skip to main content
10.1145/1542130.1542139acmconferencesArticle/Chapter ViewAbstractPublication PagescprConference Proceedingsconference-collections
research-article

Examining career orientations of information systems personnel in an emerging economy context

Published:28 May 2009Publication History

ABSTRACT

A number of studies on career orientations of information systems (IS) personnel have focused on developed countries. This study attempts to examine career anchors of IS personnel from the perspective of a developing country, Botswana. The results of the study show that IS personnel in Botswana exhibit career orientations similar to those identified in literature. However, there are some variations, which are attributed to cultural and socio-economic peculiarities. The study indicates that life style does not feature as a significant career anchor in Botswana. The dominant career anchors include organizational stability (security) and sense of service (service). Gender, age, and educational qualifications tend to moderate the career anchors significantly; thus creating a partition of the anchors across demographic groups.

References

  1. Abbasi, S.M. and Hollman, K.W. (2000), "Turnover: The Real Bottom Line", Public Personnel Management, Fall, Vol. 29 Issue 3, pp333--343.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  2. Avison, D.E. and Myers, M.D. (1995), Information systems and anthropology: an anthropological perspective on IT and organisational culture, Information Technology and People, Vol. 8, No.4, pp.43--56.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  3. Baroudi, J.J. and Igbaria, M. (1995), An examination of gender effects on career success of information systems employees, Journal of Management Information Systems, Winter, Vol. 11 Issue 3, pp181--202. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  4. Baysinger, B.D. and Mobley, W.H. (1983), Employee turnover: Individual and organizational analysis, in: K.M. Rowland and G.R. Ferris (Eds.), Research in Personnel and Human Resource Management, Greenwich, CT: JAI, pp269--319.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  5. Beecham, S., Baddoo, N., Hall, T., Robinson, H. and Sharp, H. (2007), Motivation in Software Engineering: A Systematic Literature Review. Downloaded on October 30, 2008 from https://uhra.herts.ac.uk/dspace/bitstream/2299/989/1/S70.pdfGoogle ScholarGoogle Scholar
  6. Beliaeva, G.F., Gorshkova, I.D. and Kostikova, I.V. (2001), University women. Russian Social Science Review, Vol. 42, Issue 4, pp78--100.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  7. Bell, M. (1980), Rural-Urban Movement among Botswana's Skilled Manpower: Some Observations on the Two Sector Model, Africa: Journal of the International African Institute, Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 404--421.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  8. Blakemore, A., Low, S. and Ormiston, M. (1987), Employment bonuses and labor turnover, Journal of Labor Economics, 5, pp124--135.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  9. Boden, Jr. (1999), Gender inequality in wage earnings and female self-employment selection, Journal of Socio-Economics, Vol. 28 Issue 3, pp351--65.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  10. Botswana Central Statistical Office (1998a), Education Statistics 1998.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  11. Botswana Central Statistical Office (1998b), Labour Statistics 1998.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  12. Botswana Central Statistical Office (1998c), 1995/96 Labour Force Survey, 1998.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  13. Britz, J.J., Lor, P.J., Coetzee, I.E.M., and Bester, B.C. (2006), Africa as a knowledge society: a reality check, The International Information and Library Review, 38, pp25--40.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  14. Brown, C.A. (2001), Can Legislation Reduce gender differences in Subject Choice? A survey of GCSE and A level Entries Between 1970 and 1995, Educational studies (Carfax Publishing), Vol. 27, Issue 2, p173.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  15. Buchmann, C. (2000), Family Structure, Parental Perceptions, and Child Labor in Kenya: What Factors Determine Who Is Enrolled in School? Social Forces, Vol. 78 Issue 4, pp1349--79.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  16. Burgess, S. (1998), Analyzing Firms, Jobs, and Turnover, Monthly Labor Review, July, pp55--58.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  17. BV2016C {Botswana Vision 2016 Council} (2004), Towards Prosperity for All. Downloaded on January 18, 2008 from http://www.vision2016.co.bwGoogle ScholarGoogle Scholar
  18. Campbell E.K. (2003), Attitudes of Botswana Citizens towards Immigrants: Signs of Xenophobia, International Migration, Vol.41, No. 4, pp71--11.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  19. Chompookum, D. and Derr, C.B. (2004), The Effects of Internal Career Orientations on Organizational Citizenship Behaviour in Thailand, Career Development International, Vol. 9 No. 4, pp. 406--423.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  20. Clegg, S., Mayfield, W. and Trayhurn, D. (1999), Disciplinary Discourses: a case study of gender in information technology and design courses, Gender & Education, March, Vol. 11 Issue 1, pp43--55.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  21. Clegg, S. (2001), Theorising the machine: gender, education and computing, Gender and Education, Vol. 13, No. 3 pp307--324.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  22. Cone, E. (1998), Managing that churning sensation, InformationWeek, 05/04/1998 Issue 680, pp50.