Identifying software engineers' competence at Iquity systems -Using a phenomenographic approach

Abstract

Technological change, intense global competition and the increasing emergence of knowledge-intensive companies have put new demands on management in organisations, which have led to a shift from valuing physical assets to more focusing on humans and their competence.

But, in this highly debatable field of competence, academics are arguing about how to define what it actually is while organisations, which recognise the importance of attracting and developing competent employees as the key for future success, are implementing a system or strategy that gives an illusion of competence within the field of management.

In this research, we used a phenomenographic approach to identify what competence is for Software Engineers at Iquity Systems Inc. This method allowed us to attain the Software Engineers' descriptions and experiences of working as a Software Engineer.

Our major finding could be seen as quite revolutionary in the field of competence, as we found that competence could be seen in another way than the traditional rationalistic view, looking at attributes necessary for accomplishing work. Instead, we argue that an individual's understanding/conception of work organises and delimits his way of accomplishing work.