Editor's Note: What Makes Great IT Is The Same Everywhere

"I.T. here is technical and tangible, but that's not enough. Instead of just supporting business units, CIOs should have a global vision ... they should aim for greater influence, not just be passive order takers."

Companies should "use IT to optimize the business. They should be a leading department, not a cost center."

"CIOs have very little influence. They need to align closely with the business so that they are part of the company's strategic thinking and growth."

Sounds a lot like the laments of CIOs--or would-be information-technology chiefs--10 or 15 years ago, doesn't it? Well, fast-forward to today and to the other side of the world and you would have heard those words from CIOs at the InformationWeek China Fall Conference held in Beijing last week. Among the many speakers and attendees were some of the most forward-thinking and aggressive technology leaders in China and those ranked on the InformationWeek China 100 list of business-technology innovators. Our congratulations go out to them. But despite their success, they recognize that the value of technology in an organization needs to be better understood, highlighted, and even celebrated by business executives.

The opportunities seem limitless as the economy in China continues to rise and as more Chinese companies plot their global strategies. The sense of urgency for business-technology executives needs to be as strong as those opportunities. The ability to embrace new technologies must be matched with a strong alignment with business function, flexible architectures, and process innovation.

Our editorial colleagues in Beijing and Shanghai are tracking the progress and offering ways for business-technologists to benchmark their strategies. As U.S. companies expand their operations and partnerships in China, global IT excellence will, no doubt, be what separates the leaders from the laggards.

Stephanie Stahl
Editor-in-chief
[email protected]

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