Hitting the Moving Target: What Information Systems Competencies Are Required from Mid-Level Information Systems Managers by Organisations in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Abstract

AbstractThe rapidly changing nature of digital innovations demands changing digital competencies which often lag behind the pace of digital innovations. This phenomenon has been described as aiming ‘the moving target’. At the same time, these competencies differ or may have different emphasis or importance to different geographic and economic regions. Consequently, extant literature has suggested a periodic identification of information systems (IS) competencies relevant to organisations beyond the UK and USA where such research is dominant. However, extant literature focuses on current competencies of entry-level graduates with less emphasis on middle to senior managers. Again, traditional methods of identifying IS competencies by analysing job postings or through surveys have been found, not to be able to uncover certain difficult to observe competencies. Furthermore, there is less theorisation of IS competency studies in the literature. This study, therefore, explores current IS competencies, which are relevant to mid-level management IS professionals of organisations in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), through the lens of the iceberg competency model, and using a diversified Delphi approach. The results painted a view of a strong emphasis on individual foundational competencies as compared to other competencies and contradict a stronger emphasis on IS specific competencies required for entry-level IS jobs. The implications for practice, IS education in SSA, and suggestions for future research are presented.KeywordsIS competenciesMSIS 2016Sub-Saharan AfricaDelphi