ForewordAs the CIO Role Changes and Evolves, IT Suppliers Must Update Their Strategies
The CIO role has undergone a dramatic transformation since its introduction to the mainstream business world more than 20 years ago.
Today, in the most advanced businesses, the CIO (chief information officer) is a true officer of the company, co-accountable with the rest of the management team for the competitive growth and strategic success of the business, fully capable of proactively envisioning business opportunities and collaboratively acting upon them.
Even in less forward-looking companies, CIOs are critical strategic contributors to business success, helping to understand and drive new business processes that enable their businesses to reach their bottom line goals.
Modern CIOs carry enormous burdens and responsibilities. They confront staff shortages, excruciating budgetary pressures, and escalating demands from virtually every functional area of their organizations. They see themselves locked in seemingly endless cycles of reinforcing the business value of IT and defending the return on IT investments.
In this type of environment, it’s easy to understand why the CIO has limited patience for IT vendors whose main focus is selling the latest, greatest product.
On the other hand, today’s environment offers a vast range of fresh opportunities for IT suppliers who take the time to understand the CIO’s challenges and who are willing to partner and build relationships with the CIO as an individual. ...
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