Corporate Assessment of Strategic Issues in Technology Management

Abstract:

Through a discussion of both current literature and the results of a new study described here, this article contributes to an understanding of the gap that exists between what employers in technology-based industries expect of new hires and the skill sets those new hires actually possess. As the pace of technological change increases, current managers and new graduates must be comfortable with managing and interacting with new technologies and the people charged with their implementation. In the case of new graduates, current literature reveals that employers are particularly dissatisfied with their ability to communicate technical topics, which is vitally important for effective business operations. A study focused on recent hires, managers, and executives familiar with Bucknell University's Institute for Leadership in Technology and Management (ILTM, 2003) corroborated these findings as well as identifying other areas of concern. A manager in a technology-based industry can use this article both to develop strategies for coping with existing problems and to identify ways that corporations can actively become involved in the education process to help close the gap between expectations and reality.

Keywords::

• Technology Management
• Interdisciplinary Teams
• Employer Survey
• Job Expectations
• Leadership