软件技术人才培养现状及对策

软件人才的培养是发展我国软件产业的关键,培养足够数量的、高素质的信息技术人才是实现社会信息化的保证。本文对我国软件人才培养的学历教育和社会培训机构提供的非学历培训现状进行分析,指出高等学校应该在培养目标的调整、师资力量的配备、实践环节的提升等方面进一步加强;而非学历培训则应该更注重培养具有国际视野的高层次人才,同时应该提倡有行业针对性的专业教育。     

基于ITSQEM的IT服务质量研究

在SERVQUAL模型以及软件工程产品质量模型的基础上,结合IT服务质量的内涵和范畴,提出了IT服务质量评价模型(ITSQEM);并对该模型特性及子特性进行分析,提出了模型裁剪原则以及相应指标项的度量方法,使得质量评价更具有实用性和可操作性。     

Internet use, videogame playing and cell phone use as predictors of children’s body mass index (BMI), body weight, academic performance, and social and overall self-esteem

In this research we examined the prediction of children’s body mass index (BMI), body weight, academic performance, social self-esteem and overall self-esteem from their IT (information technology) use, specifically, their Internet use, cell phone use and videogame playing, after controlling for the effects of gender, race, age and household income on these measures. Participants were 482 children whose average age was 12 years old. One-third was African American and two-thirds were Caucasian American. Results indicated that IT use did not predict BMI or body weight, contrary to one previous survey and the widespread belief that screen time is responsible for the obesity epidemic among our nation’s children. Instead, BMI and body weight were higher for African Americans, older children and children from lower income households. The sole and strong positive predictor of visual-spatial skills was videogame playing, which also predicted lower grade point averages (GPAs). Gender and Internet use predicted standardized test scores in reading skills. Females and children who used the Internet more had better reading skills than did males and children who used the Internet less, respectively. Implications of these findings for future research on the benefits and liabilities of IT use are discussed.     

A longitudinal experimental study on the interaction effects of persuasion quality, user training, and first-hand use on user perceptions of new information technology

While prior research has investigated the main effects of external factors on user perceptions of a new IT, little work has been into the interaction effect of external factors on user perceptions. In a longitudinal experimental study, we examined the effect of the quality of persuasive argument, user training, and first-hand use on user perceptions of the new technology over time. We found that the effect of argument quality on users’ perceived ease of use was greater when users had no training. However, we did not find the same effect occurred due to perceived usefulness. We also found that first-hand use changed users’ perceived usefulness more over time when users received high quality arguments or when they had no training. While we found that first-hand use changed users’ perceived ease of use more when users received high quality arguments, first-hand use did not change users’ perceived ease of use differently whether they had or had not received prior training.     

The change in user and IT dynamics: Blogs as IT-enabled virtual self-presentation

Using the blogosphere as an enabling IT environment, this paper investigates how self-concept influences virtual self-presentation behavior and the use of IT artifacts. Self-presentation theory is adapted from the social psychology literature to develop a theoretical research model of virtual self-presentation. We tested the research model and hypotheses with data collected from 312 bloggers. Structural equation analysis of this data reveals a nomological net of self-concept leading to IT-enabled virtual self-presentation and the use of IT artifacts. Our findings provide a new perspective of users as heterogeneous individuals who have various self-concepts that change the sequence and dynamics among users, IT artifacts, and tasks. In contrast to traditional systems, in the social context of virtual self-presentation, users are the primary and essential drivers who determine vaguely defined tasks and systems.     

Portfolios of buyer–supplier exchange relationships in an online marketplace for IT services

Most studies on the role of IT for economic exchange predicted that under a given set of exchange attributes buyers would choose a certain mode of relationship with suppliers. Our study of an online IT services marketplace revealed that buyers do not have a single, uniformly preferred type of relationship, but rather maintain a portfolio of relationships. Furthermore, different buyers arrange their portfolios of exchange relationships in different ways. We found four clusters of buyers' portfolios of relationships labeled Transactional buyers, Recurrent buyers, Small diversifiers and Large diversifiers, that differ in their usage of auction or negotiation mechanism, their supplier relations as well as their usage of preferred suppliers. Our results thus paint a richer picture of how buyers organize their supplier networks online.     

Improving retention strategies for IT professionals working in the public sector

Despite much research interest, effective retention of IT professionals has proved difficult for many public sector organizations. By concentrating on intention to leave, researchers may not have provided a clear way to formulate effective retention strategies. Consequently, we used intention to stay as an alternative lens to identify factors that can reduce turnover of IT professionals. Our findings indicated that attitudes, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and identification with the organization all had a statistically significant relationship with intention to stay; attitude was the strongest. It was concluded that existing retention strategies needed to be refocused on the issues that make IT staff stay; a number of practical recommendations for IT managers are presented.     

Keeping up-to-date with information technology: Testing a model of technological knowledge renewal effectiveness for IT professionals

In a rapidly changing IT environment, IT professionals need to keep abreast of technological knowledge. We examined how well this is achieved by developing a motivational model of “technological knowledge renewal effectiveness.” We hypothesized that (1) renewal effectiveness was influenced by the IT professional's career orientation, perceived IT dynamism, tolerance of ambiguity, delegation; and (2) that this positively affected both intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction. Survey data from 126 IT professionals was used to test the hypotheses. The results generally supported the research model. We discussed the implications of these results in both research and practice.     

Institutional pressures and mindful IT management: The case of a container terminal in China

Although it has been only ten years in operations, Yantian International Container Terminals Limited (YICT) has evolved as a world-class container terminal and become the first Chinese port to receive the Best Global Container Port of the Year award for 2005–2006, as well as being designated China's best container terminal in terms of operational efficiency for 2008. A success factor of YICT is its extensive use of IT in managing and enhancing the productivity and services of the port operations. Premised upon Institutional Theory and the organizational mindfulness perspectives (preoccupation with failure and success, reluctance to simplify interpretations, sensitivity to operations, commitment to resilience, and reliance on expertise over formal authority) and using case study methodology, we examined the institutional pressures faced by YICT in its IT management (ITM), and determined how YICT coped with its institutional pressures during its IT development.     

A comparative study of important risk factors involved in offshore and domestic outsourcing of software development projects: A two-panel Delphi study

We investigated the risk factors of outsourced software development. Our first objective was to create empirically generated lists of risk factors for both domestically- and offshore-outsourced projects. Our second objective was to compare these two contexts: how do the risk factors change and which ones are most important in each. To address these objectives, we conducted two Delphi surveys to identify the important risk factors from a client perspective, in domestic and offshore settings. We qualitatively compared the results of the surveys to identify similarities and differences across their risk profiles. We identified three types of risks: those that appeared in both contexts; those that appeared in both but were exacerbated in the offshore context; and those that were unique to the offshore context. Our findings suggested that traditional project management risks were important in both contexts; however, the offshore context seemed to be more vulnerable to some traditional risks as well as factors that were unique to it.