The application of supply chain management and collaborative innovation in the delivery of facilities management services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define supply chain management (SCM) in facilities management (FM) and in generic business context, and extensively review critical elements to ensure the success of SCM and collaborative innovation in FM as a service delivery system. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs comprehensive literature reviews from a number of publications retrieved from electronic databases, journals and books. Findings – SCM helps organisations to execute strategic purchasing for sustainable market position in a rapidly changing and competitive environment. Facilities will be effectively managed by adopting strategic alliances in SCM with FM suppliers through faster service delivery, increase in service efficiency and cost savings. Research limitations/implications – Limited literature available on SCM in FM prevents comprehensive results, underlining further discussions on the critical aspects that can be adopted to ensure success in SCM in the context of FM service delivery. Practical implications – This paper provides an in‐depth analysis of SCM and the significance of adopting critical elements within SCM to ensure the success of a business in an environment that is constantly changing due to various expected or unexpected factors. Originality/value – This paper presents literature updates on the needs of SCM in ensuring an organisation's sustainability, and in creating effective business collaborations to obtain profits through a common objective in FM.