ANALYSIS OF THE DEARTH OF IT PROFESSIONALS TO WORK AS APPLICATION SUPPORT ENGINEERS IN SRI LANKA MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Dharmawardhana LT Department of Computer Science & Engineering University of Moratuwa December 2008 ANALYSIS OF THE DEARTH OF IT PROFESSIONALS TO WORK AS APPLICATION SUPPORT ENGINEERS IN SRI LANKA By Dharmawardhana LT This Dissertation was submitted to the Department of Computer Science & Engineering of the University of Moratuwa in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Business Administration. Department of Computer Science & Engineering University of Moratuwa December 2008 i DECLARATION “I certify that this thesis does not incorporate any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any university to the best of my knowledge and believe it does not contain any material previously published, written or orally communicated by another person or myself except where due reference is made in the text. -------------------------------- -------------------------------- Signature of the Candidate Date To the best of my knowledge, the above particulars are correct. -------------------------------- Supervisor Dr. Sanath Jayasena ii ABSTRACT Sri Lanka has become one of the best IT knowledge bases to which most organizations worldwide outsource software projects. For any IT company that undertakes such projects, providing after sale support to the customers is also as important as developing and implementing the systems. Thus it will be beneficial to see how the Sri Lankan IT industry can improve their customer support service which will ultimately affect the customer satisfaction. This research focuses on the ‘perception’ that IT professionals have regarding customer support and the level of job ‘satisfaction’ the present support engineers have regarding their job. This study is conducted by gathering data from Sri Lankan support engineers and other engineers (called non-support engineers) who are working in IT companies that provide support to their customers. The author has analyzed the ‘job perception’ through two questionnaires, one given to support engineers and the other to non-support engineers. Perception is measured through support engineers’ and non-support engineers’ feelings regarding the recognition of the job combined with the level of awareness among non-support engineers towards the job. Job satisfaction is analyzed from the data gathered by support engineers through a questionnaire distributed to them. Satisfaction of the job is measured by analyzing the satisfaction of working on shift / roster basis, satisfaction of the job title and the satisfaction of the salary compared to other IT professions in the Sri Lankan IT industry. According to the results of the analysis, the author has identified with 95% confidence level that the job perception of support engineers is low or not good. The perception of non-support engineers towards the job is also identified as not good. The job satisfaction that the current support engineers pursue in terms of shift work is good. However the title and the salary of support engineers should be improved to make the support engineers feel satisfied with their job. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This dissertation is the final outcome of hard work during the second year of the MBA in IT course which was conducted mainly due to the interest I have regarding Application Support. It is my pleasure to thank everyone who helped me with this research. Most importantly I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Sanath Jayasena who helped me with his valuable advices and guided me through the right path. My sincere gratitude is extended to Mrs. Visaka Nanayakkara for her commitment towards the MBA course. Thank You Ma’am, for your devotion. I should also thank Dr. Chandana Gamage for the support extended by guiding us with the thesis writing and understanding the difficulties we undergo in completing the research on the given deadlines. Sir, your generosity is very much appreciated. I would also like to than everyone who lectured MBA IT 2008 batch. I’m pleased to mention that the management of eBuilder and my colleagues have helped me in completing this course. Thank you everyone at eBuilder for your understanding. I’m thankful to my friends who helped me including Shiroshika Kulathilake who guided me when I needed it the most. I would also like to thank my husband, Chinthaka Himidumage for encouraging me and also for supporting me from the inception to complete the research on time. I’m grateful to my parents and my sister because of whom I have achieved many things in life including this MBA. I’m also thankful to my parents-in-law for their understanding. Finally, I highly appreciate everyone who helped me with the data collection by responding and forwarding the questionnaires. Thank you everyone! iv TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background & Motivation ................................................................................ 1 1.2 Definition of ‘Support’ ..................................................................................... 2 1.3 Problem Statement of the Research .................................................................. 3 1.4 Research Objectives .......................................................................................... 4 1.5 The Significance of the Study ........................................................................... 4 1.6 Nature and Form of Results .............................................................................. 5 1.7 Brief Overview of the Study ............................................................................. 5 1.8 Outline of the Chapters ..................................................................................... 6 2 LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................... 9 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Importance of ‘Support’ .................................................................................... 