The culture of ITIL: Values and implementation challenges

ABSTRACT

The article reports on Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) implementation in Maersk Oil. We analyze the values embedded in ITIL, compare them to Maersk Oil’s organizational culture, identify implementation challenges, and discuss how to manage these. The contribution of the article is as follows: (1) it identifies the values underlying ITIL, (2) discusses how to overcome cultural incongruence through business process implementation, and (3) highlights implications for managers trying to improve processes through the use of quality management standards and process models.

KEYWORDS:

• ITIL
• organizational culture
• process improvement
• standards

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sune Dueholm Müller

Sune Dueholm Müller received his PhD in business process innovation from Aarhus School of Business, Denmark, in 2009, and is currently employed by Aarhus University as an Associate Professor. His research interests are within information systems, digitization, and innovation. He has published in information systems and engineering journals, e.g., IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Information Technology & People, and Communications of the Association for Information Systems.

Christian G de Lichtenberg

Christian G. de Lichtenberg received his master in IT/Organisation from Aarhus University, Denmark, in 2015, and is currently employed by DONG Energy as Senior Application Consultant. His interest is within analyzing and defining the interface between IT, people, and processes. He has worked in this area for the last 15+ years within large Danish companies like Ementor Denmark, NNIT, and Maersk Oil.