EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
RAMI KICHLI , VICE-PRESIDENT , SOFTWARE AG , GULF & LEVANT
Disruptive Technology has witnessed varied cycles over the years and the latest and most recent dialogues around digitalisation and Digital Transformations have resulted in a readjustment of the IT budget allocations within an organisation . Lately , a key impact observed is allocation of larger share of budgets to innovation and customer experience driven projects compared to operational needs . Another area of change witnessed as vendors , is a shift in the buyer profile at the customer organisation with evolving business scenarios . Numerous forward-thinking public and private sector organisations have begun to merge roles and responsibilities between a CIO and CTO . This is an incredibly positive development as an impact of disruptive technologies as it leads to a better understanding of the business requirements resulting in accurate business transformation initiatives for present and future business requirements .
While there are many different ways in which a CIO will stay abreast and informed of disruptive technology developments , in order to be highly effective and efficacious in their role , a CIO has to be deeply involved in core business functions and expand understanding beyond technological or IT deployments alone . A key responsibility for them is to cultivate a culture of advancement and modernisation of business among the C-level members of the board and decision makers . While doing so , they need to be careful and steer away from hype technologies for a pragmatic outlook towards business objectives and goals via value driven projects . It is not important to implement new technologies as a fad but understand how the disruptive technology is influencing the overall profitability and enhancement of the business .
That said , there is no better way for CIOs than to have a straight approach to survive the onslaught of
disruptive technology and be agile in planning as well instil an appetite for change across the length and breadth of the organisation . Because if they don ’ t , then disruptive technology will be what it is to them – disrupt their business instead of being productive .
A two-pronged strategy works best in this case with a clear vision and demarcation of the transformative elements while not neglecting operational requirements such as – personnel , budgets , roadmap , maintenance , etc .
The foresighted vision and deep business understanding in a CIO can lead the organisation towards a pattern of sustained growth and enhancement for years to come .
IT leaders alias CIOs , can no longer work in their own silo or as a face only to the organisation ’ s connected technology . A CIO today is an evangelist and not just a technology leader . A complex role , the CIO is now even a part of the C-suite as a business enabler who ensures the continuous progression of the organisation in a safe and sustainable manner . The role is fast evolving for a CIO to stay abreast with the changing requirements of a business ’ s ecosystem to contribute productively to its goals and play a critical role in the success . Some of the key competencies are : Identifying critical functions . Today CIOs have to identify the critical functions of the organisation and the dependencies between those functions to ensure smooth business running at all times . Second , they have to ensur Business Continuity : which is a major function and a crucial part of a CIO ’ s job today .
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