Bob Thompson - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Bob Thompson

Research paper thumbnail of The spatial implications of Portcentric warehousing

Proceedings of the 21st Annual European Real Estate Society Conference

Over the last twenty years, investment in European industrial property has been heavily influence... more Over the last twenty years, investment in European industrial property has been heavily influenced by logistics – in particular optimisation of the location of warehouses. As demand for consumer goods burgeoned, retailers began to exert more power in the whole supply chain to ensure the efficient flow of goods from manufacturer to consumer. The spatial implication of this was a shift from a pattern of warehousing determined by the production of goods to one determined by the pattern of consumption. The location of warehouses was optimised around the servicing of retail outlets.Investors and asset managers bought into this structural shift and, despite their specialist nature, logistics warehouses have become a key component in any multi-sector investment portfolio. From the perspective of value, the highest numbers are seen in so called logistics hotspots identified by the optimisation process.Across Europe the logistics process is dominated by road transport. However, fuel costs and the growing importance of the green agenda have forced logisticians to reappraise the transport modes used. Concurrently, investment in new infrastructure, particularly in eastern Europe, is redrawing the boundaries of what is possible. The optimisation of warehouse location is an ongoing process and one which has a direct impact upon value when hotspots move. This paper looks at the impact of the rise of portcentric warehousing upon the value of those port locations themselves but also upon the investment values seen in existing logistics hotspots.Initially the paper will set out the supply chain context to warehouse location identifying the main trade routes and points of entry.The paper will examine the different models for optimising logistics based upon different combinations of transport modes and examine their spatial impacts in terms of warehouse location. Having identified the current hotspots values will be quantified in each location. Overlaid on this picture will be optimisation based upon a portcentric model where warehousing is developed at or close to ports of import and export. The future impact upon values will be explored using different scenarios.

Research paper thumbnail of Technological Change: Diffusion and Adoption of ICT by Consumers, Businesses and Government

Research paper thumbnail of Property and Asset Management in United Kingdom:The REMark study

The objective of this paper is to look at the performance of Property and Asset Management (PAM) ... more The objective of this paper is to look at the performance of Property and Asset Management (PAM) in the UK over the past five years. This part of the property industry suffers from extreme cost pressure to the point where profitability is in question. The paper discusses different business models for PAM and uses a detail process model to pull out the key metrics for the industry. Using the REMark survey of property managers and funds it reports upon the performance of property and asset managers with respect to efficiency and collection performance over a five year period, drawing out key trends.

Research paper thumbnail of Does connectivity add value to commercial real estate? The case of managed and conventional offices

This research is a preliminary study which examines the impact of connectivity on value in the ma... more This research is a preliminary study which examines the impact of connectivity on value in the managed office and conventional office sectors. The research is based on an extensive literature review, online survey and case studies carried out during 2005. The research shows, for the first time in the UK, how connectivity can increase value in office buildings, and how technology is priced in the market place.

Research paper thumbnail of Wireless Technology and Shopping Centre Management - Opportunities or Threats?

Book of Abstracts: 15th Annual European Real Estate Society Conference - Krakow, Poland

Wireless communication is increasingly being used in UK shopping centres, by the centre managemen... more Wireless communication is increasingly being used in UK shopping centres, by the centre management, retail outlets, and visiting customers. Wi-Fi access presents shopping centres with both opportunities for income generation and threats from signal congestion, but few shopping centre managers have taken steps to manage Wi-fi use and there are good reasons why this needs to change. Free Wi-fi access, such as through ehot-spotsi, can act as a public service and is a channel through which the shopping centre can engage the consumer directly, to market the centre and inform customers about services available. Retailersi use of Wi-fi for stock control, delivery management and equeue bustingi is enabling them to offer higher levels of service and make more efficient use of sales space, potentially with knock on consequences for store turnover and rents. Public concerns about Wi-fi tend to centre on data protection, civil liberties and heath & safety issues. Overall, the significant increasing use of wireless communications means shopping centre airspace will be carrying traffic using many different standards and protocols, some of which may conflict with each other unless systems are properly installed and managed. This paper is based on survey responses from 57 UK shopping centres and follow-up interviews with shopping centre owners, managers, IT consultants / specialists and retailers. It examines the opportunities and threats associated with Wi-Fi use and the recommended management actions to ensure the benefits outweigh any drawbacks for the centre owners, retail occupiers and the public at large.

