Impact of Environmental Changes on Staff in Co-Working Spaces

Running head: DISSERTATION
Does environmental changes of a work space impact staff psychologically, and productively for
the better when agents in Tevamit properties are given more freedom to choose to work from a
co-working space, cafe, home, or a vacation?
Name of the Student
Name of the University

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DISSERTATION
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................3
1.1 Background.......................................................................................................................3
1.2 Problem Statement............................................................................................................3
1.3 Aim, Objectives and research Questions..........................................................................4
1.4 Research Structure.................................................................................................................5
Chapter 2: Literature Review...........................................................................................................6
2.1 Concept of Co-working spaces..............................................................................................6
2.2 Benefits of co-working spaces...............................................................................................7
Research Methodology..................................................................................................................18
3.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................18
3.2 Research philosophy............................................................................................................18
3.3 Research Approach..............................................................................................................20
3.4 Research Design..................................................................................................................21
3.5 Data Collection Method.......................................................................................................22
3.6 Sample Size.........................................................................................................................24
3.7 Data Analysis Method.........................................................................................................25
3.8 Ethical Consideration...........................................................................................................26
Chapter 4: Data Findings and Analysis.........................................................................................28
4.1 Quantitative data analysis....................................................................................................28

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Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations..............................................................................39
References......................................................................................................................................42

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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Background
The way of working has been changing since the past two centuries. The industrial age
focussed on goods production but in the early 1930s it got transformed into service-based
economy. After the service based economy, came the knowledge economy that emphasizes on
the information process in the year 1960s and in the year 1990s, creative industries followed the
previous ones and this focussed on producing original data (Xie et al., 2013). Thus with the
changing patterns of work, the requirements for the workforce also changed thus affecting the
workspace. As per the research done by McIntosh, Farwell & Arnold (2014), the evolvement of
the information technologies in the year 1990s along with the rise of creative industries is the
underlying cause that led to the formation of a new social group and was called the creative
class. According to some researchers the creative work economy can be attributed to the
knowledge workers. As per the research done by Liegl (2014), the factors are being analyzed that
can contribute in a positive way towards the innovative work patterns. The present scenario
however suggests that though the jobs based on knowledge can be done from any place aided by
the advanced technologies still the knowledge workers prefer to work in an environment where
others are also present. This can be conferred from the rapidly increasing co-working spaces.
1.2 Problem Statement
As per the research Methot, Melwani & Rothman (2014), some knowledge workers are of
the opinion that working in these types of environments result in distractions and a person can
focus better when alone. Contrary to this, the environment of co-working spaces serves a
platform to share knowledge and develop team spirits. The concept of co-workspace refers to the

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physical setting where co-working takes place. It deals in physical design as well as considers the
philosophy involved in the process of sharing. The term was coined by Bernie DeKoven in the
year 1999 (Bockhorn 2013). He came up with this concept to provide descriptions about the style
of the co-located and the equal but autonomous, work being made possible by the technological
advancements in the mobile technology. Brad Neuberg opened the first official co-workforce
based in San Francisco, Spiral Muse. Co-work space is conceptualized as being the micro
clusters as these provide physical territories for dynamics to happen amongst the various local
communities related to individual entrepreneurs, small initiatives such as start-ups and
freelancers that are mainly active in fields such as new media and the creative industries. In such
a workspace the individuals and the groups conducting separate businesses come under the same
physical space along with the beneficial resources of the office (Wilhoit, 2018). This concept has
many benefits for the small businesses and the freelancers owing to the reason that the total cost
of lighting, renting, heating the workplace and furnishing are shared among the partners and still
they enjoy the advantages of the environment of professional office.
1.3 Aim, Objectives and research Questions
1. Environmental dynamic and dimensions assessment of current workplace using academic
literature
2. Environmental assessment of local cafe, allocated co-working space, and agent's home guided
by academic studies and literature.
3. Explanation of culture, dimensions of workplace in accordance to academic literature.
4. Analysis of organisation type, productions, service goals, structure in accordance to academic
literature.

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5. Evaluating and discussing various workplace environments and their features in accordance to
academic literature and case studies.
1.4 Research Structure
Figure 1: Research Structure
(Source: Created by author)
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Chapter 3: Research Methodology
Chapter 4: Data Findings and Analysis
Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recomendations

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Chapter 2: Literature Review
2.1 Concept of Co-working spaces
As per the research done by Capdevila (2015), co-working is an embedded part of the
rapidly growing movement which is known as sharing economy. Individuals prefer co-working
environment for the associated intangible benefits that it offers such as socializing, sharing
knowledge and collaborative activities along with the increasing economic benefits. The social
aspects of the co-working environment is yet to be researched on as the researches that have been
conducted as of now focus on the way these environments are inculcating and developing
leadership qualities in the entrepreneurs community. As per the research done by Cummings &
Worley (2014), the individual and the collaborative skills related to leadership are strengthening
by the influence of co-working environments. The co-working spaces are providing an
interesting way for the individuals to get adapted to work in an increasingly mobile culture.
These environments also have the potential in them to benefit the communities where they are
based. As per the research done by Segura et al. (2015), the workers coming together in a
common workplace are enhancing their social skills, improvising their contacts and add strength
to overall network related to the social capital in their respective communities. As per research
done by Sollitto (2014), micro clusters help promote competition as well as cooperation. The
practical application of the concept of co-working was done in the year 2000 and since then it
has grown exponentially throughout the world. The concept is attracting people and they are
eager to apply the same in their working styles. Gaining the popularity, the aspect that needs to
be considered in case of the co-working spaces is how the developed work space can be designed
effectively. The benefits that co-workspace provides to the business and the social capitals has a
high level of potential. The initial insights regarding the various spatial factors of the co-

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workspaces that affect the perception of the users about the collaboration within the work space
is to be considered. The physical design of the co-workspaces is linked with the innovative and
creative work experiences and the new connections with the social networks that lead to increase
in the social capital for the users along with the community they dwell in (Schulze et al. 2014).
The concept stating that the co-working spaces are micro clusters specifically relate to certain
cooperative dimensions of the clusters providing that the major philosophy supporting the co-
working spaces concerns the basic collaborative approach that depends on certain sets of core
values related to collaboration, accessibility, openness, sustainability and community. The
collaborative approach of the concept requires emphasizing on the sharing of knowledge rather
than on competitive practices as in this case complementarily is preferred to competition. The
concept of co-working spaces deals in providing platforms for the urban based knowledge
workers to meet and different skills of the individuals are combined together to put effort on a
project. As per the research done by Gandini (2015), these type of environments help in
promoting a specific type of design that can be referred to as open source approach with respect
to work. This is an evolving and emerging trend in the domain of contemporary knowledge
economy as the work in this case becomes more and more distributed.
2.2 Benefits of co-working spaces
In the co-working spaces, the entrepreneurs usually share a single big office and can be
benefitted from a range of the services offered by the concept depending on espresso machines,
membership and the available conference rooms. The concept is a boon for the entrepreneurs
who do not want to burden themselves with the load of the office infrastructure and decoration or
buying the furniture and even hiring assistants (Eigen & Schuster 2012). The concept of co-
working spaces has proved to be beneficial as it requires rent a desk in any place that temporarily