John R. Willems and Karen Ketler
Reports the results of a survey of information systems managers with respect of the importance of telecommunications issues and the quality of their telecommunications training…
Abstract
Reports the results of a survey of information systems managers with respect of the importance of telecommunications issues and the quality of their telecommunications training. The response of the information systems managers identified four factors: standard or clerical applications (e‐mail and voice mail); advanced or emerging applications (conducting business on the Internet); technical issues (telecommunications terminology and equipment capability); and managerial issues (the use of telecommunications to gain a competitive advantage). The information systems managers rated managerial issues as more important than technical issues, thus reflecting a shift to the strategic issues of telecommunications. While the information systems managers rated training on standard applications the highest, they expressed clear dissatisfaction in all areas of their telecommunications training. Surprisingly, it was in the managerial area of telecommunication that the IS managers expressed their greatest desire for additional training. All too often technology rules the business. It is now time to revert to the core organizational emphasis and use technology to manage the business efficiently.
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John R. Willems and Karen Ketler
Reports the results of a survey of marketing managers with respect to the importance of telecommunications issues and the quality of their telecommunications training. The…
Abstract
Reports the results of a survey of marketing managers with respect to the importance of telecommunications issues and the quality of their telecommunications training. The responses of the marketing managers identified three categories of issues: standard or clerical applications, such as e‐mail or voice mail; advanced applications, such as conducting business on the Internet and EDI; and managerial and technical issues, such as the use of telecommunications to gain a competitive advantage. Surprisingly, marketing managers rated the standard applications as the most important. The explanation was found in the quality of their training. Marketing managers expressed major dissatisfaction with all areas of telecommunications training, but especially in the advanced applications and managerial issues. Rather than placing emphasis on the strategic, more training effort was spent on telecommunications training in the clerical functions. Without knowledge about the advanced or cutting‐edge applications, marketing managers do not understand the potential of these applications and issues in the organization.
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Karen Ketler and John R. Willems
Reports the results of a recent study of marketing and information systems (IS) managers about the importance of telecommunications in their positions and the quality of their…
Abstract
Reports the results of a recent study of marketing and information systems (IS) managers about the importance of telecommunications in their positions and the quality of their training in telecommunications. Surprisingly, the marketing managers rated the importance of the 30 telecommunications issues in their positions higher than the IS managers. Yet, the marketing managers expressed more dissatisfaction with their telecommunications training in these issues than the IS manager. The researchers computed training need as the difference between the importance of the issue and the quality of training on that issue. Although the marketing manager had a substantially higher training need than the IS manager, there was remarkable agreement on the issues on which both groups of managers want additional training. They seek training on the managerial issues, such as data integrity, the use of telecommunications for a competitive advantage, strategic planning of telecommunications and data security.