Judy L. Wynekoop
Abstract
Three types of information systems personnel (programmers, systems analysts, and project managers) were compared to the general population based on responses to a standardized personality test. The IS professionals, in aggregate, exceeded population norms for nearly all of the relevant scales, confirming much prior research.However, the personality profiles of analysts and managers differed widely from that of programmers, but not from one another. Managers and analysts were found to be conservative, logical, analytical, diligent, and ambitious, with strong leadership tendencies and high self-confidence and self-esteem. They were also found to be more sociable and creative than in past research.The differences identified between traditional programmers and systems analysts and managers indicate the importance of studying, managing, and recruiting these groups differently. The findings offer insight into how to retain, promote, and manage IS personnel effectively.
- Couger, J.D. (1986a). "Effect of Cultural Differences on Motivation of Analysts and Programmers: Singapore vs. the United States," MIS Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 189-196.Google Scholar
Digital Library
- Couger, J.D. (1986b). "Motivation Norms for Software Engineers Versus Those for Programmer Analysts," in L. Maggi, R. Zmud, and J. Wetherbe (eds.) Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Information Systems, San Diego, CA, pp. 214-223.Google Scholar
- Couger, J.D. (1988). "Motivators vs. Demotivators in the IS Environment," Journal of Systems Management, Vol. 36, No. 6, pp. 36-41. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Couger, J.D. (1994). "Enhancing the Climate for Creativity for Software Designers," Creativity and Innovation Management, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 54-59.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Couger, J.D., and Adelsberger, H. (1988). "Comparing Motivation of Programmers and Analysts in Different Socio/Political Environments: Austria Compared to the United States," Computer Personnel, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 13-17. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Couger, J.D., Oppermann, E.B., and Amoroso, D.L. (1994). "Changes in Motivation of I.S. Managers - Comparison Over a Decade," Information Resources Management Journal, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 5-13. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Couger, J.D., and Zawacki, R.A. (1980). Motivating and Managing Computer Personnel, New York, NY: Wiley. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Crepeau, R.G., Crook, C.W., Goslar, M.D., and McMurtrey, M.E. (1992). "Career Anchors of Information Systems Personnel," Journal of Management Information Systems, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 145-160. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Deutsch, M., (1969). "Productive and Destructive Conflict," Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 7-42.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Ferratt, T.W., and Short, L.E. (1986). "Are Information Systems People Different? An Investigation of Motivational Differences," MIS Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 377-387. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Ferratt, T.W., and Short, L.E. (1988). "Are Information Systems People Different? An Investigation of How They Are and Should Be Managed," MIS Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 427-443. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Ferratt, T.W., and Starke, F.A. (1989). "Making the Transition: Systems Analysis to Management," Journal of Systems Management, Vol. 40, No. 4, pp. 14-17. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Gough, H.G. (1952). Adjective Check List, Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists' Press.Google Scholar
- Gough, H.G., and Heilbrun, A.B. (1983). The Adjective Check List Manual, Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists' Press.Google Scholar
- Guindon, R., Krasner, H., and Curtis, B. (1987). "Breakdowns and Processes During the Early Activities of Software Design by Professionals," in Sheppard, S. and Soloway, E. (eds.) Empirical Studies of Programmers Second Workshop, Washington, DC, Norwood, NJ: Ablex, pp. 65-82. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Igbaria, M., Parasuraman, S., and Badawy, M.K. (1994), "Work Experiences, Job Involvement, and Quality of Work Life Among Information Systems Personnel," MIS Quarterly, Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 175-201. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Im, J.H., and Hartman, S. (1990). "Rethinking the Issue of Whether IS People are Different from Non-IS People," MIS Quarterly, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 1-2. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Ketler, K., Smith, R.D., and Weinroth, J. (1992). "Recruiting Fourth-Generation Programmers: Matching People to Job Environments," Information Systems Management, Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 64-67.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Lawler, E. E., III. (1994). Motivation in Work Organizations , San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Inc.Google Scholar
- Miller. W.C., Couger, J.D., Higgins, L.F. (1993). "Comparing Innovation Styles Profiles of IS Personnel to Other Occupations," Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Honolulu, HI, pp. 378-386.Google Scholar
- Moad, J. (1994). "Psych Tests for MIS Staff: Is This Nuts?," Datamation, Vol. 40, No. 27, pp. 27-29. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Myers, M.E. (1991). "Motivation and Performance in the Information Systems Field: A Survey of Related Studies," Computer Personnel, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 44-49. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Niederman, F., Brancheau, J.C., and Wetherbe, J.C. (1991). "Information Systems Management Issues for the 1990s," MIS Quarterly, Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 475-495.Google ScholarDigital Library
- Oldham, G.R., and Cummings, A. (1996). "Employee Creativity: Personal and Contextual Factors at Work," Academy of Management Journal, Vol. No. 3, pp. 607-634.Google Scholar
- O'Bryan, B.B., and Pick, A.R. (1995). "Keeping Information Systems Staff (Happy)," International Journal of Career Management, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 17-20.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Senn, J.A. (1996). "Creating and Sustaining a Business Edge Using Information Technology," DATA BASE, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 32-35. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Smith, D.C. (1989). "The Personality of the Systems Analyst: An Investigation," Computer Personnel, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 12-14. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Sitton, S., and Chmelir, G. (1984). "The Intuitive Computer Programmer," Datamation, Vol. 30, No. 16, pp. 137-140.Google Scholar
- Walz, D.B., Elam, J.J., and Curtis, B. (1993). "Inside a Software Design Team: A Look at Knowledge Acquisition, Sharing, and Integration Activities," Communications of the ACM, Vol. 36, No. 10, pp. 62-77. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Warrick, D.D., Gardner, D.G., Couger, J.D., and Zawacki, R.A. (1985). "Stress," Datamation, Vol. 31, No. 8, pp. 88-92. Google ScholarDigital Library
- White, K.B. (1984). "MIS Project Teams: An Investigation of Cognitive Style Implications," MIS Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 95-101.Google ScholarDigital Library
- Wynekoop, J., and Walz, D. (1996). "Educating IS Professionals: How Education Impacts Creativity," Journal of Information Systems Education, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 11-13.Google Scholar
Index Terms
- Revisiting the perennial question: are IS people different?
Recommendations
Determinants of Turnover Intentions: Comparing IC and IS Personnel
Personnel is one of the most important resources for the performance of Information Systems IS and Information Center IC organizations. The scarcity of new employees, the difficulty of training and a high turnover make personnel management in these ...
New information systems leaders: a changing role in a changing world
It is widely argued that the information systems (IS) leadership function has undergone fundamental changes over the past decade. TO better understand the changes, this study compares the backgrounds, responsibilities, reporting relationships, and power ...
Exhaustion from information system career experience: implications for turn-away intention
While the U.S. economy is recovering slowly, reports tell us that the supply of information systems (IS) professionals is declining and demand is once again on the rise. With organizations challenged in their efforts to hire additional staff, IS ...
Comments