Critical Success Factors in Strategic Management study

Some students in Strategic Financial Management class ask me information on the notion of Critical Success Factors (CSFs). Based on my google search, I identify the following 2 links:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_success_factor
2. http://www.clintburdett.com/process/08_synthesis/synthesis_02_csf.htm

The following handwritten note is mainly based on Williams and Ramaprasad (1996):

Major attributes of CSFs

• Types of criticality: causal mechanism, necessary and sufficient, necessary, & associated
• Standing, instigating
• Direct, indirect
• Enhanced, inhibiting

There are also academic references on CSFs. Examples are as follows:

1. Williams, J.J. and Ramaprasad, A. (1996) "A taxonomy of critical success factors" European Journal of Information Systems 5, pp. 250-260.
2. Avcikurt, C., Altay, H. and Ilban, M.O. "Critical Success Factors for Small Hotel Businesses in Turkey: An Exploratory Study" Cornell Hospitality Quarterly 52(2), pp. 153-164.