Software project team members are essential to the creation and success of high-performing teams, but there are occasions when they perform less than optimally, as evidenced by low levels of work engagement. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of ethical leadership, job satisfaction, team trust, and psychological empowerment on the work engagement of software project team members. The researchers conducted a quantitative study using a survey approach to collect data from team members. A partial least squares structural equation model was applied, with reliance on confirmatory factor analysis. The results revealed that ethical leadership enhances the work engagement, team trust, and job satisfaction of software project team members. Ethical leadership was further shown to empower team members psychologically. Psychologically empowered software project team members indicated high levels of job satisfaction, work engagement, and team trust.
Despite considerable research interest in the information technology (IT)-enabled gig economy, studies have yet to be carried out to systematize the skills required and formulate an overall model of competencies needed for gig-based IT professionals/representatives to be successful. Using dynamic skill theory, this study sought to provide an in-depth comprehension of the skills required to realize a booming gig economy. The systematic literature review was limited to quality, peer-reviewed studies carried out between 2013 and 2023 in sub-Saharan Africa. This review revealed that although both soft skills and hard skills are required, the current situation in southern Africa demands more soft skills. Drawing on findings from a systematic literature review, the study unravels usable vital skills to achieve a sustainable and viable gig economy in southern Africa. The authors’ integrated framework provides insights into the nature of the skills required to navigate the burgeoning IT-enabled gig economy, thereby playing a catalytic role in achieving the sustainable development goal of eliminating poverty.
The rise of the platform economy, also known as the sharing economy, has generated new business models that increasingly shape global economic activity. This study provides an overview of how emerging digital platforms are transforming economic, social, and regulatory landscapes. It examines the platform economy through a social, technological, economic, environmental, political, legal, and ethical analysis to offer a comprehensive understanding of its multifaceted effects on key external factors. The platform economy leverages advancements in information technology, social media communities, and consumer awareness to facilitate direct transactions between businesses and consumers. By exploring these dynamics, the study identifies both the advantages and challenges of platform-based models, emphasizing gaps in their integration with traditional markets. Furthermore, it incorporates insights from interviews with industry experts to present a detailed analysis of the platform economy’s broader implications for societal and economic structures, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses.
Software development organizations experience the challenge of having members with low work commitment and passion. This issue becomes more evident given the high failure rate of commissioned software projects, despite their increasing number. Despite the known benefits of trust in leadership, there has been limited research on how trust in a leader can influence work commitment and passion among individuals within software development organizations and software project teams. The main purpose of this research study was to evaluate the influence of trust in a leader on work passion and affective commitment among the members of the software development organizations. A quantitative study was conducted using a survey approach. Quantitative data were collected from the individuals working for software development organizations, then analyzed using the partial least square equation model. The results indicate that trust in the leader improves harmonious and obsessive work passion as well as affective commitment.
Information technology outsourcing (ITO) can have benefits, such as lowering costs, increasing access to resources, enhancing innovation, and shortening product development times. This paper presents an overview of ITO activities during the period 2010–2023 and gives insight into the direction of ITO activities for the foreseeable future. The authors drew on an extremely limited set of literature that provided very little guidance, and they relied rather on in-depth interviews with executives at the five largest banks in South Africa. The research indicates that ITO has declined over the last decade in South Africa. The reasons most frequently cited were cost savings that have not fully materialized; societal factors and socioeconomic trends, such as unemployment; and the advent of Agile and DevOps methodologies. The authors see a definite move underway towards more cloud-based hosting and foresee the acceleration of infrastructure outsourcing in the near future. The authors apply a morphogenetic change framework to describe the causal mechanism over this period.
Information technology outsourcing (ITO) can have benefits, such as lowering costs, increasing access to resources, enhancing innovation, and shortening product development times. This paper presents an overview of ITO activities during the period 2010-2023 and gives insight into the direction of ITO activities for the foreseeable future. The authors drew on an extremely limited set of literature that provided very little guidance, and they relied rather on in-depth interviews with executives at the five largest banks in South Africa. The research indicates that ITO has declined over the last decade in South Africa. The reasons most frequently cited were cost savings that have not fully materialized; societal factors and socioeconomic trends, such as unemployment; and the advent of Agile and DevOps methodologies. The authors see a definite move underway towards more cloud-based hosting and foresee the acceleration of infrastructure outsourcing in the near future. The authors apply a morphogenetic change framework to describe the causal mechanism over this period.
Although the study of career anchors has a long history, no researcher, as yet, has conducted a data survey for collecting data from information technology personnel (ITP). This study extends research to investigate the implications of career anchor in terms of career satisfaction and the subsequent turnover intention of ITP, and to collect data from the same groups three times, from 2010 to 2016 (economic recession to economic improvement to economic prosperity), then to validate the hypotheses, and the results showed that the hypothesis was partially supported. The results suggest that different career anchors have different outcomes to career satisfaction at different economic situation, and career satisfaction successfully explains the ITP's turnover intentions. Meanwhile, perceived job alternatives play a key role in shaping career anchors and affecting employees' assessing their career satisfaction and turnover decisions. Thus, this study has revised the research model so that it entails both the theoretical and practical implications for career anchor research.
