The Connections Are Critical

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The traditional representation of an organisation is the organisational chart, drawn like a family tree.  This type of organisational structure reflects significant progress made years ago by ‘scientific’ and ‘bureaucratic’ management - the division of work into specialist functions depicted on the back of the new £20 note.  But in today’s business environment, these practices are no longer efficient. [15] Asset management does not work inside bureaucracies or within departmental silos: it needs to operate across the enterprise – flowing through the white space of the organisational chart.

If everything is ultimately one system, it can be argued that distinctions between asset management, property management and facilities management are somewhat arbitrary stereotypes because the role of the asset manager crosses conventional boundaries.  Asset managers need to know how property and the business are linked, and to be aware of potential ‘disconnects’ at the interfaces, which are generally the weakest points of any system.  Specialist knowledge is necessary but not sufficient for this task; however, a trans-disciplinary understanding of how property supports the core business is essential. 

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