Abstract

In hiring decisions, does the quantity and quality of IS experience assure that the person is a top performer? This paper discusses an investigation into this question and concludes that experience alone is not sufficient to identify superior performance. Computer systems are becoming more and more "intelligent". Problems that require intelligent solution approaches are naturally knowledge-intensive, so gathering information from a clerk to develop systems specifications has become the exception rather than the norm. Sophisticated systems require sophisticated knowledge and exceptional ability in the programmers and analysts involved in the system development. The success of complex systems depends to a great extent on the ability of the analyst to grasp the complexities of the proposed system and ofthe programmer to apply advanced technologies to operationalize the system's design. For example, superior analysts are able to quickly learn the critical issues in a domain even though they may have had little actual experience in that domain. Identifying superior performers is a critical task for any IS manager. Although researchers have addressed this issue, few tools are currently available that provide an objective measure of the potential for superior performance, especially when a new graduate is being considered with little experience to indicate their current proficiency, much less their future potential. This paper begins to address the important issue of measuring the potential for superior performance.

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