Facilities management: insights from India

Purpose In the past few years, India has seen an exponential growth in the built environment sector, which highlights the importance of facility or facilities management (FM). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the expectations, roles and skills required for successful FM operations within the built environment in India. The study also investigates the various educational programmes offered in FM in India. Design/methodology/approach This study uses semi-structured interviews with FM practitioners from India. A total of 20 respondents have participated in the semi-structured interviews. The interview questions covered few important areas such as daily roles and responsibilities, skills required, challenges faced and areas for further development, among others. In addition to the semi-structured interviews, a roundtable discussion was also conducted with three FM experts from India. Findings The study provides insights in the roles delivered by FM professionals, their challenges and areas of improvement. The study further reveals the lack of formal FM education in India. The findings of this study will also help in the development of academic programmes that will foster research culture and assist in overcoming challenges faced by the FM sector. Originality/value There is limited research available that addresses the FM requirements for India. In addition, there is no research available that addresses the FM education in Indian context. This paper throws light on the FM requirements in India and provides the necessary inputs for enhancing FM education in India.