Introduction – Executive Summary
The office of the CIO, first proposed in 1980, has finally come of age.
But why has it taken so long, and what particular demands does modern manufacturing place on those in the vanguard of re-imagining technology’s role? In this executive briefing, we examine the role of the Chief Information Officer, touching briefly on the key steps of what should be their journey from the computer suite to the boardroom. Over five sections, we look at Improvers, Transformers and Inspirers, mapping their skills, talents and experience against the needs of industry. We discuss the place and purpose of technology in the fiercely competitive global market. Lastly, we propose a 5-point plan to help the business meet its goals–and to help the CIO mature into a new form of business leader.
Cre8tive Technology & Design (www.ctnd.com) will be posting a five part series on How Technology is Inspiring a New Breed of CIO in Manufacturing
Part 3 – “The best way to predict the future is to invent it”
That quotation, attributed to Alan Kay, the noted computer scientist, neatly summarizes the extent of the opportunity available to the modern CIO.
It also serves as a guide to what is expected of the CIO
Because in a nutshell, that’s the CIOs job–to help ensure that the company has the best possible future. The CIO doesn’t stop being an Improver; instead a CIO increasingly drives new and better ways to empower others with that responsibility. That gives them the time and opportunity to focus on transformer activities; the innovation to move the business forward.
The business is the technology:
The technology is the business
With the understanding of both the Improver and Transformer sides of the role and the ability to harness technology to serve the needs of the business, the CIO can begin to determine what kind of organization his will become. A CIO has it in his grasp to be a deciding influence on the future success of the company–not as a technologist, but as a business leader with a hugely powerful portfolio of skills and resources at his disposal.
From Improver to Inspirer
Clearly, this is a journey of critical importance, to the CIO and to the immediate IT organization, and to the business as a whole. In the next section, we offer a five-point plan to chart progress. Every manufacturer is different, so of necessity this will be a template rather than a definitive map, but it’s a good starting point.
From an Epicor White Paper
About Epicor
Epicor Software Corporation is a global leader delivering business software solutions to the manufacturing, distribution, retail, and service industries. With more than 40 years of experience, Epicor has more than 20,000 customers in over 150 countries. Epicor solutions enable companies to drive increased efficiency and improve profitability. With a history of innovation, industry expertise, and passion for excellence, Epicor inspires customers to build lasting competitive advantage. Epicor provides the single point of accountability that local, regional, and global businesses demand. For more information, visit www.epicor.com.