An Alumni Assessment of MIS Related Job Skill Importance and Skill Gaps

Authors

Jerod W. Wilkerson, Pennsylvania State University - Erie

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a job skill survey of Management Information Systems (MIS) alumni from a Northeastern U.S. university. The study assesses job skill importance and skill gaps associated with 104 technical and non-technical skill items. Survey items were grouped into 6 categories based on prior research. Skill importance and skill gaps were analyzed for each category of skill items. Although the primary focus of the research is to highlight important skills and skills exhibiting skill gaps in each of the categories, the relative importance of the 6 categories is also compared. Consistent with prior work, the study finds skills in the non-technical categories to be more important to MIS career success than those in technical categories, but also identifies important technical skills, some of which exhibit skill gaps. These results, along with the survey and methodology used to obtain them, may help educators in MIS programs to better align MIS programs and the content of specific business and MIS courses with the current needs of MIS graduates.

Recommended Citation

Wilkerson, Jerod W. (2012) "An Alumni Assessment of MIS Related Job Skill Importance and Skill Gaps," Journal of Information Systems Education: Vol. 23 : Iss. 1 , 188-197.
Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/jise/vol23/iss1/8