Research paper thumbnail of Information and communications technology and industrial property

Journal of Property Investment Finance, 2005

Purpose – The purpose of this is to paper discuss the impact of information and communications te... more Purpose – The purpose of this is to paper discuss the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) upon the industrial property sector through the identification of observable trends now and in the near future. The paper looks at the current ICT influences on industrial ...

Research paper thumbnail of DEMAND FOR INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY IN THE EUROPEAN MARKET OVER THE NEXT DECADE - COMPARING THE UK and GERMANY

Book of Abstracts: 13th Annual European Real Estate Society Conference - Weimar, Germany, 2006

In the early 1980s there was a sea change in the attitude of the UK government towards manufactur... more In the early 1980s there was a sea change in the attitude of the UK government towards manufacturing industry. Subsidies were withdrawn, interest rates were allowed to rise to rates consistent with the inflationary environment and rigid labour laws were dismantled to allow greater flexibility in the hiring and firing of staff. From a property perspective the result was a rapid reduction in the volume of industrial floorspace in occupation and a substantial decline in real industrial returns. Traditional manufacturing regions were the worse hit and, in some cases, have yet to recover. This economic shock also accelerated some long-term changes: tenure of industrial property changed rapidly from predominantly owner-occupied to leasehold; specialist warehousing became the growth segment of the industrial property market and much functionally obsolete industrial property saw a change of use. In Germany, despite some reform, labour laws remain relatively inflexible, some manufacturing industry continues to attract subsidy and industry in Germany is becoming progressively less competitive. As far as industrial real estate in Germany is concerned, owner occupation remains the dominant form of occupation and logistics property provides the engine that drives the market. In the 1980is it was competition from the itigeri economies of Korea and Taiwan that defined the industrial trading environment. This decade will see even more vigorous competition from China, India and, closer to home, the central European economies. This paper looks at the next decade comparing industrial property markets in the UK and Germany using different scenarios to assess the potential impact of these factors on future markets in these countries for occupiers and investors in industrial property.

Research paper thumbnail of Real Estate Use and ICT

Real Estate & the New Economy, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of European Industrial Futures

Book of Abstracts: 2005 European Real Estate Society conference in association with the International Real Estate Society - Dublin, Ireland, 2005

The main driver of the industrial real estate markets over the next decade will be change in almo... more The main driver of the industrial real estate markets over the next decade will be change in almost everything. Infrastructure changes will alter the relative desirability of locations and facilitate distribution; high labour costs will see a redistribution of production; policy may add to the cost of construction or the operational structure of demand; changes in technology will alter the way buildings are used and where they are best located. All these have a direct impact upon demand for the industrial property product set. This paper examines European industrial markets over a ten year horizon identifying these changes and setting out the opportunities that accrue and threats that may emerge for industrial investors over the period.

Research paper thumbnail of Vision 1996-2006. Report of the Planning Committee, Centralia College Foundation

Abstract: The Centralia College Foundation (CCF) was established in 1982 to develop activities to... more Abstract: The Centralia College Foundation (CCF) was established in 1982 to develop activities to support Washington's Centralia College and the surrounding community. This report provides information on the CCF and describes Foundation goals for 1996 through ...

Research paper thumbnail of Intramural Game of the Week Televised

Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, 1974

EJ097062 - Intramural Game of the Week Televised.

Research paper thumbnail of Opportunities for the use of broad-band packet-switched data networks for direct patient care

Computer-Based Medical …, 1990

Relationships between primary care providers and major medical centers are changing. In addition,... more Relationships between primary care providers and major medical centers are changing. In addition, there is a trend toward subspecialization and geographic dispersion within medical centers. Present data management systems and present referral practices are unlikely to ...

Research paper thumbnail of Distribution property in Europe

Proceedings of the 10th European Real Estate Society Conference - Helsinki, Finland, 2003

The accession of ten new EU members in 2004 with an orderly queue forming for 2007 and thereafter... more The accession of ten new EU members in 2004 with an orderly queue forming for 2007 and thereafter has been changing the pattern of trade and therefore distribution in Europe for a decade or more. New and growing markets place a great strain upon supply chains that have not been optimized for the purpose. This paper looks at the new geography of Europe from the perspective of the creation of distribution hubs. Using low-level output and population data it draws out a spatial model that identifies sub-regions most suitable for distribution uses and compares the findings with available market data to identify opportunities.