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  23. Cotton, J. and Tuttle, J. (1986), Employee Turnover: A Meta-Analysis and Review with Implications for Research, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 11, 1986, pp55--70.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  24. Couger, J.D. (1990), Motivating Analysts and Programmers, Computerworld, January 15, pp73, 76.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  25. Cremer, C. (1993), Information systems people: A valuable resource, Business Quarterly, Spring, Vol. 57 Issue 3 {sic}, p121--125.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  26. Danziger, N. and Valency, R. (2006), Career anchors: distribution and impact on job satisfaction: The Israeli case, Career Development International, Vol. 11 No. 4, pp. 293--303.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  27. Davis, B. (1996), Where did all the techs go?, Communications Week, (4/22/1996) Issue 607, pp8--10.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  28. Derr, C.B. (1986), Managing the New Careerists, Jossey Bass, San Francisco, CA.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  29. Discenza, R. and Gardner, D.G. (1992), Improving productivity by managing for retention, Information Strategy: The Executive's Journal, Spring, Vol. 8 Issue 3, pp34--39.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  30. Erdogmus, N. (2004), Career Orientation of Salaried Professionals: The Case of Turkey, Career Development International, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 153--175.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  31. Fink, J. (1999), Help Abroad for IT Worker Shortage, HR Focus, February, Vol. 76 Issue 2, p6.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  32. Ginzberg, M. and Baroudi, J.J. (1992), Career orientations of IS personnel, Proceedings of the ACM SIGCPR Conference, April 5-7, pp.41--55. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  33. Guthrie, J.P. (2000), Alternative Pay Practices and Employee Turnover: An Organization Economics Perspective, Group & Organization Management, Vol. 25 Issue 4, pp419--440.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  34. Hayes, F. (1998), Labour Storage is real, Computerworld, 32, 5 (Feb 2, 1998), p8.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  35. Henwood, F. (2000), From the woman question in Technology to the Technology Question in Feminism; Rethinking gender equality in IT education, The European Journal of Women's Studies. Vol. 7, pp209--227.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  36. Hofstede, G. (1980), Culture's Consequences, Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, CA.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  37. Hsu, M.K., Chen, H.G., Jiang, J. and Klein, G. (2003), Career Satisfaction for Managerial and Technical Anchored IS Personnel in Later Career Stages, ACM SIGMIS Database ,Vol. 34 , No. 4, pp.64--72. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  38. Hull, K. and Nelson R.L. (2000), Assimilation, Choice, or Constraint? Testing Theories of Gender Differences in the Careers of Lawyers, Social Forces, Vol. 79 Issue 1 pp229--66.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  39. Igbaria, M. and Baroudi J.J. (1993), A short-form measure of career orientations: A psychometric evaluation, Journal of Management Information Systems, Fall, Vol. 10, Issue 2, pp132--145. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  40. Igbaria, M. and Greenhaus J.H. (1991), Career orientations of MIS employees: An empirical analysis, MIS Quarterly, June, Vol. 15 Issue 2, pp151--170. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  41. Igbaria, M. and Baroudi, J.J. (1993), A short-form measure of career orientations: A psychometric evaluation, Journal of Management Information Systems, Fall, Vol. 10, Issue 2, pp132--145. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  42. Igbaria, M. and Baroudi, J.J. (1995), The impact of job performance evaluations on career advancement prospects: An examination of gender differences in the IS workplace, MIS Quarterly, March, Vol. 19 Issue 1, p107. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  43. Igbaria, M. and Parasuraman, S. (1994), Work experiences, job involvement, and quality of work life among information systems personnel, MIS Quarterly, June, Vol. 18 Issue 2, pp175--202. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  44. Igbaria, M. and Wormley, W.M. (1992), Organizational experiences and career success of MIS professionals and managers: An examination of race differences, MIS Quarterly, December, Vol. 16 Issue 4, pp507--530. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  45. Igbaria, M., Greenhaus, J.H. and Parasuraman, S. (1991), Career orientations of MIS employees: an empirical analysis, MIS Quarterly, Vol. 15 No.2, pp.151--69. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  46. Igbaria, M., Meredith, G. and Smith, D. (1995), Career orientations of information-systems employees in South-Africa, International Journal of Strategic Systems, Vol. 4 No.4, pp.319--40.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  47. Ilgen, D.R. and M.A. Youtz (1986), Factors Affecting the Evaluation and Development of Minorities in Organizations, in: K. Rowland and G. Ferris (eds.), Research in Personnel and Human Resource Management: A Research Annual, JAI Press, Greenwich, CT,1986, pp307--337.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  48. Internet World Stats (2008), Botswana Internet Usage and Marketing Report. Retrieved October 23, 2008 from http://www.internetworldstats.com/af/bw.htmGoogle ScholarGoogle Scholar