While change can foster growth and innovation, it often introduces uncertainty and challenges as individuals and organizations adapt to unfamiliar practices. Alarmingly, research suggests that approximately 93% of organizational change initiatives fail to achieve their intended outcomes. This paper investigates the role of leadership in facilitating successful organizational change, with a specific focus on the integration of technological advancements to enhance interactions between employees and management through process automation. The study was conducted within the context of a higher education institution in South Africa, aiming to understand how leadership can drive effective change while addressing systemic inefficiencies. A mixed-methods approach was employed to achieve the study's objectives. The results highlight that technological advancements can streamline communication and decision-making processes, ultimately improving organizational outcomes. The research emphasizes that effective leadership is essential for navigating the complexities of organizational change.
Human Resources Blog is a widespread technological system adopted by organizations for employees to use in the workplace. Nevertheless, there is a lack of empirical research exploring the role and influence of leadership on employees in HR Blog, and thus far lacks a strong theoretical foundation. Through the theoretical lens of Social Exchange Theory (SET), this research aims to explore and investigate leadership's role in HR Blog and determine the impact on employees' use of HR Blog. Two mixed methods data were collected which are 23 semi-structured interviews and 143 computerized first-hand typewritten comments (content analysis). The finding reveals that leaders' roles in HR Blog significantly affect employees' use of HR Blog. This research made several contributions; theoretical, methodological (two mixed methods), empirical, and practical implications.
MSMEs strongly influence the national economy as the most strategic sector. MSMEs in Indonesia reach 64.2 million, but facts in the field show that only 17.25 million are included in the digital ecosystem. The research objectives help MSME players understand the current conditions of adopting a digital economy business model in improving business sustainability by focusing on digital literacy knowledge sharing, human capital, and digital transformation with moderation of self-efficacy. The research method uses a quantitative research design with an explanatory research approach. Data collection was carried out through questionnaires given to 216 MSMEs. The purposive sampling technique was used to determine the sample of MSMEs in East Java, Indonesia. The data from the questionnaire was processed using SmartPLS software to test the hypothesis. The results prove that digital literacy knowledge sharing, human capital, and digital transformation affect the sustainability of MSME businesses. Self-efficacy can mode
The present study's aim is to investigate the intention to use and actual use of a artificial intelligence (AI) for talent acquisition in Bangladesh. The authors used deductive reasoning approach in a positive paradigm. The study finally collected 243 responses through self-administered questionnaire and used the PLS-based structural equation modeling to analyze the data. The findings of this study revealed that each of the predictors is significantly associated with the intention to use and actual use of AI for recruiting talents, excepting the influence of facilitation conditions on actual use of AI. The influence of age demonstrated that there is no moderating effect of the influence of users' intention to use on actual use of AI for talent acquisition. This study also advances knowledge in AI adoption for recruiting talents, and enhances literature in the fields of AI adoption for recruiting talents by providing insights for the policy makers in a developing country's context. Furthermore, the study also provides insightful directions for future researchers.
Software architecture serves as a crucial link between problem and solution domains in software systems. However, reliance on graphical artifacts for architecture design has limitations, especially in abstract analysis. To overcome these constraints, Architecture Description Languages (ADLs) offer a more formal approach. Yet, our research reveals that ADLs face numerous challenges, as identified through interviews, surveys, and community interactions. By mining content from various sources, including mailing lists and forums, we comprehensively explore the concerns of software engineers. Employing content mining, topic modeling, and grounded theory, we compile a database of real-world issues and solutions in software architecture. Comparing our findings with existing literature, we identify 17 primary issues faced by practitioners. We also compare our results with language models to ascertain areas of agreement and disagreement. Finally, we propose solutions for each identified issue to aid future analysts.
In a world where information technologies (ITs) are globalizing and acting directly and explicitly on organizations, the question of property rights neutrality becomes strategic. In this study, the authors investigated whether ownership is a determinant of human resource performance or whether it is driven by factors other than ownership (e.g., technology and IT). Thus, the major objective of this research was to find out under what conditions ownership exerts a nonneutral effect on the performance of human resources and whether these effects are dependent on the technological aspects of organizations. The authors' methodology included two techniques, namely, nonparametric tests applied to the main indicators of 21 privatized companies (operating in the IT and other sectors) in the Tunisian case, and panel data to explain the impact of privatizations on human resources. The results showed that the privatization process has allowed an improvement in productivity indicators through an increase in incentive systems, particularly for companies with high technological content. The application of the econometric technique evidenced a whole policy of restructuring the allocation of human resources, in the postprivatization period. This makes sense because the incentive system of newly privatized companies strived to be more efficient. Furthermore, the second model showed that human resource dynamics after privatization depends on the business cycle and the nature of investors and IT. The third model confirmed the idea that privatization leads to an improvement in the workforce and its productivity in the long term. Overall, the study generated important managerial implications, the most important of which is that privatization can only generate a positive effect on human resource performance when employees feel involved in the process and as much as the organization is involved in new ITs.
