Abstract
\tIt is well documented that information technology (IT) organizations fail to maximize returns on the significant investments made in them. Yet, there is a paucity of empirical evidence about how different behaviors of IT professionals contribute to or detract from IT’s productivity. We report on a qualitative study on the competencies of professionals who oversee or execute IT projects in the operations of three multinational firms. Our findings reveal different competencies between average and superior individual contributors (ICs), who execute the projects and between average and superior managers, who lead the projects. Our results suggest that higher levels of role breadth self efficacy distinguish those with superior IT role effectiveness, not technical ability, the basis on which most IT professionals are hired and promoted. Our findings may help firms to select and promote people best suited to manage and contribute to IT organizations.
Recommended Citation
Pittenger, Linda; Perelli, Sheri; Boland, Dick; and Somers, Toni, "The Performance of IT Professionals: the Difference that Makes a Difference" (2011). ICIS 2011 Proceedings. 5.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2011/proceedings/humancapital/5
The Performance of IT Professionals: the Difference that Makes a Difference
\tIt is well documented that information technology (IT) organizations fail to maximize returns on the significant investments made in them. Yet, there is a paucity of empirical evidence about how different behaviors of IT professionals contribute to or detract from IT’s productivity. We report on a qualitative study on the competencies of professionals who oversee or execute IT projects in the operations of three multinational firms. Our findings reveal different competencies between average and superior individual contributors (ICs), who execute the projects and between average and superior managers, who lead the projects. Our results suggest that higher levels of role breadth self efficacy distinguish those with superior IT role effectiveness, not technical ability, the basis on which most IT professionals are hired and promoted. Our findings may help firms to select and promote people best suited to manage and contribute to IT organizations.