wang
et al. 2022; Pinti et al. 2022).
The International Facility Management Association (IFMA
2022) defines FM as a comprehensive and multidimensional set of
responsibilities that includes, but is not limited to, space utilization,
equipment maintenance, strategic space planning, and portfolio
projection. Higher education institutions possess a broad range of
facilities that surpasses those of other organizations, thereby neces-
sitating a more varied approach to managing campus facilities
(Pampana et al. 2022). Additionally, they require top-tier services
that facilitate a conducive atmosphere, aiding end-users in enhanc-
ing their efficiency and focusing on their primary goals. To ensure
the advancement and prosperity of a campus facility management
(CFM) enterprise, the complex environment at the various levels of
management must be integrated with critical success factors, using
the appropriate tools to correct any deviations from the effective
performance path.
Most previous research in the field of FM and CFM paid in-
sufficient attention to the implementation of CFM performance fac-
tors and activities. Conversely, the emphasis of these studies has
primarily been on analyzing specific facilities, procedures, and
components to gain a basic understanding of CFM within a partic-
ular geographical region, organizational framework, or building
type. Therefore, their input was confined to a particular setting and
did not encompass the broader notion of factors that influence
CFM performance. The insufficiency of literature pertaining to per-
formance evaluation tools in the context of CFM has prompted
1
Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Qatar Univ., P.O. Box 2713,
Doha, Qatar (corresponding author). ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003
-2602-3318. Email: mgunduz@qu.edu.qa
2
Associate Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Qatar Univ., P.O. Box
2713, Doha, Qatar. Email: knaji@qu.edu.qa
3
Ph.D. Candidate, Engineering Management Program, College of
Engineering, Qatar Univ., P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar. Email: omar
.alazzawi@qu.edu.qa
Note. This manuscript was submitted on April 15, 2023; approved on
July 26, 2023; published online on October 14, 2023. Discussion period
open until March 14, 2024; separate discussions must be submitted for
individual papers. This paper is part of the Journal of Management in
Engineering, © ASCE, ISSN 0742-597X.
© ASCE 04023056-1 J. Manage. Eng.
J. Manage. Eng., 2024, 40(1): 04023056
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Murat Gunduz on 10/14/23. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.