CIO Talk Network Podcast

IT budgets in Healthcare have always been too meager. Finally there's more money! But while IT leaders in healthcare now have a whopping $19 Billion reward, they face the equally daunting task of computerizing medical records. The problem of updating medical records to digital has been a chronic issue for years. In addition to money, what exactly does IT leadership need to make this work? Guest: T...

The introduction of a new IT technology imposes risks: Political risks to champions within the IT organization; business risks that vary based on how invasive or intrusive are the changes it imposes on business; and financial risks as regards its implementation and ROI. How does an IT leader successfully manage these risks to reap the benefits that drove the adoption of the new technology? ...Or,...

Higher Ed will play an important role in paving the way to a successful tomorrow for the US. We need to deliver world class higher education on a shoe string budget to new generations of students and retain them through innovating programs and services. Can IT come to rescue? Guest 1: Dr. Timothy Chester, Vice Provost and Chief Information Officer, Pepperdine University Guest Bio: https://www.ciot...

At many times IT leaders may go with a *generic* IT solution rather than a branded focused custom IT solution, built to specific business requirements with corporate strategy in mind. While we pay lip service to Business-IT alignment and innovation mantras, are we truly contributing to making alignment and innovation a reality when we settle for the easier path of least resistance and the status q...

They are highly mobile and demand constant connectivity. They desire personalization and choice in whatever they do. They work to live, not live to work. They don't like being paged at 2 am. They change their jobs very quickly. Who are "they"? We're talking about Gen-Y which is soon to become the bulk of the IT workforce and our future IT leaders. Will we be ready for this IT workforce transformat...

Cloud computing is being increasingly embraced by the enterprises for even mission critical applications, infrastructure, and operational needs. So, isn't it time that we put an overarching governance model in place, that spans planning/designing phase, production phase, and how we execute change management within the cloud? Are there any other governance models out there, to provide inspiration?...

While most organizations have cut their IT budgets to the bone, IT Modernization is been suggested as a way to optimize value while reducing risk and cost. How exactly do we define "IT modernization"? What factors make it a compelling strategy? If we are lucky enough to get stakeholders to buy in, how do we go about planning and executing this? While IT modernization sounds great, it may be ""too...

A CIO's success depends on how well he/she influences a variety of internal and external people/teams, and it is particularly difficult to get things done when dealing with a random group of people that he/she doesn't directly manage. Influence management is the ability to influence others, especially those that an IT leader may lack direct influence over. How important is this skill for a CIO? Ho...

Suppliers are a constant source of concern. At any time, something that affects *their performance* could arise to jeopardize *our business interests*. Even more terrifying is the worry that they may get too lax about working with us to comply with government mandates. Supplier Performance Management (SPM), has been suggested as a solution. Is SPM the panacea it's being made out to be? Guest 1: Da...

For some, IT is the plumbing which allows an uninterrupted and efficient flow of information. But, what about the quality of the information that is flowing through the "plumbing"? We wouldn't drink bad water no matter how elegant the plumbing, what about bad or poor information? Guest 1: Suzanne Gordon, VP Information Technology and Chief Information Officer, SAS Institute Inc. Guest Bio: https:/...

CIOs need to build networks, exert influence up and down the hierarchy, problem-solve, communicate effectively, and deliver, in order to keep the wheels of the IT organization moving in the same direction as the business and deliver results. Unfortunately many CIOs endowed with these valuable skills can be pulled into a "producing" vs. "leading" role due to the environment and/or tough times, esse...

Like a teenager, as IT professionals, we are also wrestling with internal turmoil, and want to do things differently, defying the norm. Our overzealousness and thinking "outside of the box" attitude is often taken for immaturity. Can we really compete and innovate in this new world by being mature and complacent? How about adopting the same so called "teenage thinking," attitude, and adopt the app...

Organizations talk about offshore outsourcing being a strategic initiative, but what is the driver? It takes time and patience for an investment in India to deliver real results, but just as that investment is starting to pay off, companies are beginning to eye China. Why? Is it because macro economic pressures are forcing salaries and other costs up in India? Is it an attempt to protect initiativ...

