ITIL framework : A study of key aspects of implementation

Technical developments are increasing at an accelerated rate, which means that IT service providers must focus on customer relationships and the quality of services they provide in the same way they handle their strategic features and processes. The management of IT services is often related to IT Service Management (ITSM) that helps IT organizations become more adaptable, flexible, cost-effective and service-oriented. ITIL is the most accepted and used process reference model within ITSM. However, many organizations experience difficulties in implementing the framework. Much of ITIL's research is about understanding, identifying and determining which factors have the greatest impact on a successful implementation. Previous research shows that there are three key aspects that all success factors fall within: senior management involvement, organizational commitment and group efficiency. Much of the research, however, has a qualitative character and takes the form of case studies, which are limited in their contributions. However, several case studies combined together can contribute to an increased understanding in the field because they can confirm or contradict other studies. This study aims to explore whether and, if so, how the above-mentioned aspects have influenced an ITIL implementation on a medium-sized IT company. The method used was a qualitative method that took the form of a case study and with semi-structured interviews, it revealed that all aspects affected the implementation in different ways and that there was an interaction between them. The senior management involvement influenced the implementation process by providing the project group with support in the form of necessary resources, enabling implementation. The management's absence also affected the implementation process, more specifically its scope, which made process use being limited to only one specific customer at the beginning, but also the use of inappropriate tools for the implemented processes. Group efficiency had influenced the implementation process, with an emphasis on understanding why the changing work methods results in better structure. This understanding was valued higher than the "traditional hard education", but also experience and knowledge in the field of work where the process acts, was considered a contributing factor. Understanding that change in work methods leads to better structure established an organizational commitment. This research contributes with increased knowledge of implementation factors in ITIL