Plate-Spinning for Success: CIOs, Embrace your Role Paradoxes!

Today’s CIOs face a host of perplexing and conflicting demands. Learning how to embrace these complex paradoxes is akin to learning the art of spinning plates in opposite directions. Early insights from our interview-based study reveal that CIOs are embracing their role-related paradoxes by developing a “plate-spinning mindset,” i.e., a mindset that helps CIOs spin multiple metaphorical plates in opposite directions. In this paper, we inform practitioners what a plate-spinning mindset entails, and how to develop such a mindset

INFORMATION SYSTEMS STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP IN THE LAST DECADE: NEW ADVANCEMENTS AND BLUE OCEAN OPPORTUNITIES

Information Systems (IS) strategic leadership literature is an important research stream in the IS field. Chief Information Officers (CIO) are central to this literature, with several themes discussing the roles, characteristics, effectiveness, CIO/TMT relationships, and organizational impact of CIOs. This paper discusses the IS leadership literature in last decade (2007-2017) with the objectives of synthesizing the recent articles, identifying new emerging themes, and presenting opportunities for “Blue Ocean” research. We argue that more research is still needed in this field, and potential contributions for both academia and practice are great

How the West was Lost: Chief Information Officers and the Battle of Jurisdictional Control

Recent research has highlighted the potential downfall of the role and profession of Chief Information Officer (CIO). As the top executive responsible for IT in an organization, this role has gone through several shifts since its advent in the 1980’s. This study addresses how the role has evolved, and, explores how it may evolve in the years to come. The study utilizes a combination of structured literature review and interviews, and is informed by Abbott’s systems of professions perspective. The findings show that after an increase in jurisdictional control prior to the turn of the millennium, the profession has decreased and is continuing to decrease its jurisdictional control. This is in part linked to the imposition of IT Governance frameworks designed to shift risk from the profession of CIOs to neighboring professions. This is discussed in light of calls for future research

A Case-Based Assessment of the Descriptiveness of Three CIO Typologies and Validity of Two CIO-Effectiveness Models

This paper uses a case study of a single firm to assess the completeness of three CIO typologies, and the validity of two models of factors affecting CIO effectiveness. With respect to the typologies, our conclusions are that all three typologies were also useful for understanding the role of the CIO at PaperlinX. However, Broadbent and Kitzis’ (2005) binary trusted senior executive leader versus chief technology mechanic classification appears too coarse-grained, with Leider and Mackay’s (2005) typology being more descriptive of the CIO role at PaperlinX. With respect to the two models of CIO effectiveness, our conclusions are that all factors in both models were applicable and important in the case study. The one suggestion we have here is that the Broadbent and Kitzis claim that their model is only applicable for trusted senior executive leader may be too restrictive; it appears to have broader applicability

Identifying and Prioritizing of Readiness Factors for Implementing ERP Based on Agility (Extension of McKinsey 7S Model)

Studies conducted by many researchers indicate high failure rate of projects of implementing ERP systems. To penetrate in global competition market, it seems necessary to carry out studies to assess organizational readiness prior to system implementation to identify weaknesses and strengths points of the organization. Furthermore, organizations should be agile to be able to respond to market changes fast and effectively to survive in competitive environment. ERP and agility are two important tools for achieving competitive advantages. The main goal of the present study was to identify and prioritize organizational readiness factors for implementing ERP based on organizational agility. In this study, along with extension of McKinsey 7S model (strategy, structure, systems, skills, style, staff, shared values) to 9S (7S+ self-evaluation and supportive factors) model, agility criteria were weighted and rated using group AHP with fuzzy logic approach; so that accountability, speed and flexibility have obtained the maximum score. The nine organizational readiness factors were ranked using integrated FAHP and TOPSIS method based on five criteria of agility. The framework was proposed to a real case of Shiraz distribution cooperative firms. Results showed that among the nine organizational dimensions based on agility, the two added to McKinsey dimensions (self-evaluation and supportive factors) are ranked in the first and fourth places. The proposed framework help the firms “to implement ERP system with agility approach” concentrate on effective empowerments and develop strategies based on their own priority

A New Dualistic CIO Toolbox: Towards Ambidexterity in the Digital Business Transformation

