Exploring the Characteristics of Information Systems Maintenance - Defining Focus and Content through Objects

The purpose of this paper is to explore the characteristics of information systems (IS) maintenance within an IT and organizational setting. We discuss the characteristics of maintenance objects' focus and content. Our results are based on qualitative case studies. In this paper a case study of a Swedish Bank is used to illustrate our discussion. Our findings show that maintenance objects can be defined by processes and/or functions or products and/or services within an organizational setting. This is done in order to increase a business perspective in maintenance management and to clarify roles of responsibility for organizational changes required from new IT capabilities. According to our findings maintenance objects can contain business solutions and IT solutions. This implies that business beneficial maintenance is supported by close cooperation between actors from the organizational setting and the IT organization. The result of the paper is a characterization of IS maintenance through definition of maintenance objects' focus and content.