Four Decades of Chief Information Officer Research: A Literature Review and Research Agenda Based on Main Path Analysis

Kratzer, Simon; Westner, Markus; Strahringer, Susanne

doi:10.1145/3614178.3614182

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 122 publications

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“…The role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) has been the subject of information systems research for over four decades [1][2][3]. As the importance of information technology (IT) within companies continues to grow, the establishment of strategic IT management has become increasingly important over time [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Traction with fraction: Strategic IS management in SMEs through Fractional CIOs

Kratzer,

Westner,

Strahringer

2024

IJISPM

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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) increasingly need to manage information technology (IT) effectively in order to remain competitive. However, compared to larger organizations, SMEs often face challenges in terms of resources and employer attractiveness, and regularly do not have the need to employ a Chief Information Officer (CIO) on a full-time basis. To address this issue, a growing number of global experts have begun to provide CIO services on a part-time basis for multiple clients simultaneously. This approach allows SMEs to tap into the expertise of experienced IT leaders at a fraction of the cost and without committing to long-term arrangements. While these professionals, known as “Fractional CIOs”, have proven their value in the field, there has been a lack of academic research on this emerging trend. Therefore, we carried out a comprehensive research project between 2020 and 2023, involving 62 Fractional CIOs from 10 countries. The research produced a definition, different types of engagements, and success factors for Fractional CIOs and their engagements. This paper summarizes these findings for a wider audience of academics and practitioners.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Traction with fraction: Strategic IS management in SMEs through Fractional CIOs

Kratzer,

Westner,

Strahringer

2024

IJISPM

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The Fractional CIO in SMEs: conceptualization and research agenda

Kratzer

Drechsler

Westner

et al. 2022

Inf Syst E-Bus Manage

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We conceptualize the new phenomenon of the Fractional Chief Information Officer (CIO) as a part-time executive who usually works for more than one primarily small- to medium-sized enterprise (SME) and develop promising avenues for future research on Fractional CIOs. We conduct an empirical study by drawing on semi-structured interviews with 40 individuals from 10 different countries who occupy a Fractional CIO role. We derive a definition for the Fractional CIO, distinguish it from other forms of employment, and compare it with existing research on CIO roles. Further, we find four salient engagement types of Fractional CIOs offering value for SMEs in various situations: Strategic IT management, Restructuring, Rapid scaling, and Hands-on support. The results reveal similarities with existing CIO roles as well as novel insights concerning the different engagement types. Lastly, we propose a research agenda for the Fractional CIO field, based on four research themes derived from existing CIO research and insights from the interviews.

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