Choreographing a System: Skills and Employability in Software Work

Citation

Marks A & Scholarios D (2008) Choreographing a System: Skills and Employability in Software Work. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 29 (1), pp. 96-124. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143831X07085141

Abstract
While software developers are typically associated with high-status, technical knowledge work, there is evidence of changing skills requirements within the industry. One notable feature is the increasing importance of social competencies, as well as technical skill, which have been proposed as a feature of many new economy occupations. This article examines how this change in skills in software work impacts on employability in the sector. Developers, managers and HR practitioners in four Scottish software organizations provide the empirical focus.

Keywords
employability; knowledge work; social competencies; software employment; technical skill

Journal
Economic and Industrial Democracy: Volume 29, Issue 1