This means Information Technology Service Management and is related to the practices, activities and regulations used for IT management in an institution. Usually the ITIL parameters are employed for assuring the best practices in this regard. A more comprehensive definition can be stated like this:
IT Service Management is the planned and controlled utilization of IT assets (including systems, infrastructure and tools), people and processes to support the operational needs of the business as efficiently as possible whilst ensuring that the organization has the ability to quickly and effectively react to unplanned events, changing circumstances and new business requirements as well as continuously evaluating its processes and performance in order to identify and implement opportunities for improvement (Addy, 2007).
The goal of these practices is to make the technology used in companies be really aligned with the business and with the strategies it uses for achieving the set goals. One of the main aspects in ITSM es to assure that technology is used in a balanced way in every aspect of the organization: “the key is to ensure the operational, reactive and proactive needs of the business have equal focus and importance”. Thus, technology in use can fulfill its daily functions, while at the same time it is “actively improving the way in which it delivers its services to the business” (Addy, 2007).