Magister Commercii (Information Management) - MCom(IM) / Knowledge, skills and competences (KSC) are regarded as the new global currency of the 21st century, without which a country’s investments in other resources will collapse. These strategic skills and competences, which are related to specific requirements of the knowledge-driven economy and information society, are referred to as electronic skills (e-skills) and electronic competences (e-competences). Possessing e-skills and e-competencies allows for a more effective and inclusive participation within a global knowledge-driven economy and broader society. However, with a history of inequity, South Africa has been adversely impacted by globalisation and rapidly progressing Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), resulting in the country lagging behind in global competitiveness and e-readiness. Since e-skills and e-competencies are considered a pre-requisite for securing professional employment in most of the world, there is a need for Higher Education Institutions to determine firstly, which e-competencies are required in today’s society and then to ensure that these e-competencies are sufficiently provided to their students. This statement is premised on the understanding that quality, relevant and adequate e-skills and e-competences are required for a more effective and inclusive participation within a global knowledge-driven economy and broader society. In the context of a regressing youth unemployment crisis in South Africa and with the backdrop of the global mismatch between demand and supply of e-skills and e-competences, this study investigated the alignment between demand and supply of e-competences in South Africa. Thus, the overarching aim of this study was to determine how well the Information Systems curriculum at a South African university (supply) matched the e-competence requirements of potential employers of Information Systems graduates in South Africa, specifically in the Western Cape Province (demand). This was achieved through two specific objectives which were firstly, to develop a conceptual framework that could be used to assess if there was a mismatch between demand and supply and then 2) to use the conceptual framework to make recommendations towards alignment of demand and supply. By achieving these objectives, this study makes a significant contribution to the current e-skills dialogue and existing body of knowledge by positing a conceptual framework ofe-Competences for Information Systems graduates in the South African context, which was developed after an extensive examination of the literature related to the demand and supply of e-competences; and eleven existing e-skills and e-competence frameworks. A holistic perspective of e-competences is illustrated in this e-Competence framework, which suggests a vertical and horizontal view of the knowledge, skill and attitude (KSA) components in the e-competence definition. By using three vertical layers, the framework categorises the combination of fifty specific e-competencies expected of undergraduate and postgraduate Information Systems graduates. The first layer indicates the core competence categories, which are Cognitive Competence, Functional Competence, ICT Competence, Personal Competence (which includes Career Management, Ethical and Emotional Intelligence Competences), Global Competence (which includes Behavioural, Intercultural and Social Intelligence Competences) and lastly Meta-competences, which underscore all the other competences. The second and third layers of the framework allocated fifty specific e-competencies to these core competence categories. The study was positioned within a qualitative, interpretive research paradigm and used a case study design. The research sites were twenty two IS graduate employers in the Western Cape Province who participate in the annual internship programme at the IS department of University X. Convenient sampling was used to collect data over a period of five years, from 2010 until 2014. The study used two data collection instruments, which were performance evaluation forms and follow up interviews. These two instruments provided rich data in both qualitative and quantitative forms and the variety of data allowed for the reliability and validity to be ensured with the qualitative data being triangulated with the quantitative data. Content analysis was used to analyse the data through a three-stage open coding process. Nine findings were identified, which indicate that there was a mismatch between the demand and supply of e-competences in the selected case study. The mismatches were found to be either in the knowledge, skill or attitude component of e-competence. It was noted that twenty one of the fifty e-competencies in the conceptual framework were taught at University X, eleven were assumed to be embedded within the IS curriculum and eighteen e-competencies are not taught at University X. Significantly, most employers regarded attitudes as a more important requirement for e-competence than knowledge and skills.

Machinists are skilled tradespeople responsible for running a variety of machine tools to produce precision components for end-users or use in other manufacturing. This project identifies the current and future change in the number of machinists in the Tri-Cities area, especially the five-county service area of Northeast State Community College. Using an industry survey, the need for machinists is identified and evaluated to understand local employers’ needs. The results indicate industry needs more machinist to keep up with demand, as 6 out of 14 companies have open positions and, 8 reported difficulty filling openings. Furthermore, most companies are growing or stable overall, but have an average 15% of their machinists eligible to retire. The survey results show a need for more students to enroll in programs, such as the Machine Tool degree, or even for regional policy changes to encourage more young people to pursue machining.