With the global economic downturn and increasing competition, corporate focus is on IT to deliver results! Dare a CIO be sensitive or touchy-feely, or do tough times demand a tough-nosed productivity centric number cruncher, who delivers at any cost? Guest 1: Ahmed Mahmoud, Chief Information Officer, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Guest Bio: https://www.ciotalknetwork.com/contributor/larry-bonfante/...

The state of our IT, short or long term, is a direct reflection of how well we've planned. Our hindsight is only as good as the plans we made the previous year and the end results. So, how should we plan? Do we plan based on empirical data? What about using creativity or projections? How well thought out is the IT planning process and what safeguards do we need to ensure that the final result is a...

Over the years, organizations build any number of IT applications to get work done. They then keep those same applications limping along, year after year. Would there be any value to identifying which ones are truly strategic and then focusing on investing resources in them, while outsourcing the rest? How about a cleaner IT application portfolio by design? Guest 1: Brendan O'MaIIey, Vice Presiden...

Today, IT spending can represent up to fifty percent of annual corporate capital expenditures. Not all CIO's are blessed with procurement departments and savvy buyers who know the technology well enough. So, a CIO needs to step in. How well are today's CIO's using their expertise to get the best value for their IT dollars? Guest 1: Rich Gius, VP and CIO, Atmos Energy Guest Bio: https://www.ciotalk...

Lately, new customers are hard to come by. What about focusing our attention on our current customers and getting more (and maybe additional) business from them? What would it take to get our current customers to use us more? Can IT help? Guest 1: Donald F. Martin, Vice President and CIO, Armstrong World Industries Guest Bio: https://www.ciotalknetwork.com/contributor/donald-martin/ Guest 2: Merv...

A Friend in need is a friend indeed. In a severe economic downturn, everyone is affected. What do you look for from your vendors, to signal their willingness to work with you to help you successfully weather the downturn? For the most part, how have your vendors successfully or not-so successfully adjusted to your IT's changed needs and wants? Guest 1: Yuvi Kochar, CTO and VP of Technology, The Wa...

Everyone is trying to get a handle on costs, but an indiscriminate slash and burn of assets can reduce productivity and profitability. Cost cutting needs to be more precise. Could IT help capture costs as well as the impact of cuts in those costs, in a more organized and transparent way, to avoid such overkill? What are the ways that IT can help structure Enterprise Cost Reduction (ECR) efforts? G...

In the past, R&D built products and designed services to be cheaper and cheaper. Today however, competition is driven by knowledge vs. price. Instead of selling what we produce, we need to produce what sells. User driven innovation can make that happen. How well is IT and IT leadership positioned to enable user driven innovation? Guest 1: Dr. John J. Sviokla, Vice Chairman, Global Managing Directo...

All workers have networks of colleagues, both outside as well as inside the organization. To access all ideas available in both networks, what is the best way to introduce social networking into business strategy? How do IT and business leaders leverage worker networks, including those outside the organization, to get the best results? Guest 1: Robert J. Vitello, Chief Information Officer (Deputy...

Demand management promises the next generation of supply chain forecasting, however it can be a complex initiative involving a cascade of changes in jobs, organizational structure, and communications within and outside the enterprise. Is such an initiative worth it? How hard will it be, to get it right the first time? Guest 1: Ashwin Rangan, Former CIO, WaI-Mart Guest Bio: https://www.ciotalknetwo...

The global economic slump has prodded IT leaders into considering new ways to become self-reliant. Coveted outsourcing destinations are more expensive then they used to be. The IT talent pool has been overfished. And, the dream of an "idea economy" where corporations keep the elite idea generation in-house and outsource the grunt work, has had its problems. Is the time right for insourcing? Guest...

Today's new competitive world of work is global, more connected, and alwayson! Unified communication (UC) is the newly proposed tool for bringing all communications together. Are these solutions ready to deliver as promised? Are organizations ready to embrace them? Guest 1: Joe Burton, CTO, CISCO-Unified Communications Guest Bio: https://www.ciotalknetwork.com/contributor/joe-burton/ Guest 2: Step...