Skills crucial to the information technology professionals in the global business environment: an empirical study in the United States

Effective Information Technology (IT) professionals are the backbone of any successful organisation in today's global competitive business environment. With the introduction of e-commerce and other related information technologies, the demands for IT professionals who have an expertise in enterprise systems, network design and administration, and other technologies have increased. Increased demand for IT professionals infers an unlimited pool of job opportunities, but this is not the case. IT professionals are finding that companies are being very selective in choosing the appropriate individual. Organisations expect their IT employees to possess a variety of skills including technical, business, and managerial skills. Other skills, which have become increasingly important in the global environment, are oral and written communication skills. IT professionals must be able to work cooperatively and effectively with each of the functional areas of business, such as marketing, accounting, finance, production and operations, research and development, and others. Therefore, it is imperative that IT professionals understand the interlacing role of IT in organisations. In this study, an empirical investigation was conducted to determine whether students' views of the skills necessary to be a successful IT professional matched those of CIOs and managers within global organisations. The skill set was obtained through a thorough review of technology and business literature. The survey was conducted in information technology required courses at the undergraduate level in an accredited school of business in the USA. Although this study was conducted in the USA, the results can be applied internationally to the global marketplace.