Yes / Empirically Computer Science (CS) and IT-related graduates are failing to secure specialist posts in the first three years after graduation due to limited skills and specialist experience. This issue contributes to the future skills gap of professionals for our technology-driven world. Consequently there is a growing vendor qualifications market; creditability of digital wallets and their global acceptance. We propose a new CS curriculum business value model comprising academia; embedded yearly industry qualifications; annual short placements (increased employer engagement); industrial placement; an extended academic year; fees (marginal increase). Benefits include: expediting graduates to achieve their long-term goals; skills gap minimised; and employers recruiting ready professionals.

Digitalisierung ist inzwischen in nahezu allen Lebensbereichen omnipräsent, besonders Unternehmen müssen daher den Weg der digitalen Transformation gehen, um weiterhin auf dem Markt relevant zu bleiben. Vor allem der Umgang mit der Digital Skills Gap stellt für Unternehmen eine Herausforderung dar. Dies führt zu einer veränderten Arbeitswelt und damit zu dem Bedarf an einem neuen Führungskonzept, dem Leader 4.0. Obwohl diesem Thema eine hohe Bedeutung zukommt, die sich in der Zukunft noch verstärken wird, gibt es hierzu bisher nicht viele Forschungsansätze. Diese Arbeit bietet daher eine Zusammenstellung der in der Literatur bereits aufgeführten Eigenschaften und Fähigkeiten, welche einen Leader 4.0 ausmachen sowie Strategien des Leader 4.0 zur Lösung der Problematik der Digital Skills Gap. Hierfür werden mittels einer systematischen Literaturrecherche zunächst die digitale Transformation im Unternehmen und ihre Herausforderungen als Ursache der Veränderungen in der Arbeitswelt betrachtet. Weiterhin werden auf Basis dieser neuen Anforderungen notwendige Kompetenzen eines Leader 4.0 aus der Literatur zusammengetragen. Abschließend erläutert dieser Text Möglichkeiten, wie der Leader 4.0 der Digital Skills Gap im Unternehmen begegnen kann. Besonders im Bereich der Digital Skills Gap gibt es noch einen hohen Forschungsbedarf, den weitere Arbeiten adressieren sollten.:Motivation Schlüsselkonzepte Digitale Transformation im Unternehmen Die Digital Skills Gap und der Leader 4.0 Zusammenfassung

Master of Science / Department of Communications and Agricultural Education / Shannon G. Washburn / STEM fields represent between 5% and 20% of all employed in the United States (United States Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015). Many employers of job positions in the STEM field have indicated an ongoing challenge of demand for such employees exceeding supply (Hira, 2010). Literature suggests a skills gap exists in some career fields and labor markets (Sentz, 2013). A topic that falls in many STEM fields in water resources. In Kansas, both supply and demand of water resources vary greatly across the state. A growing trend statewide, however, is a need to focus efforts on preserving the quality and quantity of Kansas’ water supply. Anecdotal evidence suggests the focus on water resources increases the demand for employees prepared for careers in related STEM fields (S. Metzger, personal communication, May 3, 2016). Drawing on both the Human Capital Theory and the Theory of Work Adjustment, descriptive survey research and qualitative interviews based in symbolic interactionism were used to gather data from employers of water-related job positions. The data indicated that a variety of employability and technical skills describe both employers’ ability requirements and employees’ ability sets. The results of the study suggest that, while employers have not recently experienced much challenge filling job vacancies, demand for employees could increase in the near future. Additionally, employers utilize a variety of professional development resources, and would utilize others if available. While levels of correspondence range among ability requirements and ability sets depending on the job position, efforts in education and recruitment could help address the supply of candidates for these positions.

