Dixon, T J (1994) An analysis of IT skills training and education in the surveying profession. PhD thesis, University of Reading, UK.
Abstract
Since the 1980s, Information Technology has made a substantial impact in the business world. Managers and professionals have had to come to terms with the redefined skills needs and demands engendered by the new technology. IT has been identified as a strategic weapon which can improve competitive advantage. To take full advantage of this requires strategic planning for the necessary integration of business and IT strategies. The `skills' factor is also significant. The growing importance of human resource management and development issues in organisations has led to a greater awareness that, to be successful, an IT strategy also requires relevant and well-directed strategic IT skills training and education provision. The `surveying profession' (which in this thesis includes general practice and quantity surveying-based organisations) has undergone a number of major structural alterations, as a result of `forces for change', including external competition, technological change, changing client demands and internationalisation/globalisation. A vital theme running through these is the impact of IT itself, which has had reciprocal implications for IT skills training and education. This thesis provides a new and up-to-date body of knowledge on IT skills training and education in the surveying profession. It analyses the nature and extent of strategic planning for IT, and IT training and education strategies; current and future IT skills training and education for professional staff, including the extent of users' knowledge, satisfaction, importance and ability levels with IT, and IT-related tasks; and the presence and nature of any skills `gap' or `mismatch'. The thesis investigates an area in which little or no previous research has been undertaken. The literature review draws on theories and arguments involving strategic planning and human resource management issues for IT, in areas outside surveying.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | client; competition; competitive advantage; education; globalisation; human resource management; information technology; integration; professional; quantity surveying; skills; strategic planning; technological change; training |
| Index terms: | technological change, surveying, mismatch, literature review, strategy, human resource management, satisfaction, globalization, strategic planning, presence, manager, integration, information technology, profession, competition, new technology, body of knowledge, internationalization, competitive advantage |
| Subjects: | economic analysis, management, project delivery, environmental science, market analysis, economic factors, institututions, engineering problems, computing systems, health monitoring assessment and metrics, innovation studies, organizational analysis, innovation and technology management, knowledge management, data analysis and analytics, practitioner |
| Topics: | Human Resources, Project Management, Health and Safety, International Construction, Organizational Design, Information Management, Engineering Principles, Roles and Professions, Digital Applications, Business Strategy, Sustainability, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here