However, merely putting a technology ecosystem in place doesn't work, unless the tech head is competent enough to take essential business-IT deployment and implementation decisions. A tech head has to play a significant role in facilitating business heads or decision-makers with tools to fetch real-time information for better decision-making abilities for business advantages.

"The role of an IT head in any organization is mission critical. He/she is the bridge between technology and all other facets of the business. He/she demystifies technology for the business heads," says Mehta.

Technology can not only help in bringing down manufacturing and operating costs, it can help in increasing the sales of an organization. With more and more real-time systems being used by companies, downtime in systems (software or hardware) means direct negative impact on sales. Hence, today IT heads are not only guardians of IT environment, but also act as catalysts for revenue generation.

Narasimaha Suresh, founder and CEO of TELiBRAHMA Convergent Communications, rightly says, "IT heads need to constantly lookout for tools and technologies that would ensure efficient operations of the systems. Also they need to look out for opportunities to improve usefulness of existing tools."

Blending Business with IT

The organization has to ensure it gets the best fit of business and technology for optimum results. To achieve this an IT head has to step into the shoes of the business head to comprehend business requirements in detail, thereby aligning IT investments according to the business requirements.

Having a good grasp over business matters could help a CTO plan out and prioritize his development and implementation schedules. On the other hand, a CEO should take interest in technology initiatives and should be aware of its tangible and intangible benefits.

"The role of a CTO today is that of an internal consultant to a company," says Sharma.

Having said so, ultimately the main decision-maker of the company will remain the CEO. It's the CEO who will decide whether the company can afford to invest in a particular IT solution. "Decisions at the level of the CEO require a vision - one that looks beyond the available data. And technologies certainly have helped in terms of addressing complete unknowns during decision-making process," explains Suresh.

The tech head's role is expanding - breaking off old barriers that confined him/her to set up communication system, ensure all IT systems are up and running and information is available to the concerned people. Today, an IT head has to see that communications are unified across the enterprise and be in sync with the fast track changes happening in and around the work place. "A CTO has to ensure that the right technology catering to business needs. He or she shall simplify and demystify technology for the entrepreneurs," says Mehta.

According to Suresh it would be impractical to expect that IT head has complete knowledge about the business considering the pace at which we are moving. However, the IT head should at least have a feel and sense of direction in which business is moving.


Related Links:
Leverage Technology for Business Growth
Being Beyond "Just" an IT head