9 2.3 Demand and Supply for Support..................................................................... 12 2.4 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................... 17 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY & DESIGN ......................................................... 19 3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 19 3.2 Research Methodology ................................................................................... 19 3.3 Identification of the Problem .......................................................................... 21 3.4 Literature Review............................................................................................ 21 3.5 Sample Selection ............................................................................................. 22 3.6 Sample Sizing ................................................................................................. 23 3.7 Theoretical Approach...................................................................................... 23 3.8 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................... 24 3.9 Hypothesis Formulation .................................................................................. 26 3.9.1 Main Hypothesis ................................................................................. 26 3.9.2 Sub Hypothesis ................................................................................... 28 3.10 Data Collection Methods ................................................................................ 30 3.10.1 Identification of Variables .................................................................. 31 3.10.2 Pilot Questionnaire.............................................................................. 31 3.10.3 Preparation of Final Questionnaire ..................................................... 31 3.11 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................... 33 4 DATA ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION........................................................... 35 4.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 35 4.2 Data Analysis .................................................................................................. 35 4.3 Getting the Feel for the Collected Data .......................................................... 37 4.3.1 Getting the Feel for Variable ‘Awareness’ ......................................... 37 4.3.2 Getting the Feel for Variable ‘Recognition’ ....................................... 39 4.3.3 Getting the Feel for Variable ‘Perception’.......................................... 45 4.3.4 Getting the Feel for Variable ‘Shift Basis’ ......................................... 50 4.3.5 Getting the Feel for Variable ‘Job Title’............................................. 53 v 4.3.6 Getting the Feel for Variable ‘Salary’ ................................................ 55 4.3.7 Getting the Feel for Variable ‘Satisfaction’ ........................................ 56 4.4 Testing the Goodness of the Collected Data ................................................... 59 4.4.1 Testing the Goodness of Variable ‘Awareness’.................................. 59 4.4.2 Testing the Goodness of Variable ‘Recognition’................................ 59 4.4.3 Testing the Goodness of Variable ‘Perception’ .................................. 62 4.4.4 Testing the Goodness of Variable ‘Shift Basis’ .................................. 64 4.4.5 Testing the Goodness of Variable ‘Job Title’ ..................................... 65 4.4.6 Testing the Goodness of Variable ‘Salary’ ......................................... 65 4.4.7 Testing the Goodness of Variable ‘Satisfaction’ ................................ 66 4.5 Hypothesis Testing.......................................................................................... 67 4.6 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................... 77 5 RECOMMENDATIONS & CONCLUSION .......................................................... 80 5.1 Objectives ....................................................................................................... 81 5.2 Final Outcome of the Research ....................................................................... 81 5.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................... 85 5.4 Possible Future Research Studies ................................................................... 86 6 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................ 88 7 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................... 91 APPENDIX A ................................................................................................................... 94 Questionnaire for Support Engineers ....................................................................... 94 APPENDIX B ................................................................................................................. 100 Questionnaire for Non-Support Engineers............................................................. 100 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 - Demand for Overall IT professionals by Job Category ............................................. 12 Figure 2.2 – Attrition Rate in Technical Support in Each Sector .................................................. 13 Figure 3.1 - Research Methodology .............................................................................................. 20 Figure 3.2 - Conceptual Framework .............................................................................................. 25 Figure 4.1: Frequency Distribution of Variable ‘Awareness ' - Non-Support Engineers .............. 39 Figure 4.2: Frequency Distribution of Variable ‘Recognition' - Support Engineers ..................... 41 Figure 4.3: Frequency Distribution of Variable ‘Recognition' - Non-Support Engineers ............. 44 Figure 4.4: Frequency Distribution of Variable ‘Perception' - Support Engineers ....................... 47 Figure 4.5: Frequency Distribution of Variable ‘Perception' - Non-Support Engineers ............... 