Background: The Facilities Management Division (OMPFM) of Old Mutual Properties was created in 1998 when Old Mutual Properties (Pty) Ltd (OMP) was formed. Old Mutual Properties was previously a division within Old Mutual. Initially the Facilities Management division outsourced most of its services to Facilities Management service providers, and managed the contracts, while they sold their services, as Facilities Management Consultants, in the market. In May 2003 the Facilities Management division was restructured in order to become an active participant in the Facilities Management market. Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to analyse the Facilities Management Division, and the environment in which it now operates. This needs to be done in order to determine if its differentiation strategy that it has taken is suitable, and secondly in which ways it should differentiate itself in the market. Methods: A qualitative research methodology has been followed for this project, and it has been based on a case study of OMPFM and the Facilities Management industry in South Africa. In order to meet the objectives of this report all the relevant theory had to be identified and discussed, which could be used to analyse OMPFM and the external environment in which it operates. The theory was then applied to the case study and OMPFM was analysed in detail. Conclusion: Finally, we have included some recommendations, which we believe will firstly consolidate OMPFM's position within the market, and then differentiate it from its rivals. We believe that the recommendations highlighted would assist OMPFM in achieving their objectives and ultimate mission.

Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2003.