“DESIGNING A COMPETENT GRADUATE MIS CURRICULUM IN THE WAKE OF ICT SKILLS GAP”

Prof. Dr. Murat Ferman

Lecturer Alp Yörük

Işık University

Büyükdere Caddesi, İstanbul, Turkey

“There is no doubt that we are living in a rapidly changing and a highly competitive, globalized world. Technological advancements in the last decade continue in an accelerated fashion, amazing even the most revolutionary and foreword-thinking opinion leaders and idea generators. It is clear that, the advancements and accomplishments of the digital technologies have distinctly surpassed all other technological fields; shaping the current socio-economic environment.”[1]

Emarketplaces, B2Bs, B2Cs, A2Bs, A2Cs, portals, databases, programming languages, processors, chips.... all are the result of the above mentioned technological advancements. These new tools among with qualified professionals are building and modifying the business flows of the global economies. Especially internet, being the 21st century’s most amazing business channel, triggered entrepreneurs, multinational companies and even the governments from all over the world to exploit these new businesses opportunities and thus this wired world of ours is being more and more globalized every day. Businesses are conducting electronic-commerce over electronic marketplaces to expand their market reach, cut costs and to benefit from improved market information on a daily basis[2]. Integrated chains even down from the market to the production lines are being more and more sensitive to the variations in demand levels and thus become more efficient each day with stock levels and its relative costs ever decreasing. This dream had been realized by advanced technologies that were not available and economically feasible for all sizes of companies before.

“In a knowledge-based economy, intangible investments represent the main source of competitive advantage. Skills are the most important (and non replaceable) form of intangible investment.”[3]

This Information revolution has leveraged the importance of individuals with the appropriate kinds of skills who are capable of dynamically building intense and efficient end-to-end leading edge technological solutions. Such solutions provide significant cost saving, efficient and fast communication opportunities and thus these talented employees are appreciated by organizations. With the ever increasing importance of information technologies, companies of all sizes started to pay significant attention and allocate their resources to potential projects which will help to differentiate themselves in today’s highly competitive and global market places. As a result the demand for individuals who can manage information, technology and people has leveraged to a level that in the absence of adequate levels of employees with appropriate skills, significant amount of revenues that could be generated and strengthen economical structures can not be realized.

“Western Europe is set to lose 380 billion euro from the IT skills gap over the next three years, resulting in reduced competitiveness in global markets.” [4]

Considering that the Information and Communication Technologies market is enjoying growth rates of double-digit numbers in certain sectors, these new business opportunities can be lost without the adequate levels of skilled personal in place, consequencing in decreased competitiveness for the global economies of the world.

“Companies are effectively coping with the IT skills shortage by reducing their demand – or, put another way, are withdrawing from work which they would otherwise have taken on. This is holding back the overall development of the economy.” [5]

Once understood the importance of having adequate levels of skilled personal in place in the ICT sector, one becomes curious about the current picture in the world’s global economies when they are talking about being information societies and building future visions around this notion more than ever.

Examination of the above chart clearly indicates a shortfall in available IT professionals in Europe to be employed in the Information and Communication Technologies sector. The 2002 figures point out to a %23 discrepancy between demand and supply level, put another way an extra of 1.6 million IT professionals are needed to fill the vacancies. Also should be noted that the gap between the levels are widening in a fast manner. While the 1998 figures pointed out a %6 demand exceeding supply, the 2002 figures far surpass this data with a %23. If not to be taken proper actions in a timely manner, Europe’s global competitiveness can be greatly wound because of lost business opportunities.

“Europe faces a problem. Ambitious plans (such as those in the eEurope report adopted at the EU Lisbon summit in March this year) to enable our continent to benefit from the opportunities of the new economy could be jeopardized by a shortage of workers with the necessary IT skills.” [6]

“Demand for IT skills is far outstripping the existing supply of IT professionals. Only now, as the demand for programmers, system analysts and computer engineers outstrips the market supply, both customer firms and IT suppliers are realizing the formidable task of competing in a human resource constrained market.” [7]

ICT skills gap is not a major problem for only Europe but rather a global obstacle that requires in depth attention and significant amounts of consideration. United States of America also suffers from this condition.

The figures supplied from the report Digital Work Force [8] prepared by the US Department of Commerce’s Office of Technology Policy in 2000 also points out to the relatively big growth rate that short fall of IT workers increase in the world’s biggest economy. The latest 2002 numbers clearly shows that there are well over 1.3 million skilled personal missing to be employed in the sector and thus new revenue opportunities along with new business possibilities are being missed.

