Coworking Spaces Phenomenon in Kuwait: Challenges and Opportunities

Alansari, Ahmad; Alnajadah, Ali

doi:10.21608/jsos.2022.118955.1158

Coworking Spaces Phenomenon in Kuwait: Challenges and Opportunities

Document Type : scientific articles

Authors

Ahmad Alansari ¹
Ali Alnajadah ²

¹ Department of Interior Design, College of Basic Education, The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait

² Interior Design Department College of Basic Education Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait

10.21608/jsos.2022.118955.1158

Abstract

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate 1) the advantages and disadvantages of coworking spaces for coworkers, 2) interior design factors that attract entrepreneurs to work/rent coworking spaces.

Research questions: To reach the purpose of the study, three questions were developed. 1) What are the various advantages and disadvantages offered by the co-working space to working individuals? 2) What interior design factors influence the individual’s perception on co-working space selection? 3) What social factors influence the individual’s perception of co-working space selection?

Methods: A quantitative research approach was used in this study by employing an online survey questionnaire. A purposive sampling technique was employed in this study. The population of this study is all individuals, freelancers, employers, business owners who are utilizing co-working spaces in Kuwait.

Results: the findings of this study indicated an important role of interior design facilities toward coworking spaces. The physical environment of the coworking space is an important factor for renting coworking spaces. Besides that, the social aspect is considered highly important between members.

Research limitations/implications: Due to the conceptual approach and specific case of Kuwait, the discussions lack generalizability. The paper provides valuable insight into the factors that can help practitioners, interior design educational programs, and coworking business owners for improving Kuwait's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Keywords

References

Abu-Aisheh, A. A. (2018). Entrepreneurship and economic growth: Case of Kuwait. Kuwait Program at Sciences Po Student Paper Award.

All Office Centers, (2021). Coworking in Kuwait. AllOfficeCenters. Retrieved November 7, 2021, from https://www.allofficecenters.com/coworking-space/kuwait/.

Appel-Meulenbroek, R., Weijs-Perrée, M., Orel, M., Gauger, F. & Pfnür, A. (2020). User preferences for coworking spaces; a comparison between the Netherlands, Germany and the Czech Republic. Review of Managerial Science, 15 (7), 2025–2048.

Bouncken, R. B., & Reuschl, A. J. (2018). Coworking-spaces: how a phenomenon of the sharing economy builds a novel trend for the workplace and for entrepreneurship. Review of managerial science, 12(1), 317-334. DOI: 10.1007/s11846-016-0215-y

Brinkø, R., Van Meel, J., & Nielsen, S. B. (2014). The shared building portfolio: An exploration and typology. In Proceedings of CIB facilities management conference 2014 (pp. 154-165).

Bueno, S., Rodríguez-Baltanás, G., & Gallego, M. D. (2018). Coworking Spaces: A new way of achieving productivity. Journal of Facilities Management, 16(4), 452–466. https://doi.org/10.1108/jfm-01-2018-0006

Cabral, V., & Van Winden, W. (2016). Coworking: An analysis of coworking strategies for interaction and innovation. International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development, 7(4), 357. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijkbd.2016.10001777

Collins, A.M., Hislop, D. & Cartwright, S. (2016). Social support in the workplace between teleworkers, office-based colleagues and supervisors. New Technology, Work and Employment, 31(2), 161–175.

Davies, A. & Tollervey, K. (2013). The Style of Coworking: Contemporary Shared Workspaces, Prestel Verlag, Munich.

Foertsch, C. (2013, March 4). 4.5 new coworking spaces per work day. deskmag.com. Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-news/2500-coworking-spaces-4-5-per-day-741.

