Small Company Cios

Abstract

This paper addresses the role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) in today's small businesses. Over time, the responsibilities of CIOs have dramatically shifted, increased, and transcended merely overseeing data processing as it existed just a decade or so ago. Today, a CIO plays a key leadership role in designing and plotting a company's strategy and business plan. It takes an exceptional person to handle the tasks and pressures of a CIO. Most research about the role of the CIO has been conducted in large companies. This research offers insights into the nature of a small business CIO: what duties consume his time and what traits he deems necessary to perform his job well. The article also examines desired attributes of the small business CIO as identified by those responsible for hiring the CIO. Two surveys were developed and distributed. Results offer a better understanding of what a CIO does and what is expected of him.