Many CIOs face the diplomatic difficulty of arguing for IT departments as a place to invest rather than a place to supply while controlling costs.
Approximately one-third of executives said their CIOs are involved in shaping the overall strategies and goals of their companies, according to the Wall Street Journal. Instead, IT is seen as a support system rather than an important strategic part of their business.
Ken Grady, CIO of life sciences company Idexx Laboratories Inc., told the Wall Street Journal that CIOs must make their case to the C-suite executives of their company for how IT can benefit the business in an understandable way. Getting close to the CEO and other executives is helpful as well, he said.
"If we want to stay relevant and at the leadership table, it's up to us to be a business leader as well as a technical consultant to the organization," Mr. Grady said.