Fuzi, A. (2015). Co-working spaces for promoting entrepreneurship in sparse regions: The case of south wales. Regional Studies, Regional Science, 2(1), 462–469. https://doi.org/10.1080/21681376.2015.1072053

Garrett, L. E., Spreitzer, G. M., & Bacevice, P. (2014). Co-constructing a sense of community at work: The emergence of community in coworking spaces. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2014(1), 14004. https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.2014.139

Garrett, L. E., Spreitzer, G. M., & Bacevice, P. A. (2017). Co-constructing a sense of community at work: The emergence of community in coworking spaces. Organization Studies, 38(6), 821-842.

Gerdenitsch, C., Scheel, T.E., Andorfer, J. and Korunka, C. (2016). Coworking spaces: A source of social support for independent professionals. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 581-589. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00581.

Grazian, D. (2019). Thank god it’s Monday: Manhattan coworking spaces in the New Economy. Theory and Society, 49 (6), 991–1019.

Jorgenson, D. W., & Vu, K. M. (2016). The ICT Revolution, World Economic Growth, and policy issues. Telecommunications Policy, 40(5), 383–397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2016.01.002

Kojo, I., & Nenonen, S. (2016). Typologies for co-working spaces in Finland–what and how?. Facilities, 34 (5), 302-313. DOI 10.1108/F-08-2014-0066

Lewicka, M. (2011). Place attachment: How far have we come in the last 40 years? Journal of Environmental Psychology, 31(3), 207–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.10.001

Manzo, L. C., & Devine-Wright, P. (2014). Comparing the theories of interpersonal and place attachment. In Place attachment advances in theory, methods, and applications (pp. 23–36). essay, Routledge.

Mayerhoffer, M. (2021). The impact of covid-19 on coworking spaces: Evidence from Germany. Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 23(3), 170–185. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcre-10-2020-0044

Mitev, N., de Vaujany, F.-X., Laniray, P., Bohas, A., & Fabbri, J. (2018). Co-working spaces, collaborative practices and entrepreneurship. Collaboration in the Digital Age, 15–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94487-6_2

Ondia, E. P. (2019). Addressing the Dilema Between Collaboration and Privacy in Coworking Spaces. International Journal of Architecture and Urban Development, 9(3), 5-10.

Ravindu, S., Rameezdeen, R., Zuo, J., Zhou, Z., & Chandratilake, R. (2015). Indoor environment quality of green buildings: Case study of an LEED platinum certified factory in a warm humid tropical climate. Building and Environment, 84, 105-113.

Risio, A.D. & Seet, J. (2020), “Global Coworking Growth Study 2020”, Market Size & Industry Trends, 3 July, available at: https://www.coworkingresources.org/blog/key-figures-coworking-growth (accessed 15 November 2021).

Rothe, P., Lindholm, A.-L., Hyvönen, A., & Nenonen, S. (2011). User preferences of office occupiers: Investigating the differences. Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 13(2), 81–97.

Rus, A., & Orel, M. (2015). Coworking: a community of work. Teorija in Praksa, 52 (6), 1017-1038.

Schöpfel, J., Roche, J., & Hubert, G. (2015). Co-working and innovation: New concepts for academic libraries and learning centres. New Library World, 116, 67–78.

Shumaker, S.A. & Brownell, A. (1984). Toward a theory of social support: Closing conceptual gaps. Journal of Social Issues, 40 (4), 11–36.

Simonelli, G.& Monna, V. (2018). The Landscape of Coworking Spaces: An Exploration Between Past and Future. Back to the Future International Committee of Design History and Design Studies conference, Barcelona, Spain, 40-44.

Soori, P. K., & Vishwas, M. (2013). Lighting control strategy for energy efficient office lighting system design. Energy and Buildings, 66, 329-337.

Spinuzzi, C. (2012). Working alone together. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 26(4), 399–441. https://doi.org/10.1177/1050651912444070

Weijs-Perrée, M., van de Koevering, J., Appel-Meulenbroek, R. & Arentze, T. (2018). Analysing user preferences for co-working space characteristics. Building Research & Information, 47(5), 534–548.