Critical success factors for configuration management implementation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify, prioritize and categorize the critical success factors (CSFs) for configuration management (CM) and devise a CM activity model to help practitioners in the effective implementation and continuous improvement of the process. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed method research with in‐depth interviews is used, followed by questionnaire survey. Findings – In total, 21 CSFs organized in seven groups have been identified and prioritized on the basis of criticality in the implementation of the CM process. A significant difference is observed in the perception of CM professionals from the level of their experience and CM certification/training on the criticality of these factors. Research limitations/implications – This research only focuses on the aerospace and defence industry because of their common contextual understanding of CM. Further research could be done in commercial sectors to determine if the factors are common, or if there is a particular sector bias. Practical implications – Extensive scope exists for industries to enhance product development methodologies by concentrating on factors responsible for the maturity of the CM process. The importance of CM is seen through its inclusion in multiple standards which require companies to implement a high level of robustness in the design and through life focus. Originality/value – A detailed search of the peer reviewed journals and practitioner literature highlights no formal study on CSFs in the field of CM. This study will help CM practitioners to develop plans to achieve their goals and improve the CM process on the basis of these outlined concepts.