TRAINING ISSUES IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: A COMPARISON OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND HOSPITALS

Abstract

A comparative study of information systems managers in small businesses and hospitals was performed on the quality and need of training in thirty information technology issues. These thirty issues were categorized into the following four factors: 1) standard applications (such as email), 2) advanced or emerging applications (such as conducting business on the internet), 3) technical issues (such as software availability), and 4) managerial issues (such as data security). The quality of training in emerging applications was rated lowest in both groups while the quality of training in standard applications was rated highest in both groups with hospitals doing comparatively better. The quality of training in all issues were rated poor or below average by both organizations. This research also compares the need of training in both organizations. The researchers computed need of training as the difference between the importance of the issue and the quality of training on the issue. Although hospitals had higher training needs than small businesses on managerial issues, there was remarkable agreement on the need of training in this area in both organizations. This research finds total dissatisfaction expressed by IS managers on the quality and need of training on issues related to information technology. IT training needs to improve in most small organizations and hospitals.