Research paper thumbnail of Industrial Employment Densities

Journal of Real Estate Research

This paper examines the results of a long running study of floorspace to employment ratios in UK ... more This paper examines the results of a long running study of floorspace to employment ratios in UK industrial property. The objectives of the research were to identify the densities generated by a range of industrial building types and to gain a picture of how those densities move ...

Research paper thumbnail of Upgrading the Surveyor The impact of emerging technologies on the teaching of real estate

25th Annual European Real Estate Society Conference

Research paper thumbnail of Industrial Property Characteristics and performance in the UK and US: A Comparison

Proceedings of the 5th European Real Estate Society Conference - Maastricht, The Netherlands

Research paper thumbnail of Storing up Trouble: The Economic Impact of Industrial Development

Proceedings of the 14th Annual European Real Estate Society Conference - London, UK

Research paper thumbnail of On track to a greener future or running into the buffers?

Proceedings of the 19th Annual European Real Estate Society Conference - Edinburgh, Scotland

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Does connectivity add value to commercial real estate? The case of managed and conventional offices

Research paper thumbnail of Innovation in property management

Journal of Property Investment & Finance, 2015

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine innovation in the context of property and asset... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine innovation in the context of property and asset management (PAM) and define a clear interpretation of the term that can be applied generally. Second to propose an organisational framework in which stakeholders in PAM can behave more innovatively. Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes the form of a literature review and application of third party research. Findings – There is a clear need for stakeholders to behave innovatively. Innovation is primarily cultural and is disruptive by design which is uncomfortable for a mature industry like PAM. Research limitations/implications – This is an examination of existing literature and research. It sets up a need for empirical research on the behaviour of PAM stakeholders. Practical implications – PAM stakeholders need to change their culture to enable innovation to flourish. Originality/value – There is little published research on PAM.

Research paper thumbnail of The spatial implications of Portcentric warehousing

Proceedings of the 21st Annual European Real Estate Society Conference

Over the last twenty years, investment in European industrial property has been heavily influence... more Over the last twenty years, investment in European industrial property has been heavily influenced by logistics – in particular optimisation of the location of warehouses. As demand for consumer goods burgeoned, retailers began to exert more power in the whole supply chain to ensure the efficient flow of goods from manufacturer to consumer. The spatial implication of this was a shift from a pattern of warehousing determined by the production of goods to one determined by the pattern of consumption. The location of warehouses was optimised around the servicing of retail outlets.Investors and asset managers bought into this structural shift and, despite their specialist nature, logistics warehouses have become a key component in any multi-sector investment portfolio. From the perspective of value, the highest numbers are seen in so called logistics hotspots identified by the optimisation process.Across Europe the logistics process is dominated by road transport. However, fuel costs and the growing importance of the green agenda have forced logisticians to reappraise the transport modes used. Concurrently, investment in new infrastructure, particularly in eastern Europe, is redrawing the boundaries of what is possible. The optimisation of warehouse location is an ongoing process and one which has a direct impact upon value when hotspots move. This paper looks at the impact of the rise of portcentric warehousing upon the value of those port locations themselves but also upon the investment values seen in existing logistics hotspots.Initially the paper will set out the supply chain context to warehouse location identifying the main trade routes and points of entry.The paper will examine the different models for optimising logistics based upon different combinations of transport modes and examine their spatial impacts in terms of warehouse location. Having identified the current hotspots values will be quantified in each location. Overlaid on this picture will be optimisation based upon a portcentric model where warehousing is developed at or close to ports of import and export. The future impact upon values will be explored using different scenarios.

