Competitiveness of an IT Provider: from benchmarking and “Best Practices” to models and management mechanisms

Abstract

Abstract The paper proposes the development of the approach described in the ITIL-3,4 library to the formation by an IT provider of competitive IT assets (called “best practices”). The ITIL mechanism provides for regular benchmarking in order to determine the composition and values of indicators of critical factors for the success of the market area and the formation by the IT provider by methods of the theory of asset management, the functioning of which ensures the achievement/superiority of market values of these indicators. The difference between the proposed approach consists in replacing the “best practices” of management with procedures for solving optimization and game problems, the mathematical models and control mechanisms of which are based on mathematics, control theory, decision theory and game theory. The proposed approach makes it possible to overcome such disadvantages of “best practices” as the averaging of the conditions for their application and their insufficient efficiency. This is achieved due to the multivariate formulation of control problems, and the multi-structure and optimality of control mechanisms. In conclusion, it is indicated that it is legitimate to consider the developed models and management mechanisms as a separate new type of IT provider assets.