Over the last 30 years I have served a large range of organizations as either a director or a trustee with the specific role of helping them exploit IT for competitive advantage. From my experience, I believe that there are four highly interdependent categories of contributions the CIO and IT function should make.
1. Generating Top-Line Growth
I'm often struck by how many articles exclusively focus on new or emerging technology and their productivity or efficiency effects. Every discussion on the role of IT and CIOs should start with the question: "What are the potential uses of this technology that will guarantee we stay in business?" This question attempts to tease out an unconscious assumption that "we will always be in business." (Note that the high-profile C-suite executives at firms like Borders, Jessops, and Bank of New England had large IT budgets, but no longer have a company to make more efficient today.)
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To read the full, original article click on this link: A Board Director's Perspective on What IT Has to Get Right - James I. Cash, Jr. - Harvard Business Review
