More Web Proxy on the site http://driver.im/

article

Are information systems people different: An inverstigation of motivational differences

Authors:

Thomas W Ferratt,

Larry E ShortAuthors Info & Claims

MIS Quarterly, Volume 10, Issue 4

Pages 377 - 388

https://doi.org/10.2307/249193

Published: 01 December 1986 Publication History

Abstract

Comparison of motivational patterns of information systems (IS) and non-information systems people in the same occupational group reveals no significant differences. This finding contrasts with prior writings. Conceptually, this study focuses on a more complete set of motivators of productive work behavior. Methodologically, it measures motivators with a constrained-choice checklist, samples employees from the insurance industry, and statistically tests for IS and non-IS differences within clerical/operations, technical/professional, and managerial occupational groups. Until further study shows otherwise, this study suggests that IS people are as motivationally normal while doing their job as other workers in their occupational group.

References

[1]

Alderfer, C.P. Existence, Relatedness, and Growth, The Free Press, New York, New York 1972.

[2]

Barrow, C. "The Variables of Leadership: A Review and Conceptual Framework," Academy of Management Review, Volume 2, Number 2, April 1977, pp. 231-251.

[3]

Bartol, K.M. and Martin, D.C. "Managing Information Systems Personnel: A Review of the Literature and Managerial Implications," MIS Quarterly, Special Issue, December 1982, pp. 49-70.

[4]

Campbell, J.P. "Psychometric Theory," In Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Marvin D. Dunnette (ed.), Rand McNally Publishing Company, Chicago, illinois, 1976, pp. 185-222.

[5]

Clemans, W.V. "An Analytical and Empirical Examination of-Some Properties of Ipsatlve Measures," Psychometric Monographs, Number 14, circa 1966.

[6]

Couger, J.D. and Zawacki, R.A. Motivating and Managing Computer Personnel, John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York, 1980.

[7]

Hackman, J.R. and Oldham, G.R. "Motivation through the Design of Work: Test of a Theory," Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, Volume 16, Number 2, August 1976, pp. 250-279.

[8]

Herzberg, F., Mausner, B. and Snyderman, B. The Motivation to Work, 2nd Ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York, 1959.

[9]

Ilgen, D.A., Fisher, C.D. and Taylor, M.S. "Consequences of Individual Feedback on Behavior in Organizations," Journal of Applied Psychology, Volume 64, Number 4, August 1979, pp. 349-371.

[10]

Latham, G.P. and Yuki, G.A. "A Review of Research on the Application of Goal Setting in Organizations," Academy of Management Journal, Volume 18, Number 4, December 1975, pp. 824-845.

[11]

Likert, R. New Patterns of Management, McGraw-Hill, New York, New York, 1961.

[12]

Locke, E.A. and Schweiger, D.M. "Participation In Decision Making: One More Look," In Research in Organizational Behavior, Volume 1, Barry M. Staw (ed.), JAI Press, Inc., Greenwich, Connecticut, 1979, pp. 265-339.

[13]

Locke, E.A., Shaw, K.N., Saari, L.M. and Latham, G.P. "Goal Setting and Task Performance: 1969-1980," Psychological Bulletin, Volume 90, Number 1, July 1981, pp. 125-152.

[14]

Luthans, F. and Kreitner, A. Organizational Behavior Modification and Beyond, Scott, Foresman, and Company, Glenview, Illinois, 1985.

[15]

Maslow, A.H. "A Theory of Human Motivation," Psychological Review, Volume 50, Number 4, July 1943, pp. 370-396.

[16]

McClelland, D.C. The Achieving Society, Van Nostrand, Princeton, New Jersey, 1961.

[17]

McClelland, D.C., Atkinson, J.W., Clark, R. and Lowell, E.J. The Achievement Motive, Appleton-Century-Croft, New York, New York, 1953.

[18]

Miller, G.A. "The Magic Number Seven Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capabilities for Processing Information," The Psychological Review, Volume 63, Number 2, March 1956, pp. 81-97.

[19]

Nunnally, J.C. Psychometric Theory, 2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, New York, 1978.

[20]

Skinner, B.F. Contingencies of Reinforcement, Appleton-Century-Croft, New York, New York, 1969.

Cited By

Jia RJia HJoseph DVan Slyke CAllen JQuesenberry JWiesche M(2019)What Makes Us IT People?Proceedings of the 2019 on Computers and People Research Conference10.1145/3322385.3322408(153-156)Online publication date: 12-Jun-2019
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3322385.3322408
Jacks TPalvia PIyer LSarala RDaynes S(2018)An Ideology of IT Occupational CultureACM SIGMIS Database: the DATABASE for Advances in Information Systems10.1145/3184444.318445149:1(93-117)Online publication date: 1-Feb-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3184444.3184451
Zylka MFischbach K(2017)Turning the Spotlight on the Consequences of Individual IT TurnoverACM SIGMIS Database: the DATABASE for Advances in Information Systems10.1145/3084179.308418548:2(52-78)Online publication date: 24-Apr-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3084179.3084185
Show More Cited By