Research paper thumbnail of Technological Change: Diffusion and Adoption of ICT by Consumers, Businesses and Government

Research paper thumbnail of Property and Asset Management in United Kingdom:The REMark study

The objective of this paper is to look at the performance of Property and Asset Management (PAM) ... more The objective of this paper is to look at the performance of Property and Asset Management (PAM) in the UK over the past five years. This part of the property industry suffers from extreme cost pressure to the point where profitability is in question. The paper discusses different business models for PAM and uses a detail process model to pull out the key metrics for the industry. Using the REMark survey of property managers and funds it reports upon the performance of property and asset managers with respect to efficiency and collection performance over a five year period, drawing out key trends.

Research paper thumbnail of Does connectivity add value to commercial real estate? The case of managed and conventional offices

This research is a preliminary study which examines the impact of connectivity on value in the ma... more This research is a preliminary study which examines the impact of connectivity on value in the managed office and conventional office sectors. The research is based on an extensive literature review, online survey and case studies carried out during 2005. The research shows, for the first time in the UK, how connectivity can increase value in office buildings, and how technology is priced in the market place.

Research paper thumbnail of Wireless Technology and Shopping Centre Management - Opportunities or Threats?

Book of Abstracts: 15th Annual European Real Estate Society Conference - Krakow, Poland

Wireless communication is increasingly being used in UK shopping centres, by the centre managemen... more Wireless communication is increasingly being used in UK shopping centres, by the centre management, retail outlets, and visiting customers. Wi-Fi access presents shopping centres with both opportunities for income generation and threats from signal congestion, but few shopping centre managers have taken steps to manage Wi-fi use and there are good reasons why this needs to change. Free Wi-fi access, such as through ehot-spotsi, can act as a public service and is a channel through which the shopping centre can engage the consumer directly, to market the centre and inform customers about services available. Retailersi use of Wi-fi for stock control, delivery management and equeue bustingi is enabling them to offer higher levels of service and make more efficient use of sales space, potentially with knock on consequences for store turnover and rents. Public concerns about Wi-fi tend to centre on data protection, civil liberties and heath & safety issues. Overall, the significant increasing use of wireless communications means shopping centre airspace will be carrying traffic using many different standards and protocols, some of which may conflict with each other unless systems are properly installed and managed. This paper is based on survey responses from 57 UK shopping centres and follow-up interviews with shopping centre owners, managers, IT consultants / specialists and retailers. It examines the opportunities and threats associated with Wi-Fi use and the recommended management actions to ensure the benefits outweigh any drawbacks for the centre owners, retail occupiers and the public at large.

Research paper thumbnail of Information and communications technology and industrial property

Journal of Property Investment Finance, 2005

Purpose – The purpose of this is to paper discuss the impact of information and communications te... more Purpose – The purpose of this is to paper discuss the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) upon the industrial property sector through the identification of observable trends now and in the near future. The paper looks at the current ICT influences on industrial ...

Research paper thumbnail of DEMAND FOR INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY IN THE EUROPEAN MARKET OVER THE NEXT DECADE - COMPARING THE UK and GERMANY

Book of Abstracts: 13th Annual European Real Estate Society Conference - Weimar, Germany, 2006

In the early 1980s there was a sea change in the attitude of the UK government towards manufactur... more In the early 1980s there was a sea change in the attitude of the UK government towards manufacturing industry. Subsidies were withdrawn, interest rates were allowed to rise to rates consistent with the inflationary environment and rigid labour laws were dismantled to allow greater flexibility in the hiring and firing of staff. From a property perspective the result was a rapid reduction in the volume of industrial floorspace in occupation and a substantial decline in real industrial returns. Traditional manufacturing regions were the worse hit and, in some cases, have yet to recover. This economic shock also accelerated some long-term changes: tenure of industrial property changed rapidly from predominantly owner-occupied to leasehold; specialist warehousing became the growth segment of the industrial property market and much functionally obsolete industrial property saw a change of use. In Germany, despite some reform, labour laws remain relatively inflexible, some manufacturing industry continues to attract subsidy and industry in Germany is becoming progressively less competitive. As far as industrial real estate in Germany is concerned, owner occupation remains the dominant form of occupation and logistics property provides the engine that drives the market. In the 1980is it was competition from the itigeri economies of Korea and Taiwan that defined the industrial trading environment. This decade will see even more vigorous competition from China, India and, closer to home, the central European economies. This paper looks at the next decade comparing industrial property markets in the UK and Germany using different scenarios to assess the potential impact of these factors on future markets in these countries for occupiers and investors in industrial property.