By transferring organizational learning concepts into the IT context, this paper provides a new behavior oriented foundation for managing IT organizations in the digital business transformation. As a practical contribution, the paper introduces a new management toolbox which supports Chief Information Officers (CIOs) to lead their Information Technology (IT) organizations towards ambidexterity in the digital business transformation. The organizational ambidexterity is required for the digital business transformation in order to contribute innovativeness while simultaneously assuring effective operational IT environment. The toolbox is constructed using the systematic concept analysis and the concept derivation methods to convert the organizational learning concepts into the dualistic CIO toolbox. The toolbox includes a set of traditional Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assure operational effectiveness and a set of leadership principles to enable an innovative and experimental organizational behaviour. The application of the new dualistic CIO toolbox is illustrated through hypothetical cases

AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF IS STRATEGY AND IS CONTRIBUTION TO FIRM PERFORMANCE

Given the important impact that an IS strategy has on the potential value IS brings to an organization, we develop and test a model of IS Strategy and Performance. Our survey-based study provides strong evidence that firms with defined IS strategies perform better than those without defined IS strategies. Our study also provides evidence that the two IS defined strategies -- IS Innovator and IS Conservative -- contribute in very different ways to firm performance: the IS Innovator strategy contributes to strategic growth whereas the IS Conservative strategy contributes to firm efficiency. Organizations without a clearly defined IS strategy experienced a negative contribution of IS to firm performance. The different types of performance had differing affects on satisfaction with the IS department and satisfaction with the CIO such that CIOs overseeing an Innovator strategy experience lower satisfaction from their organizations than do CIOs overseeing a Conservative strategy. The lowest performance and satisfaction levels were seen in firms with no IS strategy. Firms with no IS strategy should realize the negative outcomes of such a lack of strategy and work to extricate themselves before a consistent pattern of investing in IS without clear organizational benefit develops

Strategic signalling and awards: Investigation into the first decade of AIS best publications awards

Professional organizations for academics such as the Academy of Management and Association for Information Systems (AIS) create best publications awards to honour and promote exemplary contributions that align with the core values and priorities of their distinct fields. Despite the strategic importance of awards, researchers rarely investigate meaningful patterns implicit in the contribution characteristics of award-winning articles. We conduct a reconstructive study of the 10-year history of the AIS Best Publications Awards by outlining a framework that reveals contribution characteristics, demographic patterns, and citation histories of the award-winning articles. Comparing the AIS results to a complete sample of MIS Quarterly paper-of-the-year articles (1993–2015) demonstrates consistent patterns implicit in IS articles that win best publications awards. We develop a model that explains both how these awards shape patterns and discusses what changes might be needed as the field confronts new realities. Our analyses reinforce the importance of taking strategic actions to support the continuous development of the field and advance literature on change and evolving trends in academic fields

Do KPIs used by CIOs Decelerate Digital Business Transformation? The Case of ITIL

This study provides a critical assessment of the current KPI-driven steering practices carried out by Chief Information Officers (CIOs). It explores how the use of ITIL KPIs affect the IT Service Management (ITSM) organization’s learning behavior and how this behavior impacts on Digital Business Transformation. The results indicate that, when used to steer the ITSM organization, ITIL KPIs will reduce the organization’s willingness to transform the current ITSM environment (i.e. current processes, work routines, services, policies and technologies) into the digital era. The findings suggest that, in order to successfully manage Digital Business Transformation, CIOs will need new types of management techniques which would endorse the organization’s norm-challenging and innovative learning abilities but also assure the operative effectiveness of the ITSM environment

An Assessment of Readiness Factors for Implementing ERP Based on Agility (Extension of Mckinsey 7s Model)

Studies conducted by many researchers indicate high failure rate of projects of implementing ERP systems. Furthermore, organizations should be agile to be able to respond to market changes fast and effectively to survive in competitive environment. ERP and agility are two important tools for achieving competitive advantages. The main goal of the present study was to identify and prioritize organizational readiness factors for implementing ERP based on organizational agility. In this study, along with extension of McKinsey 7S model (strategy, structure, systems, skills, style, staff, shared values) to 9S (7S+ self-evaluation and supportive factors) model, agility criteria were weighted and rated using group AHP with fuzzy logic approach; so that accountability, speed and flexibility have obtained the maximum score. The nine organizational readiness factors were ranked using integrated FAHP and TOPSIS method based on five criteria of agility. The framework was proposed to a real case of Shiraz distribution cooperative firms. Results showed that among the nine organizational dimensions based on agility, the two added to McKinsey dimensions (self-evaluation and supportive factors) are ranked in the first and fourth places. The proposed framework help the enterprises “to implement ERP system with agility approach” concentrate on change management and develop strategies based on their own priority