IT Workforce Research Articles

ОСНОВНЫЕ ПОКАЗАТЕЛИ ПОДГОТОВКИ КАДРОВ В СФЕРЕ ИНФОРМАЦИОННЫХ ТЕХНОЛОГИЙ В СИСТЕМЕ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ СЕВЕРО-ЗАПАДНОГО ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОГО ОКРУГА

The Decree of the President of the Russian Federation “On the National Development Goals of the Russian Federation for the Period until 2030 and for the future until 2036” approved seven national development goals of the Russian Federation, one of which is Digital transformation of state and municipal administration, economy and social sphere. Key strategic and policy documents adopted at the federal level pay special attention to workforce training in the field of information technol - ogy. At the same time, regional digital transformation strategies mention a shortage of qualified IT personnel and insufficient digital competencies. In this context, IT workforce training at the level of higher and secondary vocational education is of particular importance. The article focuses on the study of the main IT workforce training indicators in the education system of the constituent entities of the Northwestern Federal District.

Occupational Stress and Mental Health Among Women in IT: A Demographic Perspective

The Information Technology industry had indeed exhibited tremendous growth over the past few decades, and it has now formed an indispensable component of global economies. However, such growth had placed a great demand on employees generally and particularly women who have grappled with both general and gender-specific occupational stressors. This research will identify the correlation between occupational stress and the mental health of women employees in the IT industry, with particular emphasis on demographic factors that may have a bearing on this experience of stress, which includes age, marital status, and length of service. Research was conducted with a self- administered questionnaire distributed among 136 women IT professionals in Chennai for the purpose of investigating the major sources of occupational stress, its impact on the mental well-being, and possible support by organizations. Findings of the study indicated that gender-sensitive interventions would be required in order to reduce the stress and improve the outcomes on the mental health for women employees in the IT workforce. Keywords: Occupational Stress, Women in IT, Mental Health, Demographic Variables, Work-life Balance

Introducing rapid web application development with Oracle APEX to students of higher education

The rapid development of information and communication technologies (ICT), and enforcement of digital transformation have caused the need to develop and deliver software in even shorter time than previously, and has become crucial to businesses. Yet, this new need has caused a challenge of finding expert IT workforce able to deliver software applications due expected time. Moreover, in a rapidly changing business world, the traditional software development can no longer keep pace and provide solutions to businesses fast enough. Low-code development and inclusion of so-called citizen developers are seen as a solution for the problem. This paper explores the introduction of rapid application development courses on Oracle APEX technology to students of a European technological university. The paper discusses the implementation of the course and its design, and looks how the developed basic-level course was received by students. It is shown that the courses have been well-received by students, who based on provided feedback are satisfied with the online set up for self-regulated learning of rapid application development skills.

Assessing organizational framework conditions for the successful, human-centered introduction of AI applications

AbstractAs part of WIRKsam Competence Center, the authors aim to identify and improve organizational conditions in companies that are conducive to the successful introduction of AI technologies in the workplace. This paper examines various factors that are considered crucial for effective AI integration, including technology acceptance, access to IT infrastructure, workforce structure, organizational culture and participatory practices. Using a mixed-methods approach, WIRKsam relates the initial organizational conditions to the researchers’ assessments and experiences of the first 24 months of the study. The analysis uses both qualitative and quantitative data and provides a robust framework for identifying the respective organizational prerequisites.It aims to map these factors and provide insights. Our results show the application partners involved in WIRKsam as companies with individual characteristics of technology and AI affinity as well as different organizational cultures. The workforce is predominantly male. Slightly more than half of the employees are 45 years and older. Overall, the research activities in WIRKsam are met with openness to electronic devices and AI. However, the fears of the employees are somewhat underestimated by the researchers. Employees rate their knowledge and experience with regard to AI as low and need support here in order to be able to participate in the participatory design of work systems in a more informed way. Management support is a key aspect of technology adoption that employees find important. Their absence is accompanied by worries about the job and lower expectations of positive changes in work, among other things. The knowledge gained will be incorporated into the development of tailor-made action plans to optimize conditions in similar environments.Practical relevance: Using the example of the application companies in WIRKsam Competence Center, the results show that there are very different combinations of framework conditions for the successful introduction of AI into operational practice in companies. Action plans can be derived to individually adapt the integrated approach according to the WIRKsam procedure model. The applied mix of methods allows a very comprehensive analysis and contributes to the validity of the results. In particular, the survey of researchers contributes to new findings, the importance of which lies on the one hand in complementing the perspective of employees and the company as a whole, and on the other hand in providing the researchers themselves with a basis for reflecting on their basic assumptions as an entire research team.

