Ruediger Zarnekow

ITIL as common practice reference model for IT service management: formal assessment and implications for practice

Due to enhanced focus on the customer in the planning, development and delivery of information services, IT service management has become increasingly important. These days IT management is focussing particularly on the de facto standard ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) for implementing IT service management. In doing this, deficits of the ITIL reference model are often being overlooked, the benefits are merely assumed and misunderstandings spread. This results in uncertainties, unfulfilled expectations and problems in the execution of ITIL transformation projects. Against this background the article critically assesses the ITIL reference model. A formal analysis of the model on the basis of established criteria according to the principles for proper modelling is undertaken and implications for IT management are deduced from this. Four case studies of ITIL transformation projects conducted for this purpose, as well as an analysis of the ITIL documents, serve as basis for the assessment.

Integrated Information Management : Applying Successful Industrial Concepts in IT

Information Management: Developments and Challenges.- Integrated Information Management.- Practical Examples of Integrated Information Management.- Summary and Future Prospects.- References.

A Reference Guide to Cloud Computing Dimensions: Infrastructure as a Service Classification Framework

Recently, a growing development and use of Cloud computing services has been observed generally and also in the area of government. Despite initial positive results, it is challenging in theory and practice to find an appropriate provider matching the individual requirements of a company or a government. Moreover, the number of new entrants as well as non-transparent service offers, which sometimes differ significantly, make it difficult to migrate into the Cloud. Due to the lack of adequate possibilities to compare and classify Cloud providers we are presenting in this paper a provider independent classification framework for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) which can be used in e-Government. For this purpose, the target dimensions for Cloud Computing from a customer perspective were defined, based on expert interviews and an international literature review. The relevance of the target dimensions was evaluated with an additional survey conducted among IT managers. Extended by a provider market analysis the classification framework was designed and finally checked for applicability and can be used to create concrete cloud procurement processes, refine Cloud strategies or develop migration requirements for governments.

Cloud computing adoption: an empirical study of customer preferences among start-up companies

Cloud computing represents a paradigm shift to utmost scalable and flexible IT services. However, research related to preferences of certain customers concerning cloud services is scarce. Especially start-up companies with their limited capacities to implement and operate IT infrastructure and their great demand for scalable and affordable IT resources are predestined as customers of cloud based services. In this study, we apply a multi-method approach to investigate customer preferences among start-up companies. Based on a literature review and a market analysis of cloud service models, we propose a set of cloud provider characteristics. These properties were examined among 108 start-up companies and analyzed in three steps using factor analysis to define customer preferences, cluster analysis to identify customer segments and discriminant analysis to validate the identified clusters. The results show that start-ups can be basically divided in five clusters each with certain requirements on cloud provider characteristics.

ITIL als Common-Practice-Referenzmodell für das IT-Service-Management — Formale Beurteilung und Implikationen für die Praxis

In the course of increasing customer orientation in the IT sector, IT service management becomes more important. Especially the de facto standard ITIL receives attention of IT management at present. Deficits of the ITIL reference model are often ignored, benefits are only assumed and a lot of misunderstandings exist. Uncertainties, unfulfilled expectations and problems during the accomplishment of ITIL projects are the result. In this context the paper deals with a critical analysis of the ITIL reference model. It fulfils a formal evaluation of the model on the basis of established criteria. On the basis of this evaluation implications for IT management are derived. Findings are derived from four case studies as well as an in-depth analysis of the ITIL documentation itself.

Purchasing Behavior in Free to Play Games: Concepts and Empirical Validation

Free to play is supposed to be the future of monetizing games. On one side user can access the game for free, thus it is distributed quickly. On the other side the game generates turnover by user spending real money on virtual items. Even though only a small number of players buy in-game items, it seems to be a very successful revenue model for games. Yet there is little understanding of the purchasing behavior of paying customers. Due to the importance of understanding the small group of paying users, the customer lifetime value becomes a major issue. This paper contributes to the understanding of purchasing behavior in free to play games. With real data of paying users, we shed light on the purchasing behavior for conversion, retention and monetization of customers in free to play games.

Cross-Sector Competition in Telecommunications

Cross-sector competition in the information and communications technology sectors (ICT sectors) constitutes a key strategic challenge for telecommunications companies. Due to increasing convergence, value creation is resulting in a greater degree of interaction. The diversification potential of telecommunications businesses is therefore changing with respect to associated ICT sectors, such as hardware, software and media.The article analyses cross-sector competition in the telecommunications industry on the basis of the diversification activities of ICT companies. A concentration of competitive interdependence in the ICT sectors is demonstrated using a cluster analysis of 34,142 companies. The cross-sector activities of telecommunications companies are investigated using contingency and dependency analyses, and the diversification-related competition in the telecommunications sector is also analysed. With regard to the telecommunications sector, particularly high level cross-sector competition with the media industry is identified, as well as strong diversification activities in the software sector. The results are used to derive the potentials and risks that have a significant bearing on the structure of the cross-sector competitive environment of telecommunications companies.

Topics and Applied Theories in IT Service Management

This article examines the IT Service Management (ITSM) research literature, starting from past up to the present. The applied research method is the literature review, in which a search is conducted across 8 major global, regional, and national conferences as well as 71 international journals. Furthermore, different database searches are performed. In order to classify the results, a morphological box is used. Moreover, a keyword analysis is conducted to obtain an overview about research topics in IT Service Management. The findings suggest that research in the field of ITSM has matured and diversified over the years. Drawing attention to the different research areas of IT Service Management is the specific contribution of this paper to Information Systems (IS) research. In addition, this paper shows, which areas and topics are explored and which are under explored, respectively, have not yet been the focus of research. A research agenda will be proposed to handle the identified areas of future research. Furthermore, this article gives an insight into the applied theories in IT Service Management.

Technologies for the Electronic Distribution of Information Services - A Value Proposition Analysis

Since the original design and deployment of the Internet architecture, the economical and technological requirements regarding the distribution quality of web-based information services have changed drastically. Business models have evolved that particularly address quality and cost aspects of information service distribution, e.g. content delivery networks and peer-to-peer distribution. In addition, network operators apply differentiated routing technologies in dedicated infrastructures to guarantee a superior quality of service (QoS). This article compares the value propositions of technologies for information service distribution. 103 information services were analyzed by means of discriminant analyses in order to identify the main aspects influencing delivery quality and costs. The results indicate that the value propositions differ with regard to the type of services they support rather than with regard to direct QoS criteria, such as latency and packet loss. The insights derived from this work support information service vendors in their choice of a distribution provider.

Shared Domain Knowledge in Strategic Green IS Alignment: An Analysis from the Knowledge-Based View

In this paper, we argue that the inclusion of environmental sustainability aspects increases the complexity of Information Systems (IS) alignment. The business value of IS and their potential to render firms more sustainable can only be leveraged if IS are strategically aligned. The literature from relevant academic disciplines is reviewed to lay a theoretical foundation. We define the term Green IS strategy, introduce a strategy typology, and integrate environmental aspects into Green IS alignment. The alignment process is determined by social aspects that are analyzed from the knowledge-based perspective in this research. We find that sharing of knowledge between the domains of business, IS, and sustainability is a premise for Green IS alignment. In this context, the importance of internally transferring tacit knowledge between different organizational actors on corporate, competitive and functional level is emphasized. Finally, we discuss implications for research and practice and make recommendations for further research.