Corporate strategic decision making: A comparative analysis of companies in the industrial and non‐industrial sectors

Abstract

Purpose

Seeks to explore recent studies in corporate real estate and to provide a comparative analysis of industrial corporations in Ireland and those in the non‐industrial sector with respect to their corporate real estate management objectives.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical investigation reports on a study undertaken in Ireland and compares results from companies in the industrial sector with companies in the non‐industrial sector. The methodology is based on a behavioural questionnaire targeted at the top 150 companies operating in Ireland and classified on the basis of number of employees.

Findings

The findings indicate that significant differences are apparent between companies in the industrial sector and companies not in the industrial sector in the use of real estate assets. In particular companies in the industrial/manufacturing sectors have weakly developed corporate real estate strategies.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitations derive from a relatively small sample size, a function of targeting the survey at senior executives. There are implications for companies in the under‐utilisation of real estate assets and the effects of this on corporate balance‐sheets requires further investigation.

Originality/value

Highlights that companies in Ireland, notably those in the industrial sector, have some significant way to go in utilising their corporate real estate assets more effectively.

Citation

Roulac, S., Adair, A., McGreal, S., Berry, J., Brown, L. and Heaney, G. (2005), "Corporate strategic decision making: A comparative analysis of companies in the industrial and non‐industrial sectors", Journal of Property Investment & Finance, Vol. 23 No. 4, pp. 364-378. https://doi.org/10.1108/14635780510602426