Index Terms

Are information systems people different: An inverstigation of motivational differences
1. Applied computing
  1. Law, social and behavioral sciences
    1. Economics
  2. Physical sciences and engineering
    1. Earth and atmospheric sciences
2. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing and business
    2. Computing profession
      1. Computing occupations

Recommendations

Are information systems people different? An investigation of how they are and should be managed

This study, based on seven different samples involving 1005 employees, examines whether IS and non-IS people are or should be managed differently. How IS and non-IS people are managed is measured by three sets of managerial activities: (1) enriching the ...
The impact of gender differences on the career experiences of information systems professionals
SIGCPR '01: Proceedings of the 2001 ACM SIGCPR conference on Computer personnel research

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of gender differences on the career experiences and job success of information systems professionals. The study analyzes career experiences with respect to a number of variables, including feelings of ...
People, business and IT skills: the perspective of women in the IT industry
SIGCPR '00: Proceedings of the 2000 ACM SIGCPR conference on Computer personnel research

This paper discusses professional women's perceptions of the skills required for working in the information technology (IT) industry with respect to the skills women bring to IT work and how the skills contribute to their career progression. The paper ...

Comments

Please enable JavaScript to view thecomments powered by Disqus.

Information & Contributors

Information

Published In

cover image MIS Quarterly

MIS Quarterly Volume 10, Issue 4

Dec. 1986

107 pages

ISSN:0276-7783

Editor:
Warren F Mcfarlan

Issue’s Table of Contents

Publisher

Society for Information Management and The Management Information Systems Research Center

United States

Publication History

Published: 01 December 1986

Qualifiers

Article

Contributors

Other Metrics

View Article Metrics

Bibliometrics & Citations

Bibliometrics

Article Metrics

43
Total Citations
View Citations
0
Total Downloads

Downloads (Last 12 months)0
Downloads (Last 6 weeks)0

Reflects downloads up to 22 Dec 2024

Other Metrics

View Author Metrics

Citations

Cited By

Jia RJia HJoseph DVan Slyke CAllen JQuesenberry JWiesche M(2019)What Makes Us IT People?Proceedings of the 2019 on Computers and People Research Conference10.1145/3322385.3322408(153-156)Online publication date: 12-Jun-2019
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3322385.3322408
Jacks TPalvia PIyer LSarala RDaynes S(2018)An Ideology of IT Occupational CultureACM SIGMIS Database: the DATABASE for Advances in Information Systems10.1145/3184444.318445149:1(93-117)Online publication date: 1-Feb-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3184444.3184451
Zylka MFischbach K(2017)Turning the Spotlight on the Consequences of Individual IT TurnoverACM SIGMIS Database: the DATABASE for Advances in Information Systems10.1145/3084179.308418548:2(52-78)Online publication date: 24-Apr-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3084179.3084185
Sreejith S. S. Mathirajan M(2016)Identifying Criteria for Continuous Evaluation of Software Engineers for Reward and RecognitionInternational Journal of Human Capital and Information Technology Professionals10.4018/IJHCITP.20161001057:4(61-78)Online publication date: 1-Oct-2016
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.4018/IJHCITP.2016100105
Hernández-López A(2012)Satisfaction and MotivationInternational Journal of Human Capital and Information Technology Professionals10.4018/jhcitp.20121001043:4(39-56)Online publication date: 1-Oct-2012
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.4018/jhcitp.2012100104
Verner JBeecham SCerpa NGallivan MDowney JJoseph D(2010)Stakeholder dissonanceProceedings of the 2010 Special Interest Group on Management Information System's 48th annual conference on Computer personnel research on Computer personnel research10.1145/1796900.1796918(25-33)Online publication date: 20-May-2010
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1796900.1796918
Moody JPower NKaiser KDowney JJoseph D(2009)Nature versus nurtureProceedings of the special interest group on management information system's 47th annual conference on Computer personnel research10.1145/1542130.1542164(175-180)Online publication date: 28-May-2009
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1542130.1542164
Hall TBaddoo NBeecham SRobinson HSharp H(2009)A systematic review of theory use in studies investigating the motivations of software engineersACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology10.1145/1525880.152588318:3(1-29)Online publication date: 4-Jun-2009
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1525880.1525883
Beecham SBaddoo NHall TRobinson HSharp H(2008)Motivation in Software EngineeringInformation and Software Technology10.1016/j.infsof.2007.09.00450:9-10(860-878)Online publication date: 1-Aug-2008
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1016/j.infsof.2007.09.004
Outlay CNiederman FSumner MLending DVician C(2007)Resizing information systems personnel after IT outsourcingProceedings of the 2007 ACM SIGMIS CPR conference on Computer personnel research: The global information technology workforce10.1145/1235000.1235053(224-227)Online publication date: 19-Apr-2007
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1235000.1235053
Show More Cited By

View Options

View options

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

View Issue’s Table of Contents