Modeling digital skills beyond the IT workforce: construct definition, measurement and impact on digitalization value

PurposeInformation technology (IT) personnels’ technical, business and behavioral skills are critical enablers for generating IT value. In an increasingly digitalized working environment where non-IT employees participate in digital innovations, a focus on IT personnels’ skills only doesn’t meet researchers’ need for a framework to study digital skills and managers’ need to address digital skills challenges across an enterprise’s workforce. Nevertheless, the digital skills topic is complicated by conceptual ambiguity and a lack of theoretically derived and empirically validated model. The purpose of this study is to address this problem.Design/methodology/approachTheoretically, this study draws on human capital (HC) and resource-based view (RBV) theories. Empirically, it follows mixed method combining interviews and a survey.FindingsThe digital skills construct is a multidimensional second order reflective construct. While its development is influenced by an organization’s commitment and exposure to digitalization, it influences the value organizations obtain from digitalization.Research limitations/implicationsThis study conceptualizes the digital skills construct, identifying technology agnostic subdimensions that are meaningful beyond a particular digital domain [information and communication technology (ICT), information, Internet, Inter of Things (IoT)] and establishing a valid measure. Other researchers can improve both the indicators of the existing four conceptually distinct and managerially recognizable workplace digital skills dimensions as well as testing new ones.Practical implicationsManagers can use the instrument to assess the extent to which their non-IT workforces are equipped with digital skills and get strategic insights for specific interventions such as upskilling or buying in skills.Originality/valueThe main theoretical contribution of the paper is the conceptualization and validation of the digital skills construct for the non-IT workforce. Furthermore, we provide a theoretical framework to explain the factors that could influence the development of digital skills and demonstrate the impact that digital skills have on selected digitalization value indicators. This contribution provides the foundation for investigating the drivers, outcomes and the relationship of digital skills to other constructs such as digital transformation, innovation and firm performance.

The Impact of IT Evolution on Industries and Workforce Skills: A Systematic Literature Review

Aim/Purpose: To investigate the impact of the evolution of Information Technology on global workforce skills and explore emerging approaches that address the IT talent shortage faced by diverse companies in finding skilled IT workers. Background: This paper explores diverse approaches to bridge the skilled IT workers shortage gap, especially in the context of the widening gap following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study emphasizes the need to consistently leverage business and information technology strategies for competitive advantage. Methodology: This study followed the systematic literature review methodology on 809 articles from ACM, IEEE Xplore, and Scopus digital libraries by utilizing an integrative mixed methods approach with topic modeling and manual content analysis. Contribution: This paper aims to understand and describe the impact of the evolution of the IT industry on its workforce. It contributes additional evidence to our understanding of IT workforce development to support researchers and educators working towards developing effective strategies to bridge the IT talent gap. Findings: On the one hand, the study finds that the evolution of the IT industry produces a shift in required skills and knowledge, resulting in workers needing to adapt and embrace lifelong learning. On the other hand, the evolution of IT creates new opportunities for workers and results in a more globalized and interconnected workforce. Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners are recommended to adapt to the shifting skills landscape, encourage lifelong learning, explore new opportunities for workers, and embrace a more globalized workforce. Recommendations for Researchers: Researchers are encouraged to further explore the identified themes and delve into the nuances of the evolving impact of information technology on workforce skills. Impact on Society: The findings have implications for industry growth, emphasizing the importance of aligning business and IT strategies to address the shortage of skilled IT workers on a global scale. Future Research: Future research should focus on the continuous evolution of information technology and its impact on workforce skills, considering the identified themes as a foundation for further exploration.