“Between 1996 and 2002, the United States will require more than 1.3 million new highly skilled IT workers in these occupations – an average of about 137,800 per year – to fill the newly created jobs (1,134,000) and to replace workers who are leaving these fields (244,000).” [9]

The lack of highly skilled IT professionals to be occupied in the ICT sector is a global problem, which prevents the economical development of the nations. “The shortage jeopardizes the growth not only of the ICT sector but of the economy as a whole” [10] can be the best way to describe the current situation. As a result of all its consequences this unpleasant and urgently attention needed condition pushes the supra-national organizations to pay significant attention and act.

“Given their role in the current transformation of advanced economies, ICTs offer the promise of new business and employment opportunities along with higher productivity gains, but also make new demands on skills. OECD countries are confronted with the dual challenge of ensuring that the growth of new industries and activities is not stifled by labor bottlenecks and skill mismatches and that their population is equipped to master the basic ICT skills which these transformations require.”[11]

A matter which is such important have to be paid adequate levels of attention and national and international programs has to be developed which will contribute to close the gap in the sector and thus OECD member states along with their educational institutions have to deploy specific actions to build sound solutions. One of the most feasible ways to do service in this venue thus seem to be creating and offering graduate level MIS programs for the public.

Characteristics of Graduate Level MIS programs

First and foremost, it is clear that MIS programs are mostly developed and introduced in the last ten years. Therefore in comparison to “Nearly traditionalized” programs such as MBA, graduate programs in MIS are relatively new, not fully tested and have yet to create their own legacy and reputation. This state-of-the-art can largely be attributed to the fact that, the MIS has risen to significance as an academic discipline only in the last 10 years. The very complex and somehow “hybrid” characteristics of the field have created different problems as well as resulting in the clash of separate perspectives. In fact if one needs to adapt the “Technical/Engineering perspective” for MIS, it is just hardcore technological competent and gismo, spiced which some soft-core managerial content. A careful observation of existing undergraduate and/or graduate curricula is full of that “Techno-perspectives”. In practical terms it can be described as a composition of “Seventy percent engineering, thirty percent management at the best”. In most cases techno-perspective does overcome and overrule the management emphasize with a dominating over eighty percent content. Consequently it is no surprise that majority of the available MIS programs are run by technical departments for engineering students. No wonder, so-called early MIS programs were called as “Informatik programs”.

On the other hand, the recent developments and challenges of competitive business life calls for a more management oriented approach. Recent failures and certain shocks experienced throughout the dot-coms and big businesses have pointed out to the fact that technology is a mere tool rather than the overall ability and capability of doing things right. It takes a healthy and comprehensive managerial perspective based on sound technological competency to raise to the challenges of today’s global markets. The age of wonder-kids and techno-gicks that lack managerial perspective and skills are coming to an end. It generally takes a teamwork approach provided by able and highly qualified people who do not only talk the techno-language but also bring managerial common sense and perspective in to the scene. There is no doubt that carefully designed and balanced MIS graduate programs do constitute an effective solution into this matter, by closing the ICT skills gap as well as introducing a healthy perspective of efficient management in theory and practice.

Examination of the Current Situation in Turkey

Based on the above-mentioned perceptions; we have come to realize the importance of and certain need for a competent graduate MIS program to be offered in Turkey. Although the college of Arts and Sciences has started the Information Technologies program in undergraduate level three years ago, there has been no graduate level program even in the closely related areas up till two years ago in the country. As a matter of fact only three universities offer undergraduate level of MIS studies, the oldest started only a couple of years ago. On the other hand, another private university has initiated her graduate degree program in MIS, last year. Therefore we have decided to search and examine existing comparable programs throughout Europe and United States[12]. A careful and detailed study and analysis of all programs have provided a short list for consideration. In coming up with this list, we have specifically paid attention to the focus, flexibility, content, competitiveness, objectives, capabilities and inter-disciplinary qualities of those programs. Işık’s newly established Master of Science in MIS program is a product of a comprehensive and object-oriented curriculum development process.

Master or Science in MIS program in Işık University

Master of Science in MIS program in Işık University introduces a balanced perspective of technological and managerial approaches. While computational and technical subjects are thoroughly examined, competent portfolios of management courses are included. One of the basic advantages and competitive abilities of the program is that every Bachelors degree holders from a reputable institution of higher education are eligible for admission. Even the most technical and nearly universally standardized courses such as Database Management Systems, Foundations of Software Design, and Data Mining & Data Warehousing are carefully designed to carry a much more “user/student-friendly” tunes and content. A great emphasize is given to this aspect during the faculty selection&assignment process. We have observed that certain techno-perspectives die hard among faculty! Therefore one should not forget the fact that most of the technology based courses in this area thought by faculty who has started careers in computing science&engineering. Another challenge was to find entrepreneurs and some market players who have had first hand experience of related e-business. A specific course under the title of e-business dynamics was developed and after a lengthy search and many interviews couple key lecturers emerged as candidates to share their experiences and insight perspectives with the participants. It is no wonder that those people are in their late 20s. Another certain flexibility of the program is to present the students nearly unlimited options of taken managerial courses from our Executive MBA Curriculum[13]. Depending on our belief that a highly competent and up-to-date infrastractural capabilities are of extreme importance in program of this level and content, necessary requirements have been realized in that department. (Developed curriculum can be examined in the next page)

