Managing IT/IS Projects Across Borders: Opportunities and Challenges for Hong Kong A Discussion Panel Chair: Visiting Professor Denis M. S. Lee Panelists: Mr. Kai Kim Chan Mr. Joseph Lee Mr. Frazier Li Mr. Philip Young

Motivation for the Panel -Provide a more in-depth examination about factors affecting the demand for IT/IS workers and future trends -Provide a front line assessment of specific types of skills/knowledge requirements in IT/IS that will continue to be in demand in the HK/China region -Provide an open forum for discussion and exchange of ideas

An Interesting Quote (Source: Business Week, May 13, 2002)

Demand for IT/IS Workers: Burst and Bust or Steady Growth Trend? Fundamental factors driving the demand for IT/IS workers Nature of IT/IS technology Speculations in the financial place

Patterns of Internet Growth: E-Tailing (Source: Business Week April 22, 2002)

Fundamental Forces Driving the Demand for IT/IS Workers Changes in technology Changes in business environment Changes in the role of IT/IS within organizations

Forces Driving Change: Changing Technologies -Unprecedented rate of changes in new technologies -Network externality effect of IT/IS technologies

Forces Driving Change: Changing Business Environment Examples: 1980s: JIT, CIM and TQM 1990s: EDI, E-Commerce Current: Contract manufacturing, UCC Net

Forces Driving Change: New Role for IT/IS within Organizations IT/IS is no longer just a supporting function in leading businesses. Rather it has become fully integrated as part of the organization’s strategy and operation

Critical Importance of IT/IS in Economic Growth and Implications for Human Resources -IT/IS will continue to play a central role in industrial and economic development -The development of IT/IS workers has become a top priority of national concern in such western countries as the United States (e.g., President’s Information Technology Advisory Committee Report to the President, 1999)

Factors Limiting the Effective Development of IT/IS in Hong Kong/China -Traditional business orientation that is based more on trading and speculation -Traditional manufacturing that is focused on low labor cost rather than value added -Lack of understanding about the strategic role of IT/IS in business and society

Opportunities for IT/IS workers in Hong Kong -Hong Kong provides window to the west for keeping up with fast changing IT/IS in many critical areas involving new technologies as well as the development of standards and practices -Hong Kong can leverage lower production cost and the much larger pool of university graduates by providing higher value added management and analysis activities in IT/IS

A Framework for Analyzing Critical Skill and Knowledge Requirements in IT/IS (Lee et. al., 1995) -Technological Skills and Knowledge -Technology Management Knowledge -Business Functional Knowledge -Interpersonal Skills/Knowledge