2021 CIO Study: The CIO Revolution Breaking barriers, creating value

The pressure on technology leaders has never been more intense. Technology was already at the center of modern society, but in 2020, the pandemic thrust digital capabilities into the forefront. COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of new tools and practices in ways previously unanticipated but now accepted as the norm. For many individuals, organizations, and communities, technology was more than a solution. It was the lifeline by which they sustained themselves.

Rapid adaptation has continued to accelerate during 2021. A “Virtual Enterprise” model is emerging, fueled by a new post-digital approach to business opportunity. This model is based on the speed and scale of cloud technologies—notably the flexibility and interoperability of hybrid cloud, and the rapid results generated by combining artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. Together, these technologies create synergies and unlock new value streams that are orders of magnitude greater than what each can enable individually.

IBM’s Institute for Business Value (IBV) surveyed 5,000 C-suite technology leaders, including both Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and Chief Technology Officers (CTOs). A select group of executives were contacted for in-depth qualitative interviews, revealing insights about their on-the-ground experience leading technology organizations throughout a period of exceptional disruption. Spanning 29 industries and 45 locations worldwide, this study is our most exhaustive examination of this critical cohort in more than 15 years of research.

Read the full study to learn what CIOs across the globe shared about their experiences during an incredibly challenging era.

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