1 CIO*/IT Mgr Roles * CIO – career is over

2 CIO/IT Mgr Roles: Why should you care? You may be one some day, so its always good to be prepared. Yeah, right. CIOs (regardless of what title is used) will likely impact your success or failure Understanding their job will likely help you be more successful at yours.

3 The evolving CIO/IT Mgr Roles Mainframe era: Technology guru and IT production manager Distributed and Internet Eras – every pundit has a list. Several samples follow.

4 Sample 1. CIO/IT Mgr Roles (Synott 1985) Manage information resources as vital corporate asset. Bring systems into the competitive marketplace. Manage and coordinate increasingly decentralized information resources. Manage end-user computing so it servers corporate needs. Be a catalyst for corporate change.

5 Sample 2. CIO/IT Mgr Roles (Lewis 1999) Monitor capabilities of all major organizational technologies. Monitor company’s industry dynamics. Understand company business model. Gain/maintain high level understanding of company operations. Serve as exec committee’s technology consultant. Manage relationships throughout the company. Establish IS direction and purpose. Motivate IS workforce.

6 Sample 3. CIO/IT Mgr Roles (Luftman 2004) (IT) Organizational designer. Select and implement appropriate IT organizational structure Strategic partner. Business/technology consultant, identifying how IT can best service business needs Technology architect. Designing appropriate IT infrastructure for supporting the organization’s strategic needs Informed buyer. Hardware, software, networks, and other services

7 CIO/IT Mgr Roles Think about reading assignments and early IT mgr roles with respect to the three samples: Is anything missing?

8 o Get a seat at the table. o Regular one on ones with CEO. o Create a partnership with peers. o Study the corporate culture. o Understand the business model. o Define current commitments. o Establish credibility. o Listen (as well as talk). o Take inventory (people, technology, services). o Assess people o Understand outsourcing value and threat. CIO Tips (Luftman 2004)

9 CIO/IT Mgr Roles: Implications for you How effective is your CIO? How is IT perceived within the organization? What is your role? Where or how does your role contribute to the CIO’s success?