Information Technology Reference
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study as “Bentley”. The summary values from the original study were used to perform the
analysis. Four of the nine items showed significant differences, all at p < .05.
Compared with the Bentley students' perceptions of the initial background of IS
graduates, the MSCD students felt they:
•
Are stronger at mathematics (Item #1)
Compared with the Bentley students' perceptions of the work style of IS graduates, the
MSCD students felt they would:
•
Spend more time interacting with other persons (Item #4)
•
Receive a higher starting salary (Item #8)
•
Be less involved in helping managers select new computer systems (Item #9)
Hypothesis 1 is rejected and it can be concluded that our students do perceive
numerous differences between the work style of the typical IS graduate and their own
expected starting position's work style. This is consistent with the findings of Mawhinney,
et al. (1985), except they did not find significant differences for the first two items. This seems
to indicate that, like the students 12 years ago, current students prefer more interaction with
other people than they perceive an IS career to provide.
Hypothesis 2
a
is also be rejected. The MSCD students clearly have a different
background than the Bentley students. It should be expected that students would have a
stronger computer background than students of twelve years prior, even though the MSCD
students are not traditional students. Some institutional differences between the two groups
of students should be noted. The original study took place in a private college with traditional
full-time residential students who were required to take the course as first semester freshmen.
The current study took place in a public college with a large portion of non-traditional
commuter students. Students have some flexibility concerning when they take the course,
though it is the prerequisite for all IS courses.
The MSCD students also exhibit differences in their preferred work style - differences
that are more in keeping with their perception of the work style of IS graduates. The
Mawhinney, et al. (1985) study does not indicate what proportion of their sample was IS
majors. However, they do indicate that it took place at a time of rapidly declining IS
enrollments. It is quite likely that the MSCD sample had a substantially higher proportion of
IS majors (indeed, 24% of our sample indicated they were CIS majors) and that may very well
account for this result. Another possibility is that business students in general perceive
themselves and jobs as more technically oriented.
Hypothesis 2
b
is not so clear-cut. Although four of the nine items were significantly
different, five were not, and those that were weren't particularly strong differences. We would
argue that the perceptions of the two groups of students regarding the background and work
style of IS graduates were more alike than different and would not reject this hypothesis.
The similar perceptions are not too surprising if job advertisements influence the
perception of information systems work. Between 1970 and 1990 advertisements showed an
increase in phrases specifying technical knowledge at the cost of business and systems
knowledge (Todd, McKeen, & Gallupe, 1995). This is in contrast to both anecdotal and
research evidence that managers often rate the need for 'soft' skills (i.e., problem solving,
communication, working in groups) higher than technical skills (Turner & Lowry, 2002;
