Stories about: Continuum

Effective CIO participation in corporate planning is critical for business and IT success. However, engaging in corporate planning can be a bumpy road for CIOs due to conflicting time lines, power politics, unforeseen shocks and shifting priorities in business units and the corporate office.

Today, technology permeates almost every facet of business. IT can no longer just support the business; in most global enterprises, it must become embedded in the business. Forrester predicted this evolution back in 2003: IT is no longer information technology, but business technology (BT), and the primary mission is about business enablement, not business support. But moving from IT to BT is much more than an acronym change. At its very core is a cultural change that involves not just IT but the entire organisation from the board of directors (BoD) to senior management down to the lowest level employee.

"Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog . . . " The inter-generational office brew of Boomer, Gen X and Gen Y may not be quite as odious as that of the three witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth, but even so it makes "for a charm of powerful trouble"

Last northern spring, Scott Heintzeman, CIO of Carlson Marketing, and his staff were developing new business intelligence systems. The project would support Carlson's marketing business unit 1to1, which helps clients mine their customer data to create individualized direct-marketing materials. Carlson executives expected the business unit - a new line of business within the company - to be one of its top performers. Heintzeman knew he had to deliver, but he couldn't do it on his own.

Whither goeth the collaborative supply chain?

For CIOs in their mid to late 50s "career is over" starts to take on a new meaning as the time comes to plan the descent from the career peaks. But true to form, these high-power men and women view their next step as simply a new beginning

Out with the old and in with the new. It's a sentiment that can send shivers throughout an organization and chill the heart of the most seasoned IT executive. But at Maroochy Shire Council everyone kept their cool during a high-risk business process overhaul and are now reaping high rewards.

Is operational cost-effectiveness the new "comfort zone" for today's CIOs?

While it may seem like common sense, only a handful of the best IT operations develop and execute a marketing plan

CIOs looking to improve their leadership skills must prepare to shift out of cost-cutting mode and start learning how to support business growth

Australian governments’ plans to introduce an electronic health record for all patients by 2010 took another leap forward last week, with the signing of contracts for two more trial projects.