Corporate real estate black swan strategies: Beyond probability and resilience

Abstract

Corporate organisations operate in a dynamic competitive global environment where real estate decisions form an important part of a successful business operation. Fundamental considerations cover the drivers of possible disruption from core economic activity, structural change and unexpected (black swan) events. With documented increases in the frequency and magnitude of unforeseen, rare and extreme black swan events, this research examines an antifragility corporate real estate strategy that looks beyond likelihood and resilience to opportunities to manage and embrace key adverse known unknown random black swan events. Suggested strategies including modular locational operation units, knowledge sharing and real estate partnerships can form part of an antifragility real estate framework and assist global organisations to succeed where competitors fail in a world affected by increasingly large, highly improbable and unpredictable events.