IT Service Management Framework Research Articles

End-to-End IT Service Management for Automated Computer Centers in Heterogeneous IT Landscapes

Cloud computing changes the way of delivering and consuming IT services. Due to increasing modularization and standardization, it is possible to deliver high scalable and flexible IT cloud-based services at an advantageous price. Therefore cloud computing supports the process of IT industrialization to a high extent. On the other hand the industrialization of IT involves the trend towards cloud-based value chains respectively value networks. Most of the IT service providers have to handle heterogeneous IT landscapes and their value networks including all upstream suppliers. Therefore a high degree of automation of computer center and especially service processes is necessary. However, the IT service providers cannot influence the upstream value networks, while they are fully responsible for the service delivery towards customers. Therefore, the current state of end-to-end IT Service Management (ITSM) for automated computer centers in heterogeneous IT landscapes will be analyzed to develop requirements for an ITSM value network solution. In order to achieve these objectives a threefold-approach will be used. Firstly, a literature review will be conducted to review existing ITSM solutions and to identify known problems. Secondly, explorative case studies will be conducted with experts from the field of ITSM and cloud computing to ensure a proper understanding, to gain deep insights and to develop requirements for an end-to-end ITSM framework. Finally the common ITSM standards will be reviewed and revised in order to develop standards. Accordingly, this thesis contributes to theory by developing the framework and enriching common ITSM standards on the basis of the value system theory. Practitioners benefit from being able to manage their heterogeneous IT landscapes and to modernize their ITSM by using those new standards.

IT service climate, antecedents and IT service quality outcomes: Some initial evidence

Although many IT service management frameworks exist, we still have limited theoretical understanding of IT service quality within a broader nomological network. Building on recent conceptual work on the IT service climate construct, this study empirically establishes it as a predictor of IT service quality using survey data from both IT units and their clients. Also examined was a set of antecedents which provide a foundation upon which a favorable service climate can be built. The IT service climate instrument, when incorporated into employee feedback initiatives, can provide guidance to IT executives about practices to improve service quality.

An IT Service Engineering and Management Framework (ITS-EMF)

There is a rich amount of literature on services from Information Technology (IT) (Management view) and IT System Engineering (ITSE) (Engineering view) domains. However, such a variety has produced disparate views. Furthermore, given that IT and ITSE service-based systems must be linked to business services (the User view), conceptual interrelationships are increased, causing yet more diversity. This paper identifies that this generates a lack of theoretical conceptual cohesion and leads to multiple practical confusions. To address these issues and to reduce such conceptual gaps, an IT Service Engineering and Management Framework (ITS-EMF) is proposed. ITS-EMF is generated by careful review and examination of the main conceptualizations on IT, ITSE and business services. The paper claims that ITS-EMF is useful for: (1) mapping services concepts from disparate IT literature, (2) reducing service conceptual confusion from the multiple available sources, and (3) providing conceptual links between service constructs used in business services and IT and ITSE services layers. It concludes with the implications, both academic and practical, for engineering and managing IT services in business organizations.

Impact of IT Service Management Frameworks on the IT Organization

Over 90 percent of companies are estimated to use IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks, yet there is little research on their benefits to the Information Technology (IT) department and the business units. An international survey of 491 firms was conducted to assess the benefits of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), the de-facto ITSM framework, specifically on how these benefits evolve as companies increase their adoption of the ITIL model. Also studied are the perception of challenges of the implementation and the number of ITIL processes implemented in relation to the progress of the adoption of ITIL. Results indicate that as the maturity of implementation increases, the perception of challenges decreases. Findings also show that as the maturity of implementation increases, the number of realized benefits increases, as well as the number of implemented ITIL processes. Implications for practitioners and researchers are also discussed.

Evaluation on Information Technology Service Management Process with AHP

Though analyzing the IT service management framework and associated processes of KM company, this paper determines various indicators of IT service management process. The weights of each indicator are calculated with analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and the evaluation was executed in KM company. And the suggestions are proposed with consideration of both the evaluation results and the real situation of KM company’s IT service management. The case is deeply considered in the views of IT service management objectives and misunderstandings, customer satisfaction model of IT service management, knowledge supporting structure of IT service management. It is concluded that if the organization wishes to successfully implement IT service management’s customer satisfaction model, it should eliminate the misunderstandings of IT service objectives first, while the adoption of knowledge supporting structure of IT service management can play a multiplier effect.

Evaluation on Information Technology Service Management Process with AHP

Though analyzing the IT service management framework and associated processes of KM company, this paper determines various indicators of IT service management process. The weights of each indicator are calculated with analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and the evaluation was executed in KM company. And the suggestions are proposed with consideration of both the evaluation results and the real situation of KM company’s IT service management. The case is deeply considered in the views of IT service management objectives and misunderstandings, customer satisfaction model of IT service management, knowledge supporting structure of IT service management. It is concluded that if the organization wishes to successfully implement IT service management’s customer satisfaction model, it should eliminate the misunderstandings of IT service objectives first, while the adoption of knowledge supporting structure of IT service management can play a multiplier effect.

Uncovering ITIL claims: IT executives’ perception on benefits and Business-IT alignment

Over 45% of companies are estimated to use IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks, yet, these frameworks can be imitated and hence the competitive advantage gained from these will quickly become obsolete. Therefore, research on the benefits of ITSM must focus on both operational and strategic benefits. An international survey of 441 firms was conducted to examine the benefits that IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), the de-facto ITSM framework, provided to the IT organizations. The research focused on how (1) operational benefits, and, (2) strategic positioning of the IT organizations, specifically how the perceived level of Business-IT alignment maturity evolved as the adoption of ITIL increased. Results indicate that as the adoption of ITIL increased, the number of realized operational benefits increased, as well as the levels of maturity of the Business-IT alignment. This indicates that the further the implementation of ITIL the greater the operational and strategic benefits to the organization. Implications for practitioners and researchers are also discussed.

IT Project Environment Factors Affecting Requirements Analysis in Service Provisioning for the Greek Banking Sector

The research undertaken within a Greek IT organisation specialising in service provisioning to the Greek banking sector discusses the various aspects of a number of identified environment factors within five distinct IT projects which affect the requirements analysis phase. Project Management (PMBOK® Guide 4th ed.), IT Service Management (ITIL® v3) and Business Analysis (BABOK® Guide 2.0) framework practices applied to the various IT projects are highlighted in regard to improved activity execution. Project issue management, stakeholder management, time management, resources management, communication management and risk management aspects are presented. These are then linked to the identified environment factors so as to indicate the adaptability of an IT support team to changing environment factors in IT project environments and how the fulfilment of these factors can significantly contribute to effective requirements analysis and enhance the requirements management cycle.

IT GOVERNANCE, IT SERVICE MANAGEMENT AND THE ORGANIZING ROLE OF THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE LIBRARY (ITIL)

A gap exists between IT management topics important to CIOs and topics present in typical MIS texts. One way to bridge that gap and synchronize IT management knowledge between students, academics and CIOs is through the use of IT governance frameworks to organize introductory undergraduate MIS courses. The use of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) IT Service Management framework (version 2) is presented as a course organizing framework for both undergraduate business courses and upper level IS/IT courses for non-MIS majors. Student reaction is discussed.