Abstract

As noted in the Presidentís Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC) report (1999), the need for a ìcontinuous supply of well-trained, high-quality professionalsî in information technology (IT) is critical for companies to maintain global competitiveness. Yet, as discussed in the report and elsewhere, a tightness in the market for IT professionals has been chronic for at least two decades and, despite the current slowdown, is expected to accelerate in the present decade and beyond (Council on Competitiveness 1998; Eisenberg 2002). Even in the current fluctuating job market for IT workers, attracting, motivating, and retaining workers continues to be a formidable challenge. Increasingly firms in the IT industry operate on ìInternet Time,î necessitating a core workforce that can provide innovative products and services, as well as respond to competitive threats (Barney 1995). Additionally, most non-IT industry companies are also feeling the pressure via the need to utilize IT in such forms as developing enterprise resource planning systems, setting up intranets, and forging a greater role in the e-business space. Interestingly, the continuing competition for the IT workers is causing companies to think more broadly about workplace issues (Useem 2000). This paper aims to enhance our understanding of individual and organizational context factors that influence important IT employee attitudes, such as job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention. Specifically, we have the following three research objectives: 1. Understand expectations of entry-level IT professionals concerning their work environments 2. Understand how entry-level IT professionals perceive the workplace as meeting their expectations 3 Examine the relationship between expectations, importance, and job perceptions in the context of entry-level IT professionals

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