Firm-level model of IT personnel planning

Abstract

As organizations are becoming increasingly reliant on complex information technology (IT), they must depend upon the effectiveness of skilled IT specialists for design, development, operations, and maintenance of IT systems. A firm's IT skill set can be defined as the collection of skills available through personnel within information systems departments as well as those skills developed by information systems users. This paper presents a model for conceptualizing processes of change in IT skill sets for the organization over time. It also identifies critical leverage points by which organizations move toward a more desirable future skill set. Key processes available to firms for implementing this model are briefly described. Finally, further research is proposed for expanding knowledge regarding alternative employment structures (AES).