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With the expansion of the Internet and the resulting globalization of
business activity, the scope of the influence of information technology (IT)
has increased significantly. Many innovative business practices are being
enabled by IT. The capacity for integration of information in numeric, text,
voice, and video form will give rise to an even greater proliferation and
impact of IT in the future.
Also, the information systems (IS) development profession has been
maturing and IS has been recognized as a socio-technical endeavor for some
time. For system developers, the need to communicate effectively with users
and team members has been increasingly emphasized.
A recent (1993) survey of 192 human resources persons responsible for
hiring new IS graduates in the Denver, Colorado, area revealed that, in addition
to knowledge in applied computing and business, it was very important
that a new IS hire be educated in: i) the ability to learn, ii) the ability to work
in teams, iii) oral and written communication, iv) algebraic reasoning, and
v) an orientation to health and wellness. In short, adaptability, communication,
and stress management are seen as key skills for the IS professional.
Yet, such skills are not developed through logic alone, but involve the “soft
areas” of intuition, feelings, and senses.
Over 20 years ago, U.S. researchers Couger and Zawacki reported that,
while IS professionals (systems analysts and programmers) had the lowest
needs for social interaction on the job, they reported much higher “growth
needs” than the other professionals surveyed. While, at the time, growth needs
were largely understood as greater development of professional competencies,
there now appears to be evidence that the IS development profession
may be ready for a more wholistic approach to growth. |