  49. Isaacs, S. (2007), ICT in Education in Botswana, Survey of ICT and Education in Africa. Retrieved October 21, 2008 from http://www.infodev.org/en/Publication.387.htmlGoogle ScholarGoogle Scholar
  50. Ituma, A. and Simpson, R. (2007), Moving Beyond Schein's Typology: Individual Career Anchors in the Context of Nigeria, Personnel Review, Vol. 36, No. 6, pp. 978--005.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  51. Ituma, A.(2006), The internal career: an explorative study of the career anchors of information technology workers in Nigeria, SIGMIS CPR '06: Proceedings of the 2006 ACM SIGMIS CPR conference on computer personnel research: Forty four years of computer personnel research: achievements, challenges & the future. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  52. Jiang, J.J. (2000), Supervisor Support and Career Anchor Impact on the Career Satisfaction of the Entry-Level Information Systems Professional, Journal of Management Information Systems, Winter, Vol. 16 Issue 3, pp219--241. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  53. Kanungo, R.N. and Jaeger, A.M. (1990), Introduction: the need for indigenous management in developing countries, in Jaeger, A.M. and Kanungo, R.N. (Eds.), Management in Developing Countries, Routledge, London.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  54. Katz, R. (1998), Motivation leads to innovation, InformationWeek, 09/14/ 1998 Issue 700, pp294--8.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  55. Lane, N. (2000), The Low Status of Female Part-Time NHS Nurses: A Bed-Pan Ceiling? Gender, Work & Organization, Vol. 7 Issue 4, pp269--82.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  56. Lee, P.C.B. (2002), Career Goals and Career Management Strategy among Information Technology Professionals, Career Development International, Vol. 7 No. 1, pp. 6--13.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  57. Levy, M. (2007), Culture, Culture Learning and New technologies: Towards a Pedagogical Framework, Language Learning and Technology, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp104--127.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  58. Matthews, R. and Nee, V. (2000), Gender Inequality and Economic Growth in Rural China, Social Science Research, , Vol. 29 Issue 4, p606.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  59. McKenna, J (2006), Digital Divide Narrows According to the McKenna's Seventh Annual E-readiness Rankings, Economist Intelligence Unit .Downloaded from http://store.eiu.com on December 22, 2006.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  60. McNally, J.S. (2001), Retaining Valued Employees, Pennsylvania CPA Journal; Winter, Vol. 71 Issue 4, pp24--29.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  61. Mendonca, M. and Kanungo, R.N. (1996), Impact of culture on performance management in developing countries, International Journal of Manpower, Vol. 17 No. 4/5Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  62. Meyerson, D., Fletcher, J.K. and Modest, A. (2000), Manifesto for Shattering the Glass Ceiling, Harvard Business Review; Jan/Feb, Vol. 78, Issue 1, pp126--138.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  63. Mgaya, K.V., Shemi, A.P. and Kitindi, E. (2005), Gender inequality in the information systems workforce: challenges and implications for management in Botswana, World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp126--138.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  64. Miller, H. (1998), More visas? A good move for IS, Computerworld, 32, 16 (April 20, 1998) p37.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  65. Mobley, W.H. (1982), Employee turnover: Causes, consequences and control. Reading, MA: Addison--Wesley.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  66. Morrison, A.M. and Von Glinow, M.A. (1990), Women and Minorities in Management, American Psychologist (45:2), February, pp200--208.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  67. Murray, J.P. (1999), Successfully Hiring and Retaining IT Personnel, Information Systems Management, Spring, Vol. 16 Issue 2, pp18--25.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  68. Niederman, F., Brancheau J.C., and Wetherbe, J.C. (1991), Information systems management issues for the 1990s, MIS Quarterly, Vol. 15, No.4, pp475--495.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  69. Nkoma, J.S. (1998), Human resource development for science and technology personnel in Botswana, in: Bhandari V.K., Baletlwa, T. and Jugessur, S. (eds.), National Seminar on Science and Technology Policy: S & T Proceeding, pp 19--24.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  70. Nunnally, J.C.; Psychometric Theory, 1st ed.; New York, McGraw-Hill {1967}.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  71. Oudhof, K. (2001), The GDI as a measurement instrument on gender aspects of development in the ECE-region, Statistics journal of the UN Economic Commission for Europe. Vol. 18 Issue 1, pp1--26.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  72. Peterson, R.A. (1994), A Meta-Analysis of Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 21, September.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  73. Primack, R.B. and O'Leary, V. (1993), Cumulative disadvantages in the careers of women ecologists, Bioscience, Vol. 43 Issue 3, pp158--66.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  74. Pringle, J.K. and Mallon, M. (2003), Challenges for the boundaryless career odyssey, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 14, No. 5, pp. 839--853.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  75. Rasch, R.H. and Harrell, A. (1990), The impact of personal characteristics on the turnover behavior of accounting professionals, Auditing, Spring, Vol. 9 Issue 2, pp90--103.