Title: Techno vision
First published: 1994
Description: "There's a fundamental disconnect between senior executives and technologists," observes Charles B. Wang, the outspoken CEO who grew Computer Associates International, Inc., from scratch into a $2.1 billion giant. "Technologists have to help educate executives, bring them in to understand what technology can do for the business. And executives have to educate technologists and include them as part of the business planning process." Based in part on a series of highly successful technology boot camps called "The CEO in a Wired World," Techno Vision bridges the gulf between senior executives and chief information officers. It enlightens decision makers about long-term, business-directed technology. As Wang explains: "Understanding technology isn't the point; harnessing technology to business objectives is."

Techno Vision masterfully and succinctly describes the technologies most relevant to executives - and puts them into an appropriate business context. Most importantly, Wang shows how to demystify and evaluate these concepts. "You've heard them all: client/server, CASE, object orientation," the author says. "But you've never heard it like this. I take no prisoners in my judgment of the myriad technologies competing for your attention."

Peppered with anecdotes, definitions, a few exercises, and even a touch of humor, Techno Vision lives up to its promise as an executive survival guide. It helps you take the mystery out of technology ... understand the extent of the disconnect at your organization ... and set about realigning it. The big picture will take shape as Wang deftly dissects the component issues: addressing the dysfunctional partnership between business managers and technical managers; improving the relationship between CEO and CIO; transforming your organization's information technology function into a profit center; measuring technology ROIs (even when hard numbers aren't available); determining when to outsource; and getting the most from technology advisers, both inside and outside the company.

No matter if you're a CEO, CIO, or any executive or manager with an eye on the future, Charles B. Wang's unique vision will give you a comfort level in communicating about global technology issues and trends. Above all, Techno Vision will put technology and business into crystal-clear focus for you - maybe for the first time.
Subjects: Management, Information storage and retrieval systems, Information technology, Information resources management
LC classification: HD30.2 .W3479 1994