Are IS Candidates Supplying the Teaching and Research Skills that Universities Need Most?

This longitudinal research study investigates the teaching and research expectations for potential IS professors. Most university departments advertise for specific job skills and qualifications when they attempt to recruit faculty members. This study examines over 400 IS placement advertisements for the academic recruiting years 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. Top teaching and research areas that universities are interested in for their new hires are identified. The study then investigates whether the interests of candidates seeking appointments are similar. Over 400 IS candidate doctorates' résumés are content analyzed and their teaching and research preferences are identified. By looking at the teaching and research needs of the universities and the preferences of IS candidates, it is then possible to identify if a gap exists between the two. Lists of (1) most required and (2) most desired IS teaching and research areas over the three year period are shown. The results report that in terms of teaching, what the universities are looking for is being well matched with what candidates are offering, except in the universities' demand for telecommunications. With respect to research, while there is some match between demand and supply, there is a noticeable lack of demand by universities for e-Commerce, HCI and ERP.