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  76. Robson, W. (1994), Strategic Management and Information Systems; Pitman Publishing, Great Britain.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  77. Schein, E.H. (1996), Career Anchors Revisited: Implications for Career Development in the 21st Century, The Academy of Management Executives, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 80--88.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  78. Schein, E.H. (1978). Career dynamics: Matching individual and organizational needs. Addison-Wesley, Reading MA.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  79. Schein, E.H. (1985), Career Anchors: Discovering Your Real Values, San Diego, CA: University Associates.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  80. Schein, E.H. (1987), Individuals and careers, in: Lorsch, J.W. (ed.), Handbook of Organizational Behavior, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, pp155--171.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  81. Schein, E.H. (1990), Career Anchors: Discovering Your Real Values, Pfeiffer & Company, San Diego, CA.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  82. Sears, D. (1988), Staffing the new economy: Shortage or myth?, HR Magazine, June, Vol. 43 Issue 7, pp130--7.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  83. Siann, G., Raitt, F. and Rowan, M. (2000), Selecting Solicitors in England: Gender Issues, Journal of Gender Studies, Jul, Vol. 9 Issue 2, pp213--227.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  84. Sibley, K. (1998), Severe IT skills shortage puts Canada at risk, Computing Canada; 03/16/98, Vol. 24 Issue 10, p33.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  85. Siphambe, H.K. (2003), Understanding unemployment in Botswana, The South African Journal of Economics, Vol. 71, No. 3, pp. 480--495.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  86. Suutari, V. and Taka, M. (2004), Career anchors of managers with global careers, Journal of Management Development, Vol. 23, No. 9 pp. 833--847.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  87. Tanniru, M.R. (1983), An Investigation of the Career Path of the EDP Professionals, Proceedings of the 20th Annual Computer Personnel Research Conference, Charlottesville, VA, November 17--18, 1983, pp87--101. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  88. Teach, E. (2000), Techwatch, CFO, , Vol. 16 Issue 2, pp25--7.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  89. The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited (2008), Telecoms and Technology, Business Africa. Retrieved October 17, 2008 from www.google.com/mywebsearchGoogle ScholarGoogle Scholar
  90. U. S. Department of Commerce (2000), National Trade Data Bank, November 3, 2000.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  91. Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) (1997), Annual Report 1996 Entry (London, Universities and Colleges Admissions Service {UCAS}).Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  92. Uzoka, F.M.E and Akinyokun, O.C. (2005), Factor Analytic Model for Evaluating the Effects of HR Profile on Organizational Productivity: Case Study of University Academic Staff. South African Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 19, No3, pp 527--538.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  93. Webber, A.M. (1985), Danger: "Toxic Company", Fast Company (November 1998), p154.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  94. Wilson, N. and Peel, M.J.(1991), The impact on absenteeism and quits of profit-sharing and other forms of employee participation, Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 44, , pp454--468.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  95. WITF {World Information Technology Forum} (2005), The status of Information and Communication Technology in Botswana, ICT in Botswana downloaded on January 18, 2007 from http://www.witfor.co.bwGoogle ScholarGoogle Scholar
  96. Woodruff, C.K. (1980), Data Processing People -- Are They Really Different?, Information & Management (3:4), October, pp133--139.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  97. World Bank (2000), World Development Report 2000, Washington DC.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  98. Yarnall, J. (1998), Career anchors results of an organisational study in the UK, Career Development International, Vol. 3 No. 2, p. 3Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref

Index Terms

  1. Examining career orientations of information systems personnel in an emerging economy context

    Recommendations

    Comments

    Login options

    Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution to get full access on this article.

    Sign in
    • Published in

      cover image ACM Conferences
      SIGMIS CPR '09: Proceedings of the special interest group on management information system's 47th annual conference on Computer personnel research
      May 2009
      242 pages
      ISBN:9781605584270
      DOI:10.1145/1542130

      Copyright © 2009 ACM

      Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

      Publisher

      Association for Computing Machinery

      New York, NY, United States

      Publication History

      • Published: 28 May 2009

      Permissions

      Request permissions about this article.

      Request Permissions

      Check for updates

      Qualifiers

      • research-article

      Acceptance Rates

      Overall Acceptance Rate300of480submissions,63%

    PDF Format

    View or Download as a PDF file.

    PDF

    eReader

    View online with eReader.

    eReader