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A fuzzy superiority and inferiority ranking based approach for IT service management software selection

Saeed Rouhani (Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran)

Kybernetes

ISSN: 0368-492X

Article publication date: 3 April 2017

571

Abstract

Purpose

Information technology service management (ITSM) has become a major IT department management system in organizations. Successful implementation of ITSM depends on select adequate ITSM software. Evaluation and selection of the ITSM solution or software packages is complicated and time-consuming decision-making problem. This paper aims to present an approach for dealing with such a problem.

Design/methodology/approach

This approach introduces functional, non-functional requirements and novel fuzzy out-ranking evaluation method for ITSM software selection. The presented approach breaks down ITSM software selection criteria into two broad categories, namely, functional (service strategy, service design, service transition, service operation, continual service improvement according to Information Technology Infrastructure Library V3) and non-functional requirements (quality, technical, vendor, implementation) including totally 46 selection criteria. A novel fuzzy superiority and inferiority ranking (FSIR) was developed and made applicable for ITSM software selection based on identified criteria.

Findings

The proposed approach is applied to IT services company to select and acquire ITSM software, and the provided numerical example illustrates the applicability of the approach for this choice. The approach can facilitate firms to achieve suitable ITSM software and have a precise acquisition decision; however, the limitation of dependency on experts’ competence and proficiency in the both ITSM field and IT technical issues exists.

Research limitations/implications

The approach can facilitate firms to achieve suitable ITSM software and have a precise acquisition decision; however, the limitation of dependency on experts’ competence and proficiency in the both ITSM field and IT technical issues exists.

Practical implications

Facilitating of ITSM implementation through its handy software selection is the major impact of current research.

Originality/value

A facile FSIR-based approach for software selection has been customized to contribute to the current literature in the ITSM field. Facilitating of ITSM implementation through its handy software selection is the major impact of current research.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank MS. Reyhaneh RabieeMehr for providing her knowledge and practical experience in assisting the calculating process.

Citation

Rouhani, S. (2017), "A fuzzy superiority and inferiority ranking based approach for IT service management software selection", Kybernetes, Vol. 46 No. 4, pp. 728-746. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-05-2016-0116

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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