The introduction of Industry 4.0 and IIoT has enabled the interconnection of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) and exposed industrial control systems to cyber threats. Industrial cybersecurity requires knowledge, skill, and collaboration between IT and OT. A comparison of graduate curricula of software engineering and systems engineering identifies competencies related to industrial control systems cybersecurity. Industry experts are interviewed to identify needs for cybersecurity skills and competencies. Results from the mapping are discussed in the context of software and systems engineering challenges in ICS cybersecurity and leveraged against industry experiences and needs expressed through interviews with three OT and IT industry professionals. The curricula mapping reveals variations in both how they are organised and expressed to the extent that subjective interpretation is required for evaluation and comparison. The interviews with the industry experts indicate a gap between graduate competence from the curricula and industry needs.
The present study's aim is to investigate the intention to use and actual use of a artificial intelligence (AI) for talent acquisition in Bangladesh. The authors used deductive reasoning approach in a positive paradigm. The study finally collected 243 responses through self-administered questionnaire and used the PLS-based structural equation modeling to analyze the data. The findings of this study revealed that each of the predictors is significantly associated with the intention to use and actual use of AI for recruiting talents, excepting the influence of facilitation conditions on actual use of AI. The influence of age demonstrated that there is no moderating effect of the influence of users' intention to use on actual use of AI for talent acquisition. This study also advances knowledge in AI adoption for recruiting talents, and enhances literature in the fields of AI adoption for recruiting talents by providing insights for the policy makers in a developing country's context. Furthermore, the study also provides insightful directions for future researchers.
The purpose of this research article is to study the effect of inclusion and perceived organizational diversity on turnover intention with the mediating role of employee engagement. Data of 413 participants were evaluated for this study, wherein the participants included IT professionals working in India. PLS-SEM was used to the test the hypotheses of the study by developing a path model and carrying out measurement and structural model assessment. The results revealed that inclusion, perceived organizational diversity, and employee engagement exhibit significant negative effect on turnover intention and are strongly able to predict turnover intention of the IT professionals. In addition, employee engagement partially mediates the relationship of inclusion and perceived organizational diversity with turnover intention. Overall, the study highlights that when employees feel included in the organization and there is a positive perception on diversity management, it leads to enhanced employee engagement and a lowered turnover intention.
Work role stress is one of the major problems that influence family role conflict of Information Technology (IT) professionals. The purpose of the paper is to examine the relationship between work role stress and family role conflict among married employees in IT sector. The data is collected from 227 married IT professionals employed in different IT companies across India. The data is analysed with the help of descriptive statistics, correlation, factor analysis and multiple regression through SPSS 21.0 software, AMOS for Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis. The results of the study revealed that all the determinants of work role stress does not effect on family role conflict of married IT professionals. Determinants such as work load and work schedules influence on family role conflict. In addition, the study findings bring out the relation between the determinants of work role stress and family role conflict. This study is important to IT companies as it helps to provide useful insights in managing family role conflict of married IT professionals.
The study examines the relationship between technology adoption factors (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence) on employee creativity and work-life balance. The study examines the mediating role of the symbolic adoption of human resource information system (HRIS) between the above-stated relationships in small to medium-size IT organizations. A sample of 311 information technology professionals working in small-to-medium organizations has been taken for analysis via a questionnaire method. Structural equation modeling results show that symbolic adoption partially mediated the relationship between performance expectancy and creativity. Additionally, it established a partial mediated relationship between performance expectancy, effort expectancy, with work-life balance. The study facilitates the HR department and professionals towards employees' symbolic adoption variable that enhances the acceptance of HRIS technology, employees' creativity, and better work-life balance. Further, detailed research implications and limitations have been discussed.
As a result of the changes caused by Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0, unknown or less prominent challenges will be the focus of the operation of organizations and will essentially transform current human resource management (HRM) and its framework and tools. This research aims to identify Industry 4.0 solutions and expected changes in the field of human resources (HR) and for employees and to outline emerging trends of Industry 4.0 that impact HR based on interviews with surveyed companies and a review of the relevant literature. Structured interviews were conducted in this research. After individually processing the responses of each interviewee, the responses were formulated by considering all interviews. This research points out that in terms of HR, recruitment and training are being most affected by the fourth industrial revolution, and changes in competencies and their development processes have begun. Hopefully, the discovered connections will inspire further research and provide useful information on the fields of Industry 4.0 and HR.
This paper analyses in detail the influence of customer relationships on the internationalization of university spin-offs. Relational capital is a source of sustainable competitive advantage for these types of companies given the innovation and technological development they generate. From the background, a management model has been designed and implemented to conclude that customer relations exert a positive influence on the internationalization of university spin-off. The perceived satisfaction of customers has a special incidence, and moreover, it is important to have a wide portfolio of them establishing strong links. It will provide information about their needs and may affect their loyalty.
