Information Technology Skill Management Strategies for Implementing New Technologies: A Case of Service-Oriented Architecture

Managing human resources and skills for information technology (IT) presents a challenging task for executives, more so when new ITs are involved. Lack of familiarity with the technology, the learning curve associated with its incorporation, and the relative paucity of skilled personnel serve to alter the strategies for management of human resources and skills. This paper presents a system dynamics approach for examining alternative strategies for skill management and supporting decisions during the implementation of service-oriented architecture (SOA) in an organization. For projects involving SOA, the initial planning and implementation of the underlying architecture entail higher costs and slower delivery of initial SOA applications. The use of appropriate IT human resource management strategies for SOA projects is critical for successful SOA implementation. The complexity associated with the fluctuating demand for IT skills, coupled with the need for highly skilled senior architects and professional developers in SOA projects, as well as inevitable delays in skill acquisition, makes this a challenging task. This paper examines the impact of alternative staffing strategies under various environmental conditions and provides guidance for staffing decisions. Using a design science methodology, it employs system dynamics as a vehicle for allowing human resource managers to examine the impact of alternative staffing strategies under a variety of environmental conditions.