49 Figure 4.6: Frequency Distribution of Variable ‘Shift Basis' - Support Engineers ....................... 52 Figure 4.7: Frequency Distribution of Variable ‘Job Title’ - Support Engineers .......................... 54 Figure 4.8: Frequency Distribution of Variable ‘Salary’ - Support Engineers .............................. 56 Figure 4.9: Frequency Distribution of Variable ‘Satisfaction’ - Support Engineers ..................... 58 vii LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1 Top 10 factors that help retention at different stages of the career ............................... 15 Table 3.2 - Final Questionnaire for Support Engineers ................................................................. 32 Table 3.3 - Final Questionnaire for Other IT professionals .......................................................... 32 Table 4.1: Descriptive Statistics of Variable ‘Awareness’ – Non-Support Engineers .................. 37 Table 4.2: Frequency of Variable 'Awareness' – Non-Support Engineers .................................... 38 Table 4.3: Descriptive Statistics of Variable ‘Recognition’ – Support Engineers ........................ 40 Table 4.4: Frequency of Variable 'Recognition' – Support Engineers .......................................... 40 Table 4.5: Descriptive Statistics of Variable ‘Recognition’ – Non-Support Engineers ................ 42 Table 4.6: Frequency of Variable 'Recognition' – Non-Support Engineers .................................. 43 Table 4.7: Descriptive Statistics of Variable ‘Perception’ – Support Engineers ........................... 46 Table 4.8: Frequency of Variable 'Perception' – Support Engineers ............................................. 46 Table 4.9: Descriptive Statistics of Variable ‘Perception’ – Non-Support Engineers................... 48 Table 4.10: Frequency of Variable 'Perception' – Non-Support Engineers ................................... 48 Table 4.11: Descriptive Statistics of Variable ‘Shift Basis’ - Support Engineers ......................... 50 Table 4.12: Frequency of Variable 'Shift Basis' – Support Engineers ........................................... 51 Table 4.13: Descriptive Statistics of Variable ‘Job Title’ - Support Engineers ............................ 53 Table 4.14: Frequency of Variable ‘Job Title’ - Support Engineers ............................................. 53 Table 4.15: Descriptive Statistics of Variable ‘Salary’ - Support Engineers ................................ 55 Table 4.16: Frequency of Variable ‘Salary’ - Support Engineers ................................................. 55 Table 4.17: Descriptive Statistics of Variable ‘Satisfaction’ - Support Engineers ........................ 57 Table 4.18: Frequency of Variable ‘Satisfaction’ - Support Engineers ......................................... 57 Table 4.19 – Cronbach’s Alpha – Variable ‘Awareness’ – Non-Support Engineers .................... 59 Table 4.20 - Cronbach’s Alpha – Variable ‘Recognition’ – Support Engineers ........................... 59 Table 4.21 - Cronbach’s Alpha Item Vise – Variable ‘Recognition’ – Support Engineers .......... 60 Table 4.22 - Cronbach’s Alpha – Variable ‘Recognition’ – Non-Support Engineers ................... 61 Table 4.23 - Cronbach’s Alpha Item Vise – Variable ‘Recognition’ – Non-Support Engineers .. 61 Table 4.24 - Cronbach’s Alpha – Variable ‘Perception’ – Support Engineers ............................. 62 Table 4.25 - Cronbach’s Alpha Item Vise – Variable ‘Perception’ – Support Engineers ............. 62 Table 4.26 - Cronbach’s Alpha – Variable ‘Perception’ – Non-Support Engineers ..................... 63 Table 4.27 - Cronbach’s Alpha Item Vise – Variable ‘Perception’ – Non-Support Engineers ..... 63 Table 4.28 - Cronbach’s Alpha – Variable ‘Shift Basis’ – Support Engineers ............................. 64 Table 4.29 - Cronbach’s Alpha Item Vise – Variable ‘Shift Basis’ – Support Engineers ............. 64 viii Table 4.30 - Cronbach’s Alpha – Variable ‘Job Title’ – Support Engineers ................................ 65 Table 4.31 - Cronbach’s Alpha – Variable ‘Salary’ – Support Engineers .................................... 65 Table 4.32 - Cronbach’s Alpha – Variable ‘Satisfaction’ – Support Engineers ............................ 66 Table 4.33 - Cronbach’s Alpha Item Vise – Variable ‘Satisfaction’ – Support Engineers ........... 66 Table 4.34 – Correlation – Awareness & Perception of Non-Support Engineers ......................... 67 Table 4.35 – Correlation – Recognition & Perception of Support Engineers ............................... 68 Table 4.36 – Correlation – Recognition & Perception of Non-Support Engineers ....................... 69 Table 4.37 – Correlation – Shift Basis & Satisfaction of Support Engineers ................................ 70 Table 4.38 – Correlation – Job Title & Satisfaction of Support Engineers ................................... 71 Table 4.39 – Correlation – Salary & Satisfaction of Support Engineers ....................................... 72 Table 4.40 - Mean Value – Perception & Recognition – Support Engineers ................................ 73 Table 4.41 – T-Test – Perception & Recognition – Support Engineers ........................................ 73 Table 4.42 - Mean Value – Perception, Recognition & Awareness – Non-Support Engineers .... 74 Table 4.43 – T-Test – Perception, Recognition & Awareness – Non-Support Engineers ............ 75 Table 4.44 - Mean Value – Satisfaction, Job Title & Salary – Support Engineers ....................... 76 Table 4.45 – T-Test – Satisfaction, Job Title & Salary – Support Engineers ................................ 76 Table 5.1 - Sub Hypothesis – Support Engineers’ Job Perception ................................................ 81 Table 5.2 - Sub Hypothesis – Non-Support Engineers’ Job Perception ........................................ 82 Table 5.3 - Sub Hypothesis – Support Engineers’ Job Satisfaction .............................................. 83 Table 5.4 - Main Hypothesis – Support Engineers & Non-Support Engineers ............................. 84