Our research to-date indicates that CIOs appear increasingly to be expected to contribute actively to improving their organisation's innovation performance. Their remit is changing from being reactive (a provider of services) to becoming proactive (actively leading innovation efforts within their organisations). Opinions vary as to the role that the CIO could, or should, fill. One school of thought suggests that the CIO should lead all corporate innovation. A second school suggests that the CIO should lead innovation in business processes, whilst contributing to the efforts of market and product development specialists. A third school suggests that the CIO should focus on the delivery of IT services to the company, including supplying technology to support innovation, but should be excluded from strategic decision-making.

 

To clarify this emerging role, we will interview CIOs from as diverse a range of industry sectors and countries as possible. Individual interviews will be treated as confidential, unless we have explicit permission to discuss and/or publish the findings.

 

The interviews will be conducted, in person or over the telephone, by CSC research associate Dr Bettina von Stamm.