A strategic standpoint on maintenance taxonomy

Purpose - Maintenance, an essential element of facilities management and a fundamental requisite for increasing availability and sustaining stable processes, has been the focus of technical research for decades. However, there has not been a concrete and well-structured classification of different maintenance types that is accepted globally. The need for such a widely acceptable classification is the main incentive to delve into and create a new maintenance taxonomy. This paper aims to address this issue. Design/methodology/approach - The paper gathers and reviews several examples of maintenance classifications and viewpoints from different geographical regions in the world. Afterwards, it integrates various maintenance-related terms and terminologies with the authors' systematic-thinking approach, systems thinking, based on which strategic thinking is formed. Consequently, this combination results in a globally acceptable systematic classification of maintenance. Findings - The outcome of this scientific endeavour is a newly developed maintenance taxonomy, which is established according to the correct and clear-cut use of the terminologies of strategy, policy and tactic, which correspondingly connote the art and science of what, the plan and guideline of how, and the style and methodology of how. Practical implications - This paper provides maintenance and facility stakeholders with a new maintenance taxonomy based on the available terminologies and practices taking into account the conception of strategy science. Such a classification cannot only ease the technical communication in this sector but also be accepted as a global standard due its lucid and logical structure. Originality/value - Aside from the literature review and comparison of different maintenance terminologies and classifications, the paper offers a new methodical classification of maintenance, which has a strong scientific foundation and can be commonly accepted as a standard in the field of maintenance and facilities management.