1,720,993 research outputs found
Flexible Working Arrangements and New Proximity Dynamics
No full textTechnological developments, globalization and the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated changes in the way people perform their work from a spatial and temporal point of view, while introducing new and more flexible working arrange-ments which affect the usual idea of proximity. These forms of work can be performed at the first place (home), second place (office), and third place (e.g., collaborative and coworking spaces). This chapter explains flexible working arrangement typologies (remote working, hybrid working and digital nomadism) that have become more and more common in the past few years. Their effects are reviewed as reported in the literature at micro, meso, and macro levels. Despite a generally positive narra-tive associated with the broad adoption of such flexible arrangements, they bring also negative impacts on individuals, organizations and territories. Eventually, the chapter discusses whether and how near-working strategies might mitigate the dangers and enhance the opportunities associated with the new proximity dynamics made possible by flexible working arrangements
A change in granularity: measure space utilization through smart technologies
No full textPurpose: Workplace space utilization data reveals patterns of space usage, the occupants’ presence and mobility within the office building. Nowadays, emerging technology such as smart sensors and devices can revolutionize the measurement of space utilization data, which is originally dominated by human observers with paper and pencil. However, these novel instruments are often used in an old fashion, which restricts the exploitation of their full potential. This study aims to shed new light on the benefits and limits of using smart technology in measuring space utilization data and discusses the challenges and opportunities in analyzing the data measured by smart sensors. Design/methodology/approach: First, the literature regarding common methods and previous studies about office space utilization measurement was reviewed. Then, a data set consisting of space utilization data collected through Passive Infra-Red sensors for 35 meeting rooms in a bank building was carefully evaluated. Finally, the space utilization results based on methods calculated in two different granularities were compared. Findings: The number of occupied hours calculated at an hour level was 1.32-hour larger than that calculated at a minute level. As both results show the concept of space utilization, which was the amount of time that the space was occupied, this paper revealed a gap between the two space utilization calculation methods and further discussed the issues and challenges for future space utilization data analysis and benchmarking. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study critically addressing office space utilization issues by comparing calculation methods in different granularity
Work Activity Pattern and Collaboration Network: New Drivers for Workplace Space Planning and Design
Full text linkInformation about the users' work activity patterns is essential for office space planning and the design of organizations. However, it is not clear yet what factors can be used for predicting work activities, especially at the group level. In this study, we found that work activity patterns of groups are associated with the workgroup's job function and their location in the organizational collaboration networks. Two hypotheses were tested through a survey conducted on a sample of 188 managers from an Italian utility company. The participants were asked about (1) the percentage of time different groups (based on job function and demographic composition) spent doing individual, collaborative, and mobile work; and (2) how network connectivity affected individual versus group work. The results showed that workgroups with different job functions spent different percentages of time on individual, mobile, and teamwork. Communication network connectivity is not significantly correlated with the amount of time spent on individual work, but statistical evidence confirmed that it plays an essential role for the assessment of the amount of work time spent on teamwork, even more than job functions. By investigating the factors affecting collaborations between groups, we advanced the research on work activity in large companies in order to complement existing studies that mostly addressed work activity patterns at the individual level. How information about collaboration networks can be utilized for space planning and flexible work arrangement policy-making is also discussed, in light of the changes that the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered
R.E. property meets technology: cross-country comparison and general framework
Full text linkPurpose: Due to the young age of proptech, little is known about the dynamics of its expansion. In particular, there is limited agreement about a definition of “proptech,” while different categorizations are popping up. A severe lack of information emerges for the proptech scenario in Italy. The goal of this paper is to systematize multiple proptech maps in the attempt to create a framework for comparison of country-specific trends and an overarching definition of proptech. The research examines the evolutionary stage of the Italian digital real estate sector and compares it to the international context. Design/methodology/approach: An in-depth analysis of 12 proptech maps at both national and international level was conducted based on online research. A list of Italian proptech companies was composed through multiple methods. A map was built for a cross-country comparison. Findings: Each country or organization tends to develop its own categorization. This creates a multifaceted context where comparison and analysis are challenging. The Italian proptech sector seems underdeveloped compared to neighboring countries. Big room for improving the proptech business in this country still exists. Practical implications: The results are valuable for proptech start-ups, business investors and well-established real estate actors to build on new entrepreneurial initiatives. The opportunity to advance proptech mapping and categorization emerges as a prospect for future research. Originality/value: This research adds an overview of cross-country proptech categories and proposes the first analysis of Italian proptech. This will contribute to support entrepreneurial opportunities
The Ecological Footprint to Measure the Environmental Sustainability of Buildings: A Case Study
No full textCommunity bonds in new working spaces of a small town
Full text linkPrevious studies about new working spaces (NWSs) were mostly conducted in urban contexts and less is known about how they function in small towns and less dense areas. In particular, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on NWSs located outside metropolises are largely unclear. This study investigates the experiences of NWSs in a college town in the US during the pandemic. The analysis focuses on how different levels of the community can foster their development. Two rounds of semi-structured interviews with all NWS operators in Ithaca (NY, USA) led to an outline of four levels of community bonds, namely internal, local, extended, and managerial. The conclusions stress their function in strengthening the resiliency of NWSs and their future development in the context of small towns
Transforming work environments: Unveiling the dynamics and impacts of coworking spaces Working beyond boundaries: Redefining work modes and spaces across geographies dossier editorial
Full text linkThis thematic dossier presented in issue 46 of CIDADES, Comunidades e Territórios is the outcome
of extensive research focusing on the global emergence and evolution of new working spaces driven
by technological advancements and transformations in the world of work, such as the rise of nonstandard employment forms and increased flexibility in work arrangements. These spaces, mainly
under the large umbrella of the ‘coworking’ designation, have arisen mostly as a response to the
need for accommodating independent workers, providing them with a conducive environment for
work, collaboration, and social interaction, aiming to alleviate issues like work-life balance and social
isolation (Merkel, 2015). This workforce, particularly those in knowledge-based professions, exhibits
a preference for mobile, multilocal, remote, flexible, distributed, and virtual modes of work (Kojo &
Nenonen, 2016). Empowered by technology, these individuals are able to choose when and where
they work, enabling a greater degree of flexibility and autonomy. However, more studies are needed
on topics such as wellbeing, quality of life, and working conditions of non-standard employment
arrangements. Over the past decade, the number of coworking spaces has experienced significant
growth, attracting an increasingly heterogeneous set of users, including remote workers, companies,
and operators. As these spaces continue to evolve, they have become more hybrid in nature,
combining a variety of activities, sector, functions and/or spatial configurations (Tomaz & Tabrizi,
forthcoming; Waters-Lynch et al., 2016)
- …