One Size Does Not Fit All: Global Perspectives on IT Worker Turnover

Although the IT workforce has become increasingly global, much of the research on issues related to IT workers published in leading academic journals is conducted in the U.S. However, the majority of the world does not share the same context as the U.S. Despite that, comparative studies exploring country differences rarely demonstrate how and why these differences occur on a global scale. By relying on a dataset based on a survey of more than 10 000 IT workers in 37 countries, we employed the decision tree technique to build an accurate model of IT job turnover in the U.S. We then applied this model to 36 countries to test whether it is more accurate in countries that are similar to the U.S. in terms of their geographical proximity to the U.S. and the proximity of their cultural, political, and labor market contexts. The findings demonstrate that while the U.S. model of IT job turnover is not necessarily less accurate for countries that are geographically farther from the U.S., it is less applicable in the countries with cultural, political, and labor market conditions different from those of the U.S. Thus, global IT managers are recommended to interpret the U.S.-centric literature with caution.

Academic Community and Practitioner Perceptions on Information Technology Competencies: A Gap Analysis

Academic institutions must be able to adapt to rapid technological advancements and bridge the continuous skill gap between industry expectations and student academic preparation. This study aimed to analyze and present an updated view of the essential IT competencies perceived by IT practitioners and highlight the skills gap between the perceptions of industry practitioners and the academic community. The study utilized quantitative and qualitative research to determine the most relevant competencies according to IT practitioners and academicians. The findings revealed that competencies in microprocessors, semiconductors, embedded systems, mobile and wireless computing, and robotics were perceived as somewhat important/important by IT practitioners. However, IT faculty members perceived these competencies as very important/important. These findings suggest that there is a gap between the acquired competencies in the university and the competencies needed by the industry. Further, the analysis of the competencies in the different IT jobs revealed the competencies perceived by the IT practitioners vary depending on the specific IT job. This research brings insights into the relevant competencies of the IT workforce and how to improve the IT curriculum to produce professionals who meet industry demands.

Information technology personnel competency towards organizational agility: study at Malaysia automotive

<span>Information technology and agility is a core item for organizations. With recent technology and digital transformation in Malaysia’s automotive industry, the need to understand how human competencies influence organizational agility is critical. This paper discusses the antecedent factor of information technology personnel competency toward organizational agility. Literature was reviewed and further examined upon two information systems theories, the dynamic capabilities view (DCV) and people capability model maturity (P-CMM). This study was conducted at Malaysia automotive organizations, auto A and auto B, with 151 participants. Data was collected and analyzed with SPSS and SmartPLS with the utilization of partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings highlighted that human factor significantly influence how organizations respond to internal and external parties. These findings offer insights into empowering the IT workforce towards industrial revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0).</span>

The Mediating Effect of Work Engagement in Relation to Technology Readiness Index and Adaptive Performance Among Newly Hired It Employees

This study investigates the mediating effect of work engagement in relation to the Technology Readiness Index (TRI) and adaptive performance among newly hired IT employees. In the contemporary workplace, the successful integration of information technology plays a crucial role in organizational performance. As such, understanding the factors that influence the adaptive capabilities of IT employees becomes paramount. The research will adopt a quantitative approach, utilizing a sample of newly hired IT professionals from diverse industries. The implications of these findings will provide valuable insights for organizations seeking to optimize their IT workforce's performance and adaptability. Fostering a work environment that encourages work engagement, coupled with the promotion of technology readiness, can yield a more agile and responsive IT workforce. Further research opportunities exist to explore the interplay between technology adoption, work engagement, and adaptive behaviors in different organizational contexts

Developing Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: A Case Study of Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram

Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram is one of the largest technological parks in the world. It was established by the Government of Kerala in 1990 as an autonomous organization to meet the infrastructure needs of emerging electronics and Information Technology industry. The Technopark has now expanded to accommodate more than 200 companies that employ a large portion of the IT workforce in Kerala. Besides, Technopark also helps the budding entrepreneurs through its state-of-the-art Technopark Technology Business Incubator (T-TBI) which provides economical plug and play facilities to start-ups in IT/ITeS sectors and support them throughout the gestation period. Characteristic features of Technopark contribute significantly toward developing an enabling ecosystem for the entrepreneurs within the campus. This article provides an insightful account of how the Technopark is changing the entrepreneurial landscape in Kerala and creating opportunities for the young to innovate, grow and become successful in all their ventures. True, Technopark is a success story of a government organization turning the tide towards entrepreneurship development in an unconventional manner.

