Critical success factors in aligning IT and business objectives: A Delphi study

Abstract

Aligning information technology (IT) and business objectives is an important task for enterprises. IT service management (ITSM) is one of the methods used to achieve this mission. ITSM implementation often involves huge investment with unexpected risks. Understanding which are the critical areas and how to manage these can help in not only reducing the risks but can also provide helpful guidance for enterprises. However, relatively few studies exist on the critical success factors (CSFs) related to ITSM implementation. This paper presents the results of a modified Delphi study of ITSM professionals on the relative importance of various CSFs for implementing ITSM. A total of 13 factors are identified by the Pareto principle, and the rationales behind the factors are investigated. Finally, the implications based on the findings are given for the management of ITSM implementation.

Keywords:

• information technology service management
• critical success factors
• information technology infrastructure library (ITIL)
• business process change management