12 June 2008
The way in which IT departments operate needs to be changed in order to kick-start wider business improvements.
That is the opinion of Alex Cullin, Forrester research director, who made his comments in Portugal at the consultancy firm's IT Forum.
Mr Cullin said that it was very important for IT leaders to realise that IT can now play an important strategic business role, as opposed to just provide in technological support, IT Week reported.
He said: "The IT general manager holds the business as its main customer and so should focus on IT performance, effectiveness, and manage vendor partners and outsourcers. While the change agent needs to focus on the firm's customer and deal in business metrics, such as profit and market expansion margins."
According to Forrester, IT leaders should make sure that they are working towards the same goals as the chief executive of their company.
Chief executive George Colony explained: "Your success imperatives should link with the [chief executive's] success imperatives.
"Actually go and ask your [chief executive] what's on their list is and then make them yours. Drive transformation and innovation to enable what the chief executive wants."
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