published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

Housing is the most important of asset of the general public. It combines the function of a living place and a major storage of wealth. Socially, it is a vertical community lived hundreds even thousands of people. Technically, it is an artifact of modern architecture and a combination of various building services and specific knowledge and skills are required to keep it running smooth. The one who operates this epitome of a society is named as “Housing Manger” Housing management is a young profession in Hong Kong. Its status and role is built progressively through interaction with its service clients, those are the residents of estates. The social construction process forms the base of the profession in image and agreement building. Understanding the relationship between residents’ perception and the evolution of housing management profession helps the profession to setup its direction and goal in order to provide more appropriate services to safeguard the interest of the general public. The purpose of this study is to analyze how the role of housing management profession is developed and affected by the perception and expectations of residents. Housing management itself is also examined with the eight characteristics of a classical profession to see whether it fulfills the requirements to differentiate itself from other occupations and professions. A questionnaire survey and an interview in micro perspective are carried out to collect the first hand information of thinking from residents and industry practitioners. The findings indicated that the general public holds a positive image on the housing management profession and agree its contribution to the public interest, which is maintaining a safe and comfortable living environment for residents. The latest movements in qualification framework and legal recognized licensing system of housing managers have clearly stated its service boundary of the profession and improved its legitimacy in the industry. On the other side, the findings also indicate some aspects are waiting improvement to strengthen the status of the professions. It shows the direction for all stakeholders of the industry to work and cooperate with each other for the ultimate goal of a safe and enjoyable living environment. / published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

This study is about the provision of value added services by management companies in Hong Kong, mainly focusing on middle class private residential properties. It is found that more and more value added services have been offered by management companies owing to the competitive market, escalating aspiration of residents and legal amendment. It is generally believed that provision of value added services is able to enhance competitive ability of management companies. Thus, management companies are willing to spend extra resources on the provision of the said services. On the other side, it is not difficult to find some front line staff of management companies complaining that the supporting from management companies are not sufficient for the provision of value added services. Then, they express that other management services and internal service quality have been affected adversely. These negative influences are not favorable for enhancing the competitive abilities of management companies. In this connection, the goal of this study is to find out the influences caused by the provision of value added services and provide recommendations to management companies for enhancing their competitive abilities in the market. 5 objectives have been set accordingly. Objective 1 is to explore the value added services provided by management companies in Hong Kong. For competing objective 1, a number of value added services offered by management companies have been identified. The value added services have been categorized into 5 groups based on their features. Objective 2 is to study business theory for enhancing profit, growth or competitive abilities of companies. Business theories including profit-service chain and satisfaction-service chain have been studied. Then, service-profit chain has been utilized to be the framework of methodology. Two questionnaires for residents and employees of management companies have been designed mainly based on the concept of service-profit chain. Objective 3 is to find out the value of value added services from residents' point of views. This objective has been completed by questionnaires. In addition, the influences caused by the provision of value added services on the value of other management services and internal service quality, from residents' and employees' point of views, have also been found by questionnaires for completing objective 4. Although the ranking of importance of value added services is behind some basic and essential management services including security, financial management, repair & maintenance and cleaning based on the reply of residents. It is found that, from residents' point of views, the value of value added services is high. It is estimated that management companies are able to enhance their competitive abilities by providing the said services. However, some negative influences in the value of other management services and internal service quality have been caused based on the reply of residents and employees. Both of the residents and employees express that the efficiency and quality of management services have been reduced. Besides, based on the reply of parts of employees, the additional working pressure has been caused by the provision of value added services. Turnover might be caused. For minimizing the negative influences and completing objective 5, recommendations have been offered accordingly for enhancing competitive abilities of management companies. / published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

Home ownership is a dream for many Hong Kong people. In 1997, property prices in Hong Kong soared to a new height. To meet the community’s expectation, The HK SAR Government launched which believed Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) was a solution. Through this scheme, public housing tenants were encouraged to buy their flats in their affording price. In the beginning, it received a very good response and it seemed very optimistic. However, it was severely criticized lately about the estate management and the arguments arc never ended. According to Arnstein’s model, the cause might be due to different expectations, role change and participation from various involved parties, including Housing Authority, TPS flat owners and public housing tenants in the TPS estates. Cairneross, Clapham and Goodlad (1997) implied tenant, housing manager and councilor were playing a game under the framework of tenant participation and such game determinate the rules of housing management. Thus, that may apply to the situation happened in TPS. With the vision of living in peace and contentment for TPS residents, this dissertation aims at examining the role changing of residents, from tenant to owner, and the level of resident participation in those TPS estates and eventually to exam how these conflicts occur from such changes. By applying Arnstein's model to investigate the issue, we hope to identify the root cause and provide a light of resolution. To carry out the investigation, documentary review and interviews were conducted to gather information for analysis. Base on the findings with Arnstein's model, this paper concludes that TPS could be a good example to explain Arnstein's ladder of Citizen Participation – The change of role leads to the reallocation of estate management authority. If we can solve the management issues, TPS is a good scheme to help citizens to create comfortable living place. We hope this dissertation can help to provide a light of resolution. / published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

I have been working in the property management field for 5 years, I have come across many challenges and problems which are require us to spend a lot of cost, time, and resources to solve and to deal with. I have found that those challenges and problems are mostly caused by the defects and design faults in the planning and design of the estate which arising my interested and curious about why the planning and design of the mass private housing estates can cause so much problems and challenges nowadays towards out the property management practices. It is a bit pity to say that during the research, I have found many of the housing managers are having the same thought with me and since housing managers are selfdom to be invited to participate in the developer’s project team meeting. That is the main reason why the planning and design of the mass housing estate will create many challenges and problems to the management team as well as to the residents. It is because they are lacking someone who knows the best of the end uses’ preferences and operations to give them practical comments for the planning and design of the development. In this research, you will be able to see how the planning and design of the mass private housing estate can impact the property management practices and the importance of having housing managers to join in the project team in the planning and design stage of the estate development. / published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

This dissertation is a study of procurement systems in private property management companies. The writer initiates this idea of studying procurement systems as he finds different companies have very different procurement systems but an effective procurement system is a very important management issue which directly affects the performance of property management company. Through the research, several evaluation factors have been used to evaluate the performance of five different procurement systems through a procurement of cleaning service contract. For these five property management companies – Nan Fung, MTR, Wellborn, ISS and Knight Frank, they all have different procurement systems with different advantages and disadvantages. Although it eventually cannot find a perfectly effective procurement system, some factors like the use of technology and suitable approval system affect the effectiveness of procurement systems. The research also concluded that property management companies have to develop their own optimal procurement systems as different factors like goals of management and size of company make differences that one single system cannot fit in all. Furthermore, property management companies are recommended to regularly review their systems to ensure the procurement is suitable to the current environment and atmosphere. / published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management