ПРОБЛЕМИ І ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ РОЗВИТКУ РИНКУ ІНФОРМАЦІЙНИХ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ В УКРАЇНІ

The article analyzes the current issues that are preventing the development of the information technology market in Ukraine. It has been established that the leaders of the Ukrainian IT industry have already achieved significant success and have several undeniable achievements. The lack of a well-established state policy is preventing Ukraine from competing effectively in the global IT market as a producer of goods. The analysis of countries' global digital competitiveness ratings revealed that the world market of information technologies is segmented based on types, programs, and subtypes. Due to several factors, the information technology market in Ukraine has been growing moderately. Firstly, there is an increasing demand for advanced technologies and digitalization, along with positive trends in remote working, which is the usual mode for IT companies; secondly - the emergence of new information technologies and systems, products, IT services, and companies; thirdly, the development of the communications system, electronic payments, and e-commerce have also played a role in the market's expansion. Fourth, the increased digitalization in various sectors of the economy, including healthcare, government, finance, and education, is expected to drive the highest growth rates in the IT market; fifth, the growth of the IT market is also being fueled by the attraction of significant investments through progressive IT start-ups, sixth, the rapidly growing IT workforce. Lastly, there is an annual increase in the share of the Ukrainian IT market in the export of services. The effectiveness of the information technology market in Ukraine's export of services is presented through the dynamics of indicators from 2018 to 2022. Ukrainian IT companies should focus on further developing their information products to improve the situation. The article analyzes Ukraine's top 10 IT companies, where service companies dominate. It also summarizes the challenges that are hindering the development of the information technology market in Ukraine. Additionally, the article suggests directions that can help create a developed digital Ukrainian nation. Several measures are proposed to facilitate the rapid development of the information technology market in Ukraine. The first is to focus on building the world's first digital country, which involves ensuring secure and uninterrupted Internet access for all residents throughout the territory, this can be achieved by leveraging technologies like StarLink and other similar advancements. Secondly, there is a proposal to create a territory of innovation, which would involve technological integration and the introduction of new technologies. Thirdly, the development of high-tech and future-tech products is emphasized. Fourthly, the suggestion is to fully operate the virtual economy in parallel with the traditional one. Lastly, there is a proposal to attract major global services to Ukraine, such as global investment banks and Amazon services.

The Future of India's it Sector: A Study on Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Job Displacement

This paper critically explores the dichotomy of disruption and evolution within India's IT sector, focusing specifically on the transformative impact of AI-infused automation on the employment landscape. By employing a comprehensive and multidimensional analysis, we delve into the complexities associated with this technological shift and its reverberations on the IT workforce. Our study juxtaposes India's experience with global trends, shedding light on the unique challenges and opportunities presented within the Indian context. The synthesis of empirical findings and theoretical discussion presents a nuanced understanding of the transformative forces at play, and their potential trajectories.

Digital transformation in high-reliability organizations: A longitudinal study of the micro-foundations of failure

High-reliability organizations (HROs) and their complex operating models have been a focus of scholarly work for more than three decades. Recently, HROs have been challenged by new market pressures that require them to digitally transform in ways that affect their identity and value creation models while still maintaining high levels of security and efficiency. This longitudinal, in-depth single-case study of a major European utility company examines the role of HRO identity in digital transformation (DT), specifically in terms of tensions between innovation and transformation on the one hand, and maintaining reliable operations on the other. Our findings show how tensions between HROs’ identity and key features of DT give rise to threat perceptions and self-protective behaviors by the IT workforce, that eventually may derail the transformation process. We develop a process model that highlights the sources and consequences of identity misalignment during major DT initiatives in HROs. In doing so, we extend the research on D T by highlighting the importance of bottom-up processes for DT success and failure, especially concerning the IT function’s perception of organizational identity.

Capability Assessment Methodology and Comparative Analysis of Cybersecurity Training Platforms

Cybersecurity training is a key endeavour for ensuring that the IT workforce possess the knowledge and practical skills required to counter the ever-increasing cybersecurity threats that our society is faced with. While some related systems, such as Capture The Flag platforms, have been available for almost one decade, platforms that support full-fledged cybersecurity training exercises have only been released as open source in recent years. Given the complexity of such cybersecurity training platforms, the question that arises is how to meaningfully evaluate and compare their capabilities in order to identify the most suitable solution for a given type of organization and/or training activity. In this paper, we introduce a capability assessment methodology for cybersecurity training platforms that focuses on the three key aspects of training: content representation, environment management, and training facilitation. The assessment tool that we developed is used to evaluate two open-source cybersecurity training platforms, CyTrONE and KYPO. We then conduct a comparative analysis of these two platforms based on our first-hand developer experience with them, and discuss the lessons learned from implementing, deploying and using these platforms. The assessment tool and the detailed technical comparative analysis that we conducted are intended as instruments and references for anyone who plans to deploy or develop cybersecurity training platforms.