Research paper thumbnail of Real Estate Use and ICT

Real Estate & the New Economy, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of European Industrial Futures

Book of Abstracts: 2005 European Real Estate Society conference in association with the International Real Estate Society - Dublin, Ireland, 2005

The main driver of the industrial real estate markets over the next decade will be change in almo... more The main driver of the industrial real estate markets over the next decade will be change in almost everything. Infrastructure changes will alter the relative desirability of locations and facilitate distribution; high labour costs will see a redistribution of production; policy may add to the cost of construction or the operational structure of demand; changes in technology will alter the way buildings are used and where they are best located. All these have a direct impact upon demand for the industrial property product set. This paper examines European industrial markets over a ten year horizon identifying these changes and setting out the opportunities that accrue and threats that may emerge for industrial investors over the period.

Research paper thumbnail of Vision 1996-2006. Report of the Planning Committee, Centralia College Foundation

Abstract: The Centralia College Foundation (CCF) was established in 1982 to develop activities to... more Abstract: The Centralia College Foundation (CCF) was established in 1982 to develop activities to support Washington's Centralia College and the surrounding community. This report provides information on the CCF and describes Foundation goals for 1996 through ...

Research paper thumbnail of Intramural Game of the Week Televised

Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, 1974

EJ097062 - Intramural Game of the Week Televised.

Research paper thumbnail of Opportunities for the use of broad-band packet-switched data networks for direct patient care

Computer-Based Medical …, 1990

Relationships between primary care providers and major medical centers are changing. In addition,... more Relationships between primary care providers and major medical centers are changing. In addition, there is a trend toward subspecialization and geographic dispersion within medical centers. Present data management systems and present referral practices are unlikely to ...

Research paper thumbnail of Distribution property in Europe

Proceedings of the 10th European Real Estate Society Conference - Helsinki, Finland, 2003

The accession of ten new EU members in 2004 with an orderly queue forming for 2007 and thereafter... more The accession of ten new EU members in 2004 with an orderly queue forming for 2007 and thereafter has been changing the pattern of trade and therefore distribution in Europe for a decade or more. New and growing markets place a great strain upon supply chains that have not been optimized for the purpose. This paper looks at the new geography of Europe from the perspective of the creation of distribution hubs. Using low-level output and population data it draws out a spatial model that identifies sub-regions most suitable for distribution uses and compares the findings with available market data to identify opportunities.

Research paper thumbnail of Industrial Employment Densities

Journal of Real Estate Research

This paper examines the results of a long running study of floorspace to employment ratios in UK ... more This paper examines the results of a long running study of floorspace to employment ratios in UK industrial property. The objectives of the research were to identify the densities generated by a range of industrial building types and to gain a picture of how those densities move ...

Research paper thumbnail of Upgrading the Surveyor The impact of emerging technologies on the teaching of real estate

25th Annual European Real Estate Society Conference

Research paper thumbnail of Industrial Property Characteristics and performance in the UK and US: A Comparison

Proceedings of the 5th European Real Estate Society Conference - Maastricht, The Netherlands

Research paper thumbnail of Storing up Trouble: The Economic Impact of Industrial Development

Proceedings of the 14th Annual European Real Estate Society Conference - London, UK

Research paper thumbnail of On track to a greener future or running into the buffers?

Proceedings of the 19th Annual European Real Estate Society Conference - Edinburgh, Scotland

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Does connectivity add value to commercial real estate? The case of managed and conventional offices

Research paper thumbnail of Innovation in property management

Journal of Property Investment & Finance, 2015

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine innovation in the context of property and asset... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine innovation in the context of property and asset management (PAM) and define a clear interpretation of the term that can be applied generally. Second to propose an organisational framework in which stakeholders in PAM can behave more innovatively. Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes the form of a literature review and application of third party research. Findings – There is a clear need for stakeholders to behave innovatively. Innovation is primarily cultural and is disruptive by design which is uncomfortable for a mature industry like PAM. Research limitations/implications – This is an examination of existing literature and research. It sets up a need for empirical research on the behaviour of PAM stakeholders. Practical implications – PAM stakeholders need to change their culture to enable innovation to flourish. Originality/value – There is little published research on PAM.