A study of corporate real estate as an instrument for corporate branding
Date
2016-07-13
Authors
Bell, Andrew
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Abstract
Purpose: The primary aim of this research is to establish an awareness of CRE
as an instrument for branding and determine which aspects of CRE may
contribute to and even strengthen the corporate branding of companies.
Design/Methodology/Approach: Comprehensive literature review, together with
a quantitative analysis of an in-depth questionnaire survey sent to owneroccupier
companies and qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with
industry professionals.
Findings: Not all aspects of corporate real estate are equally important when
considered in relation to corporate branding, furthermore the importance of
these aspects vary between the different owner-occupier groups surveyed.
Research limitations: this research was limited to a relatively small group of
owner-occupier companies that occupy recently developed buildings in the
primary office nodes in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Practical implications: The primary objective is to aid corporate real estate
managers and developers in better understanding how the strategic positioning
and intrinsic aspects of CRE can influence the corporate brand of a company.
Originality and value: This research identifies and ranks the different CRE
aspects that could be utilised as part of a corporate branding strategy, no
concluding evidence has been established as to how the identified aspects can
be used as part of a corporate branding or corporate real estate strategy.
Recommendations: Further research to establish how the identified corporate
real estate aspects could potentially be implemented as part of a branding
strategy or CREM strategy.
Keywords: Real Estate, Branding, Strategy, CRE, CREM.
Description
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built
Environment, of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science in Building, Property
Development and Management.
Johannesburg, 2014