As IT becomes more and more strategic, maybe an MBA is more useful than a computer science degree. Maybe time spent overseeing advertising layouts is better than time devoted to reviewing database schema. Increasingly, organizations are installing technology bosses who have made their mark on the business or marketing side. While many experts applaud the trend toward a more well-rounded CIO who brings business credentials to the table, they also warn that those technology chops still count for a lot.
Any vendor can waltz in the door and promise a magic solution to all the enterprise's problems.
CIOs need the ability to apply the sniff test to these promises and make critical, expensive choices. Experts and CIOs agree that today, what's needed is a technology team made up of people who can cover one another's weaknesses and complement one another. But perhaps the role has broadened to the point where technical understanding isn't the primary criterion for landing the position. Old dogs Linda Rossetti is CEO of eMaven Inc., a Boston-based company that consults with large businesses about their online strategies. Cherri M. Musser, CIO at eGM, a division of Detroit-based General Motors Corp., agrees.