The problem of a prepared workforce is perennial. Part of the challenge is one of supply and demand, as education systems attempt to produce graduates with the technical competencies required for the current jobs available. In the new service- and knowledge-based economy, however, soft skills are cited as a greater need by today’s employers. Increasingly sought across all industry sectors, these skills allow employees to work independently and interdependently, respond rapidly to customer needs, and adjust to changing market conditions. As a result, institutions of higher education are being called upon to infuse soft skills into their curricula. In this three-manuscript dissertation, first the implications for higher education, with Kentucky serving as a prime example, are assessed. Second, potential higher education predictors of success on a soft skills assessment—college admissions tests, grades, coursework, socioeconomic measures, and work-based learning—are examined through a quantitative study. Third, the importance of soft skills is considered in the context of capitalist societies and the purposes of education as a human endeavor. The case may be made that soft skills, rather than being a subset of workforce preparation or higher education, may be thought of as the fundamental intellectual tools of humanity.

Submitted by Tatiana Lima (tatianasl@ufba.br) on 2015-05-11T18:01:47Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Matos, Kilma Carneiro da Silva.pdf: 5793516 bytes, checksum: e2bd9184df0f3c63dd7d26a83d9f69db (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Tatiana Lima (tatianasl@ufba.br) on 2015-05-11T18:02:58Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Matos, Kilma Carneiro da Silva.pdf: 5793516 bytes, checksum: e2bd9184df0f3c63dd7d26a83d9f69db (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-11T18:02:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Matos, Kilma Carneiro da Silva.pdf: 5793516 bytes, checksum: e2bd9184df0f3c63dd7d26a83d9f69db (MD5) / Para atender aos objetivos do Decreto 5.707/2006, o Reitor da Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (Univasf) designou uma comissão para propor a metodologia de implantação do modelo de gestão por competências na instituição, que adotou como método de trabalho avaliar a aplicabilidade desta metodologia por meio de um projeto piloto na Secretaria de Gestão de Pessoas (SGP). Esta pesquisa buscou verificar, com base na lacuna de competências individuais, as necessidades de capacitação dos Técnico-Administrativos em Educação lotados na SGP da Univasf. O presente trabalho de natureza qualitativa e de caráter exploratório-descritivo foi dividido em cinco etapas: análise dos elementos estratégicos; identificação das competências setoriais; identificação das competências individuais; identificação da lacuna de competências; e identificação das necessidades de capacitação. Os instrumentos utilizados para a coleta de dados desta pesquisa foram análise documental, entrevistas semi-estruturadas, grupo focal e questionário. Por meio do mapeamento de competências foi possível identificar a lacuna de competências que apresentou variação entre 0 a 20. Como resultado, o estudo identificou 56 competências individuais da SGP, sendo que apenas 5 competências individuais apresentaram variação da lacuna entre 12 a 20, o que indicou uma grande necessidade de capacitação dessas competências prioritárias. / To meet objectives of the Decree 5.707/2006, the Rector of the San Francisco Valley’s Federal University (Univasf) appointed a commission to propose the implementation methodology of the management by skills model in the institution, which adopted as method of work to evaluate the applicability of this methodology using a pilot project in the Personnel Management Office (SGP). This research tried to verify, based in the individual competencies gap, training needs of the technical-administrative in education belonging to the UNIVASF’s SGP. The present work of qualitative nature and descriptive-exploratory character was divided into five stages: strategic elements analysis; sectorial competencies identification; individual competencies identification; competencies’ gap identification; and training needs identification. The instruments used for data collection for this research were documentary analysis, semi-structured interviews, focus group and questionnaire. Through this mapping was possible to identify the competencies’ gap which showed variation between 0 to 20. As a result, the study identified 56 individual competencies in SGP, being that only 5 individual competencies showed variation between 12 to 20, indicating a great training need for these priority competencies.