Işık UniversitySocial Sciences Institute

Master of Science in Management Information Systems

Quarter 1
Course Name
/
Code
/ Explanation
Contemporary Marketing / MIS 501 / Approaches to the marketing of information products and services, including analysis of user needs, market structures, pricing, market behavior and distribution
Elements of MIS / MIS 502 / Detailed examination of Computer Algorithms, Operating Systems, Computer Architectures, Artificial Intelligence for increasing technological know-how. Providing Hardware and Software familiarity for efficient utilization of currently available commercial products. Factors strongly impacting the success of new computing and communication products and services in commercial applications. Technology trends and limits, economics, standardization, intellectual property, government policy, and industrial organizations. Focusing into protocols, security and networking.
Database Management Systems / MIS 503 / Examination of the full-cycle database application development process. Intermediate level of SQL (Structured Query Language) knowledge, building and understanding table relations and utilizing databases for key business needs are the main focus of MIS 503.
Quarter 2
Foundations of Software Design / MIS 504 / Introduction to high-level programming languages such as (C, Java, C++ and Visual Basic). Introduction to programming paradigms, design and analysis of algorithms. Analysis, use, and implementation of data structures important information processing systems. Technical side of distributed computing applications, including complexity management, concurrency, performance and middleware.
E-commerce Dynamics / MIS 505 / Examination of dot-coms. Focusing on past failures, business models, future opportunities. An overview of Internet Advertising technologies, standards, definitions. Topics to be considered while marketing a specific product or a service from Internet.
Quantitative Analysis Techniques / MIS 506 / Quantitative methods for data collection and analysis. Conceptualization, operationalization, measurement. Sampling. Basics of data analysis.
Quarter 3
Use of Programming Languages / MIS 507 / Group development of software package using a programming language such as C, C++, or Java as a basis. Includes developing functional specifications, designs, interface design, system implementation, and documentation.
Project Management for MIS / MIS 508 / Designing models for efficient and economical resource allocation. Building value adding, cost aware information systems with the help of MIS techniques.
Internet Front-end and Back-end technologies / MIS 509 / Examination of Internet front-end (HTML, JavaScript, WML...) and backend (PHP, ASP, CGI...) technologies. Building information intensive, dynamically generated websites that interact with potential customers.
Quarter 4
Term Project / MIS 500
Elective Slot 1
Elective Slot 2
Quarter 4 Elective Slots
MIS Applications for Services / Manufacturing Industries / MIS 510 / Examination of the case studies and in depth analysis of the IS / IT solutions deployed in manufacturing and services industries.
Managing Software Development / MIS 511 / Executives who would like to manage software development projects. Tools, techniques and information to be utilized in a potential project. Hands-on approach by the utilization of a case study.
CRM Dynamics / MIS 512 / What is CRM? Is CRM just one of those new techy-abbrevation that sounds fancy or is it a new potential method for companies with build-in databases to better segment their customers and produce customized solutions?
Total Quality Management / MIS 513 / Various techniques involved in deploying total quality management in organizations. Assessing the specific problematic areas that block the improvement initiatives and selected case studies from specific industries.
Operations Research / MIS 514 / Aspects encompassed in managerial decision-making, mathematical and computer modeling in various fields such as manufacturing, logistics, supply chain management, consulting, financial services and etc...
Data Warehousing & Data Mining / MIS 515 / Intelligent analysis of information in data sets, methodologies involved, formulations. Discussition of the organizational and management issues when approaching a data warehouse.
NOTE: In addition to the above MIS electives, participants can choose all available MBA courses, space permitted.
FURTHER INFORMATION: Please contact Mr. Alp Yörük (mailto: )
Conclusion

In our digital age new challenges do rise and not only persons but also institutions should stand up for the emerging needs and expectations. Amongst all a heavy burden and a critical role is placed on the institutions of higher education to think in advance as to prepare competitive curricula, which will enable the future generations of society become more competent and competitive. MIS has risen as a critical and strategically inter-disciplinary field of vital importance. Many contemporary issues and problems do fell under the vicinity of this relatively young field and many answers and solutions are to be provided by this rising star. Faced with the challenge of ICT skills gap, institutions of higher education should provide a comprehensive well balanced and “open to all” graduate degree programs in MIS. However, the experience in this field is not very rich nor deep-rooted. Therefore each and every new proposal should be welcomed with the intent and the educative hope of witnessing positive contribution to the ongoing efforts.