Skills Survey 2002: You're in IT - should you do an MBA?

Being a senior IT executive is more about being at the heart of a business than ever before. But does that mean, asks Pia Heikkila, an MBA is the right option?

This year's silicon.com skills survey found business skills are as much in demand as technical ability at workplaces around Europe. Over a third of respondents said their companies are suffering from acute shortages of leadership and project management skills and many see no relief in the near future.

Our survey also found the majority of IT workers feel their companies are not allocating enough resources to in-house training. Nearly 43 per cent said companies should be spending more time and money in this way, which may not be that surprising.

But could advanced business training help IT managers work more efficiently? Can an MBA help with the day-to-day running of an IT department? Some pundits think that's the case.

Technology decisions are no longer the preserve of the IT department but a mainstream business practice to most firms. It takes more than tech knowledge to run IT and an understanding of the strategic and financial sides of a business helps.

The career incentives for those IT bosses wanting to take up business training can also be rewarding. Paul Taylor, business development director at Parity Training, an IT staffing specialist, told silicon.com business skills are a useful asset.

"To run an IT department you need to see beyond technical capabilities and recognise the value of softer, more business-focused skills. Nowadays, the IT department is expected to interface with other employees, external suppliers and increasingly with outsourced service providers," he said.

Gerry McLaughlin, a former CIO who now runs IT workers reunion site Namesfacesplaces.com, said: "I think those managers that use their people skills effectively are more likely to get projects finished on time. IT managers tend to concentrate too much on their project management tools rather than the motivation skills needed to get projects finished."

Professor Chris Edwards at Cranfield School of Management said higher business degrees, such as MBAs, can round out an individual's skills: "An MBA is a general management development programme and it can be used by people who have a specialist knowledge of IT to broaden their knowledge base and gain management skills. That will help them understand the business as a whole and progress their career."

Indeed, Cranfield recognises MBAs are now seen as a prerequisite to most senior management positions and can be used to recognise people who have senior management potential.

Some say an MBA can often help IT bosses to understand a company's long-term business goals. Steve Robinson, MBA trainer at private college Ashridge, claims a post-graduate degree is often a good indicator of business acumen for those seeking to improve their chances on the job market. He said: "An MBA is a standard by which employers recognise a candidate has a broader business understanding and as such is a proven means of fast tracking career development."

But Parity's Taylor warns MBAs may not suit everybody. "An MBA is not always the answer," he said. "For instance, developing individual competencies over a series of bite-sized two- or three-day courses may be more appropriate and may give you the chance to put into practice the acquired skill sooner."

There is a consensus that a company thinking of investing in its IT director's business education should only take the MBA route if it can justify the spend and measure the return on the training. Business skills usually require updating less frequently than many technical competencies.

"Business skills may often only require one significant course after which they can be topped up on an ongoing basis," added Parity's Taylor.

In fact IT is no different to other industries, pundits claim. Good leadership and management skills are required even in tech jobs and decent business training ensures senior IT bosses are on the ball. It seems that the best way to impress the boardroom is with a mixture of skills: an IT professional who can think strategically with marketing, finance and management perspectives seems to be in much demand these days.

In the past IT employees progressed through a company with their technical skills but today business awareness has become one of the top priorities. Those wishing to climb up the career ladder inevitably need a wider perspective.

What's your view on the subject? Do you think you have enough business know-how to cope with the current climate? Do IT workers lack management skills? Check out our Skills Survey 2002 for what other IT pros around UK think about their future prospects http://www.silicon.com/skillssurvey2002