Antecedents of CIO Effectiveness: A Role-Based Perspective

Abstract

Over the past four decades the role of information technology (IT) has evolved from a primarily supporting role to an increasingly strategic role with the potential to provide competitive advantage. With this new found importance, many organizations have created, primarily over the past two decades, an executive position to manage IT; the chief information officer (CIO). However, the literature, and particularly the practitioner literature suggests, that this new executive may be experiencing some problems performing up to expectations. This literature suggests that too many CIOs are not able to focus on business imperatives nor are they able to effectively communicate in business terms, thereby alienating themselves from their CEOs and other top managers. Others argue that CIOs in general tend to focus themselves too narrowly on technical issues as opposed to how IT can add value to the business as a whole. The volume of literature in the practice community reflecting a perception of CIO ineffectiveness provides both the relevance and motivation for this study. What factors contribute to a CIO's effectiveness within his/her organization? Are personal attributes or skills solely responsible for CIO effectiveness or are their other organizational factors that contribute to CIO effectiveness?

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