The Experience of Black Women in IT

Abstract The number of black women in the IT workforce is around two and a half times lower than in the workforce as a whole. At a time when the concerns over data bias and the value of creating widely usable products through diverse teams are well–known, this is a situation that requires attention. Brian Runciman MBCS introduces the Coding Black Females takeover of the BCS Diversity report 2022

IT Workforce Planning Practices in Kenya

With looming talent shortages and the mainframe era IT staff retirement, workforce planning is necessary in order to maintain business continuity. Without a dedicated workforce plan, CIOs and business leaders will be unable to meet the business requirements of the future. To 46% of business leaders, workforce planning is a top priority, yet only 13% do it effectively. The aim of the study is to provide a guidance on best practices in workforce planning to all the organizations in Kenya. The findings are that some organizations in Kenya have executed and implemented best practices in workforce planning. There is a positive relationship between good workforce planning practices and business performance.

The Emerging Liquid IT Workforce: Theorizing Their Personal Competitive Advantage.

In this paper we aim to contribute to a better understanding of an emerging phenomenon of ‘liquid workforce’, which according to industry press, is rapidly growing. Our specific focus is on the broad research questions: How do liquid IT workers remain competitive? What are suitable strategies for their management and engagement? Using the research insights from the interviews with independent liquid IT professionals working on the same mission-critical compliance program in a large financial institution, we propose a new conceptual model of their ‘personal competitive advantage’ (PCA). Drawing from the theories of human capital and social capital, we theorize PCA as a complex, mutually enhancing (a triple-helix-like) interplay of three highly-intertwined components of ‘Doing’, ‘Relating’ and ‘Becoming’. Based on the proposed model, we then articulate an initial set of strategies for management and engagement of the liquid workforce. In doing so, we expand and challenge the current IS research on IT workforce that remains focused on its retention and prevention of turnover. Instead, we propose to focus on specific management strategies for building and maintaining social capital within and beyond organizational boundaries.

Just Let Me Do My Job!

This study seeks to broaden our understanding of the popular, yet under-researched, concept of micromanagement in the IT workforce by exploring IT professionals' trust in the competence of their supervisor as an antecedent to their perceptions of being micromanaged. The study also explores whether felt responsibility is the mechanism via which micromanagement negatively affects IT professionals' job satisfaction and organizational commitment, both proximal factors of turnover. These relationships are explored under the aegis of the Management Control Systems models, leader-member exchange theory, and the job characteristics model. Results indicate that trust in supervisor competence is a significant antecedent to IT professionals' perceptions of being micromanaged and that felt responsibility fully mediates the relationship between micromanagement and organizational commitment. The findings underscore the importance of building IT professionals' trust in their supervisor's competence and suggest that organizations proactively provide early intervention to negate the potential adverse impact on organizational outcomes.

The IT Labor Market in Pandemic Conditions

In this ongoing project, we investigate how the COVID-19 epidemic affects the IT labor market, and, accordingly, how organizations choose to hire IT employees in the current situation. Using a quarterly dataset of 30,678 IT job postings from a large online employment website, we perform descriptive analysis and logistic regression to examine the relationships between pandemic severity and work arrangements (remote vs. on-site), work schedules (part-time vs. full time), and organizational sectors (commercial vs. government vs. non-profit). Our results reveal that the IT market in the summer quarter (June, July, and August) is better than in the previous period, for both part-time and remote job postings. Also, pandemic severity is positively associated with the incidence of on-site IT hires. For governments and non-profit organizations (NPOs) such as hospitals and schools, “frontline” IT support professionals were highly prized, whereas commercial employers, including tech giants, were more interested in growing a remote IT workforce. In our conclusions, we discuss the balance between the trajectory of diagnosed infections and the fluctuations of the labor market, specifically in the IT sector.