The past two decades have seen varying trends, all of which combine to alter business activities. The most notable of these are changing work practices encouraged by advancements in technology and necessitated by corporate demands to reduce costs while at the same time improve workplace efficiency.

There is a corrnnonly held belief that these advancements in technology and the resultant new work practices will eventually lead to the demise of the office. While it is true that changes in technology, organisations and employment trends will impact on the real estate requirement of organisations, offices continue to play a number of vital functions such that its complete demise, is but a hoax.

One of the impacts of change on the organisation, with which this study is mainly concerned, is the possible onset of obsolescence in the office buildings that organisations use. Views on factors leading to obsolescence are as yet to be identified in a succinct fashion and are in some cases ill defined.

Knowledge of the various factors that cause obsolescence would provide an invaluable tool for corporate real estate managers who, over the last two decades or so have come to appreciate the fact that operational property does impact on the way that a business is run.

Above all, the need to be aware of the occurrence of office building obsolescence is emphasised in this study, which provides a broad framework for exploring these, and possible future obsolescence issues. This research is intended to generate theories on the obsolescence of office buildings that are grounded in data. One of the conclusions reached is that obsolescence will occur in every organisation. It is a continuum that can neither be stopped nor have a single point of its origin accurately identified. It is possible, however, to manage the obsolescence of office buildings by being aware of its occurrence, its manifestations and its likely effects on organizations.