A comprehensive information technology (IT) strategy that is aligned with corporate strategy is a critical component of a company’s efforts to achieve and maintain competitive advantage in today’s fast-paced business environment. Although IT has risen steadily in importance to public companies over the past four decades, the level of board oversight regarding IT strategy and execution has not kept pace in our experience. The failure of boards to understand the implications of IT can lead to missed opportunities to increase shareholder value. Below, we offer our thought leadership around the issue of the board and IT and suggest ways for board directors to tap into IT’s rich pool of possibilities.  | 2007 Board and Information Technology Strategies Report: Maximizing Performance through IT Strategy (Phase II)
Board directors know IT plays an increasingly vital role in nearly every strategic initiative today — customer relations, marketing, globalization, research and development, and outsourcing, to name a few. Many corporate boards now consider IT to be an untapped mine rich with possibilities for their companies’ future results. Yet challenges exist: namely, how to treat IT issues within the context of the board’s role and how to grapple with IT’s inherently complex nature and rapid pace of change. We offer eight ideas for improved performance. |  | Interview: Ken Porrello, Deloitte Consulting principal, offers his perspective on the “2007 Board and Information Strategies Report: Maximizing Performance Through IT Strategy”
This report was developed by Deloitte Consulting in collaboration with Corporate Board Member magazine. The survey offers insights and recommendations about ways IT can be managed strategically by the board. |  | The Big Conundrum: Phase II Editorial Coverage
Editorial coverage of the Phase II research results on the topic of the board and IT: the “2007 Board and Information Technology Strategies Report: Maximizing Performance through IT Strategy.” The report was highlighted by Corporate Board Member magazine in its March/April 2007 issue. The article notes that although corporate board members talk the talk about the importance of IT to their company, few are walking the walk and taking action to align IT with the overall corporate strategy. Deloitte Consulting Principal Ken Porrello is extensively quoted. |  | What the Board Needs to Know About IT: The Board’s Role in Leveraging Technology as a Strategic Resource (Phase I)
A research initiative, sparked by Deloitte Consulting Principal Ken Porrello, sought to explore how boards of directors were approaching IT. Phase I of this research represents the findings of more than 30 interviews with directors and senior executives and reveals a critical gap between how boards are addressing IT and what they need to know about IT. |
Related Content:
Overview: Technology Integration
Resources: Center for Corporate Governance |
