Organizational Structure vs. Capabilities: Examining Critical Success Factors for Managing IT Service Delivery

IT managers are under constant pressure to deliver IT services at low cost and high quality simultaneously in order to maximize benefits for their internal customers. However, research on IT service delivery (ITSD) is rare and little analysis is devoted to the question how organizational settings and specific capabilities impact the performance of ITSD. Addressing this gap, this paper identifies critical success factors for ITSD management. For this purpose, a research framework was developed and tested in an exploratory study using a multiple case study approach. The analysis was conducted using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). Findings show that a central organizational unit responsible for service delivery is neither a sufficient nor a necessary condition for high performing ITSD. Outstanding performance was only found in firms where adequate organizational structures are in place and specific capabilities for ITSD were cultivated.