Gender Differences In Assessing Essential Business Information Systems Technology Skills

Abstract

Previous research studies have noted that university students, graduate and undergraduate, male and female, are concerned that they do not have the necessary career skills to make the transition from college student to corporate employee, and equally concerned about which specific skills open the door of corporate opportunity. This research study attempts to find which Business Information Skills are relevant to student concerns and whether the educational community is fulfilling their needs.  Additionally, the second phase of the study will compare the correlation of the initial findings in regard to the gender of the student, both graduate and undergraduate.  In terms of the research study, the question interprets the differences between the male university student computer information technology student and the female university computer information technology student in the perceived value of the importance of corporate-defined skills necessary for job success within the prescribed discipline.  Initial information was derived from surveys of a discrete selection of the corporate community in southwestern Pennsylvania, which resulted in the matrix of employer desired business skills.  Relative information was garnered from graduate and undergraduate student surveys at Robert Morris University, which resulted in an essential student overview of perceived essential business skills.  All surveyed students were engaged in one or more of the various Computer Systems programs at the university.  Doctoral Information Science programs were not included in the survey. The timeframe of the study, on an ongoing basis, encompasses the period from academic year 2006 to academic year 2008.