Comments on: Should the CMO role be merged with the CIO role? http://www.zeusjones.com/blog/2007/should-the-cmo-role-be-merged-with-the-cio-role/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:29:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: ZanD http://www.zeusjones.com/blog/2007/should-the-cmo-role-be-merged-with-the-cio-role/#comment-220 ZanD Tue, 04 Dec 2007 04:29:00 +0000 http://zeusjones.sierrabravo.net/blog/?p=219#comment-220 This is not to discount the importance of a "customer-centric" mindset when designing systems- even internal ones. In time, this kind of thinking will undoubtedly play an increasingly important role in systems development. But I think this trend will lead to more marketing minded personnel within the IT/IS departments (not necessarily at the CIO position). Their focus will be on user-interaction with the technologies. This is not to discount the importance of a “customer-centric” mindset when designing systems- even internal ones. In time, this kind of thinking will undoubtedly play an increasingly important role in systems development. But I think this trend will lead to more marketing minded personnel within the IT/IS departments (not necessarily at the CIO position). Their focus will be on user-interaction with the technologies.

]]> By: ZanD http://www.zeusjones.com/blog/2007/should-the-cmo-role-be-merged-with-the-cio-role/#comment-219 ZanD Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:42:00 +0000 http://zeusjones.sierrabravo.net/blog/?p=219#comment-219 As the work of the CMO and CIO become more interdependent it seems that CMOs are increasingly forced to, minimally, understand the limits and capabilities of the CIO and the technologies they use.<br/><br/>I think it is clear, as we move move forward, that the more technological expertise a CMO brings to the table, the more qualified, and innovative, they will be. But I do not think of this as unique to marketing. This will occur organization wide- the CEO, COO, and CFO, alike, are all better off with more technological expertise. And so the bar will inevitably be raised for CMOs (and COOs, CEOs, CFOs, et al)- requiring at least working knowledge of relevant technologies to be qualified.<br/><br/>Therefore, I do not think that the role of CIO and CMO (or any like position) should, or can, be merged. A CMO is simply becoming more dependent on the work of the CIO, which requires a better understanding that role. Meanwhile the CIO is forced to expand their own role- and not exclusively in a marketing capacity. The CIO must spend time working on internal, information sharing, and behind the scenes system development that often has little affect on the marketing (or finance, or operations, etc…) side of things. The CIO is responsible for raising the level of technology integration in an organization; the other roles are simply playing catch-up. As the work of the CMO and CIO become more interdependent it seems that CMOs are increasingly forced to, minimally, understand the limits and capabilities of the CIO and the technologies they use.

I think it is clear, as we move move forward, that the more technological expertise a CMO brings to the table, the more qualified, and innovative, they will be. But I do not think of this as unique to marketing. This will occur organization wide- the CEO, COO, and CFO, alike, are all better off with more technological expertise. And so the bar will inevitably be raised for CMOs (and COOs, CEOs, CFOs, et al)- requiring at least working knowledge of relevant technologies to be qualified.

Therefore, I do not think that the role of CIO and CMO (or any like position) should, or can, be merged. A CMO is simply becoming more dependent on the work of the CIO, which requires a better understanding that role. Meanwhile the CIO is forced to expand their own role- and not exclusively in a marketing capacity. The CIO must spend time working on internal, information sharing, and behind the scenes system development that often has little affect on the marketing (or finance, or operations, etc…) side of things. The CIO is responsible for raising the level of technology integration in an organization; the other roles are simply playing catch-up.

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