IT Performance Management
NEW The Real Business of IT, Richard Hunter and George Westerman reveal that the cost mind-set stems from IT leaders' inability to communicate about the business value they create-so CIOs get stuck discussing budgets rather than their contributions to the organisation
Examines best practices. Outsourcing strategy and issues. CIO and IT function planning. Specific strategies for creating value
An invaluable aid to rethinking the benefits of linking business strategy and IT investment
Why aren’t CIO’s Innovators?
In a recent survey less than 50% of CIO’s said they would invest in technology and systems which weren’t proven elsewhere. In another survey 30% of CEO’s were critical of their CIO’s ability to talk to the business about the innovative value of new and emerging technologies.
It is clear that many CIO’s adopt a cautious approach and focus on process improvement and cost efficiency, but very few talk about their role in innovation to develop the business.
There are many reasons behind this:
- Traditional CIO thinking is around efficiency and cost-reduction
- The CIO is seldom a board member and therefore not directly involved in business strategy and planning but fulfils in the secondary role of business support
- CIO’s do not understand the process of innovation or how to implement it
Information sharing and collaboration systems are usually not in place so it is difficult to validate innovative ideas
The CIO and IT organisation are well placed to contribute to innovation within the business – they are probably the only ones who have a view of end to end processes, and the only ones who manage change on a regular basis. What is needed is new thinking and a different, expansive leadership style from the CIO.
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