The purpose of this study was to explore the alignment of soft skills sought by current business IS entry-level employers in electronic job postings, with the integration of soft skills in undergraduate business information systems (IS) syllabi of public four-year universities in Texas. One hundred fifty job postings were extracted from two major electronic career databases. Ten undergraduate AACSB-accredited programs in the field of business information systems (IS) were investigated, and syllabi for the 70 major courses of the business IS programs were obtained for review. Content analysis was applied to all job postings and syllabi, exposing all soft skills related to the 9 categories used in this study adapted from the 21st Century Framework for Learning (Partnership for 21st Century Learning, 2009). Frequencies were tabulated to determine rank of soft skills in job postings and syllabi, and Jaccard’s coefficient statistic of occurrence was used for cluster analysis. Soft skills within all 9 categories were found in job postings (n = 1554) and course syllabi (n = 774). Three soft skill categories were aligned between job postings and syllabi: (1) initiative and self-direction, (2) social and cross-cultural skills, and (3) flexibility and adaptability. However, because differences in the higher ranked frequencies of soft skills in job postings and syllabi were noted, the null hypothesis of this study was rejected.

Business leaders’ recognition of the increasing shortage of skilled workers to meet industry demand is a business problem. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that business leaders used to recruit skilled workers at 3 manufacturing facilities in South Carolina. The human capital theory was the conceptual framework used for this study. Data were collected from face-to-face interviews with 3 business leaders who demonstrated successful recruitment strategies, a focus group of 4 skilled manufacturing employees hired during the time period of 2018-2019, and a review of company documents. Data were analyzed using Yin’s 5-step process. Six key themes emerged from data analysis: competitive wages and benefits; clean, safe, and stable work environment; employee investment and on-the-job training; use of recruiting agencies and skilled recruiters; strong community relations/image; and industry competition. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to provide significant knowledge and skills to manufacturing leaders conducive to the success of recruiting skilled workers to meet their needs. By meeting the demand for skilled manufacturing workers, organizations could boost their bottom line by increasing productivity and sales. Because of greater profits, business leaders could increase their contribution to the community with stable employment and the creation of additional jobs through supplier initiatives.

The economic potential in introducing Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the Swedish Public administration is substantial and it is calculated to be approximately 140B SEK per year[5]. However, without a comprehensive AI strategy and lack of sufficient digital competence, an AI implementation becomes a struggle [9]. According to IBM Research, 120 million people around the world admitted that they may need to upskill due to automation and AI, which has aggravated during the pandemic. However, the lack of digital skills is the biggest barrier to this process. This study analyzes the challenges of an application of the AI technology, Natural Language Processing (NLP), in public procurement. Through a qualitative method with an abductive approach, 10 semi-structured interviews are conducted with experts from the public- and private sector and identify key challenges of NLP in public procurement which are the lack of digital skills, legal-, ethical- and organizational challenges of NLP in the public context and the public sector’s inability to create partnerships and use business networks. This thesis is a case study of IBM that contributes to research on AI in the public sector and aims to help fill the research gap that exists within this field. The study’s purpose is to analyze and provide better insight into public procurement of NLP to increase the use of NLP technologies within public administration in Sweden. / Den ekonomiska potentialen i att införa artificiell intelligens (AI) i den svenska offentliga förvaltningen är stor och beräknas vara cirka 140 miljarder kronor per år [5]. Men utan en omfattande AI- strategi och brist på tillräcklig digital kompetens blir ett AI- genomförande en utmaning [9]. Enligt IBM Research medgav 120 miljoner människor runt om i världen att de kan behöva kvalificera sig på grund av automatisering och AI, vilket har förvärrats under pandemin. Brister på digital kompetens är dock det största hindret för denna process. Denna studie analyserar utmaningarna med en tillämpning av AI- teknologin, Natural Language Processing (NLP), vid offentlig upphandling. Genom en kvalitativ metod som går ifrån en abduktiv forskningsansats genomförs tio semistrukturerade intervjuer med experter från den offentliga- och privata sektorn samt en identifiering av de viktigaste utmaningarna för NLP i offentlig upphandling. Dessa är bristen på digitala färdigheter, juridiska-, etiska- och organisatoriska utmaningar av NLP i det offentliga sammanhanget och den offentliga sektorns oförmåga att skapa, använda och dra fördel av partnerskap och affärsnätverk. Denna rapport är en fallstudie av IBM som bidrar till forskning om AI inom den offentliga sektorn och syftar till att fylla det forskningsgap som finns inom detta område. Studiens syfte är att analysera och ge en bättre insikt i offentlig upphandling av NLP för att öka användningen av NLP- teknologi inom offentlig förvaltning i Sverige.