Are CIOs Obsolete?

Back in the prehistoric days of information technology--say, about 15 years ago--many companies opted to deal with the frighteningly complicated matter of "machines and men" by creating a new position: chief information officer. This newfangled executive, companies hoped, would protect and prepare them for the coming technology revolution. But now that the revolution is upon us, and as more and more companies integrate e-commerce into their corporate strategies, the role of the chief information officer is undergoing intense scrutiny. Should the CIO participate fully in strategy formulation? Is the position evolving from a technical manager to a general manager? If, in fact, the CIO role is becoming largely strategic, how much will the job overlap with that of the CEO? And what of the operational responsibilities that traditionally go along with the CIO title? Commenting on these issues are: Dawn Lepore, CIO and vice chairman at Charles Schwab; Jack Rockart, director of the Center for Information Systems Research at MIT; Michael J. Earl, professor of information management at London Business School; Tom Thomas, chairman and CEO at Vantive Corporation; and Peter McAteer and Jeffrey Elton, consultants at Giga Information Group and Integral, respectively.