Leaders are most important asset within IT organisation, says META Group

Despite the progress made by many CIOs, 70% of IT organisations (ITOs) today are still considered cost centres rather than partners in the business, according to META Group.

To provide value, CIOs must offer services that deliver the expected results, along with competency, resource agility, cost-effectiveness, risk mitigation and intimacy, according to findings from the new CIO Desk Reference, a unique report designed to address the issues most important to CIOs.

CIO`s attending META Group`s METAmorphosis Africa 2004 conference, to be held from 4 to 6 May at Caesars Gauteng, will have the opportunity of attending the complimentary CIOnly executive directions programme.

This will focus on today`s toughest challenges CIO`s face, in adapting IT to their organisation`s business requirements, balancing costs, quality and speed - while effectively managing risk and leveraging information, collaboration and automation to drive value and revenue growth.

Delegates will be able to view META Group`s third edition of the CIO Desk Reference, which provides the guidance IT executives need to develop leadership skills (the quality most sorely lacking in most IT organisations) and to foster value within the organisation. For a free CIO Desk Reference executive summary, e-mail eric.cowling@metagroup.co.za. To register for METAmorphosis Africa 2004 conference, go to http://www.metagroupsa.co.za/1324.html.

"Beyond constant technological change, today`s CIOs must also deal with underlying economic factors - by current business conditions, global uncertainty, a hardware glut and vendor consolidation - that have altered the technology landscape," said Louis Boyle, senior vice-president with META Group`s Executive Directions. "IT executives who wish to compete in the long run will need to understand these factors and transform them into business differentiators."

Leaders are the most important asset within any ITO striving to optimise its impact on the business. Motivated by a core set of values centred on trust, teamwork and truth, these leaders drive the ITO to excel, as well as its partners and suppliers. According to the report, the highest-performing ITOs have breadth and depth in leadership.

This report breaks down the critical planning issues - including enterprise architecture, governance and relationship management - that must be mastered along the way. As the ITO`s role moves beyond efficiency to business effectiveness, CIOs will have four primary objectives: 1) inculcating value management into IT culture; 2) using IT portfolio management as a communications and investment vehicle; 3) developing human capital management processes that increase IT employee productivity; and 4) ensuring that core IT processes are singular, understood, consistent and scalable.

METAmorphosis 2004 embodies META Group`s ongoing commitment to provide actionable research, personalised service and high-value guidance. To register for this conference by telephone or to request additional information, visit www.metagroupsa.co.za, e-mail Linda.lourens@metagroup.com or call (011) 880 5644.

META Group is a leading provider of information technology research, advisory services and strategic consulting. Delivering objective and actionable guidance, META Group`s experienced analysts and consultants are trusted advisors to IT and business executives around the world. Our unique collaborative models and dedicated customer service help clients be more efficient, effective and timely in their use of IT to achieve their business goals. Visit www.metagroupsa.co.za for more details.