PLANNING AND LEADERSHIP FOR A BETTER WORLD
PLANNING AND LEADERSHIP FOR A BETTER WORLD The CIO is no longer just the “Chief IT Mechanic” of an organization, but has an evolving and complex role, according IBM’s 2011 CIO Study. The study, which involved more than 3,000 CIOs from organizations worldwide, showed major growth in cloud computing and rising interest in analytics and business intelligence.
The study showed that 60 percent of CIOs think their organization will be cloud-ready within the next five years. This figure nearly doubles the 2009 response, in which only one-third of CIOs planned to use cloud-based technologies.
Specific industries are finding cloud computing especially appealing. These include media and entertainment, in which 73 percent of CIOs predict a transition to the cloud, automotive (70 percent), and telecommunications (69 percent).
Location also played a role in cloud preparedness. In the United States, Japan and South Korea, 70 percent of CIOs expect their organization to transition to the cloud. This figure shows a sharp increase from 2009, when only 30 percent of CIOs from these countries marked cloud computing as priority.
The study identified other trends among CIOs, who are stepping out as leaders in the fast-changing economy. Attempting to handle growing amounts of data, more than 80 percent think that business intelligence and analytics are main priorities for their organizations. Mobile computing and mobility solutions are also trending, with almost 75 percent of CIOs identifying them as rising concerns.
These and other findings demonstrate the CIO’s shifting role in the organization. For the first time, the top priorities of the CIOs align with those of the CEOs interviewed. Those priorities include strengthening customer relationships, improving employee skills and make more use of data analysis. The study also showed that CIOs, like CEOs, are seeking simplification of internal processes and cost-cutting solutions.
The study’s findings bolster arguments that CIOs, rather than reporting to CFOs or other company leaders, should report directly to CEOs.
"As technology becomes both an enabler of competitive advantage and embedded in every facet of the enterprise, the role of the CIO has never been more essential," said Jeanette Horan, vice president and Chief Information Officer of IBM, according to a statement. "This study provides key evidence of how the capabilities of IT are aligning perfectly with the aspirations of business leaders. The winners will be those companies that understand the power of technologies like cloud, analytics and mobility, and can harness that power to transform their businesses."
Additional findings of the study and a video interview with Horan can be viewed here.
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