Between innovation and cost control information technology has become a central factor for the economic success of companies around the world. This is one of the results of the study carried out by IBM in 2009\”the new voice of the CIO. For this study, CIOs were asked about 2500 from 19 branches in 78 countries personally, this makes it the world’s largest study of its kind. In Austria, there were 29 CIO interviews. The study also shows that CIOs work world-wide more than ever in a field of tension different claims. While they develop company visions and foster innovation, the management of them still calls cost reduction, efficiency, and industry-specific solutions.
The study of the role of the IT clearly shows the change in addition to current challenges for CIOs. CIOs are increasingly included in the management level CIOs are rooted increasingly in the strategic management of companies, and this is more likely to watch in fast-growing companies than in average successful companies. CIOs to influence corporate strategy so another result more often and thus make an important contribution to the success of the business. The role of innovators is however not so much lived and internationally in Austria, Germany and of Switzerland. These show the regional results for the three countries. There are also significantly less CIOs member of business performance than the international average. In the field of tension of different requirements according to study CIOs today work in a field of tension in which they simultaneously realise innovations, increase the ROI of IT and strengthen the business impact of IT should. This field of tension in three dual-wheel castors is reflected, the modern CIO must fill out as equivalent: it must be visionary and pragmatist, creator of value and cost-lowering drugs, executives and managers. While he promotes as a visionary together with other divisions innovation, it must ensure at the same time that its projects also to be implemented successfully.