IT can lead U.S. Out Of Recession
July 30, 2009 by Raj Sheelvant
Aneesh Chopra, federal chief technology officer and assistant director for technology at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy sees a great opportunity for CIOs and the tech industry in general to help lead the country out of the recession and deliver on some of the federal government’s most pressing IT priorities. Chopra is pushing CIOs to think about strategy and innovation above cost containment. Read more at Tech Careers article titled “Federal CTO Sees IT Leading U.S. Out Of Recession”. “Traditional corporate CIO functions have largely been about efficiency,” Chopra is quoted in the article. “It’s a terrific opportunity for the top-line, top-level revenue growth oriented CIOs. Investments in game-changing ideas to improve the quality of products and services is very likely on the CEO’s agenda.”
I think Aneesh Chopra hit the nail on the head. CIO and CTO in an organization are usually involved in cost containment. Hence they usually end up reporting to CFO. But CIOs can and should play a major role in an organization especially helping create, enable and sustain Business Strategy. They need to have an influential seat at the strategy table. With software, internet accelerating disruptive technology, competitive advantage that any organizations have is getting to be less and less ‘sustainable’ (read my blog on Fleeting Competitive Advantage. These cutting edge disruptive technological innovation is less understood by the top management and hence they need a dedicated top executive (in form of CIO) to be on lookout of innovative technology on the horizon. CIO not only has to scan the environment for the adaption rate of new technology but should see how that technology can enable current business strategy.
I will reiterate what Chopra says CIOs need to think about strategy and innovation above cost containment.
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