Employment structures of information systems professionals: a comparative study of the United States and Singapore

ABSTRACT

Prior research into information systems (IS) personnel has been primarily directed from the perspective of an internal labor market. The assumption underlying that body of research is that agents, i.e., IS workers, form long-term employment relationships with the principals, i.e., the firms employing. However, the recent emphasis on externalizing IS labor (for example, by outsourcing) suggests that this assumption may no longer hold true. This study provides an empirical investigation of the extent of externalizing IS workers in both the United States and Singapore. Results indicate that the United States utilizes more externalized IS employment structures than Singapore. Moreover, the trend toward externalized IS workers is more pronounced in the United States in the most recent three quarters analyzed than at any other period in the 1990–1993 timeframe. Possible explanations for the differential trend behavior ensue.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.7 THE COMPUTING PROFESSION

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
      H.1.2 User/Machine Systems
          Subjects: Human factors

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.4 COMPUTERS AND SOCIETY
  K.6 MANAGEMENT OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS
      K.6.1 Project and People Management
          Subjects: Staffing

General Terms:
Economics, Human Factors, Management