【正文】 position IT as a source and tool for “petitive differentiation” and “creation of addedvalue” in management and business reform? ? IT is considered only a “tool for operations rationalization and laborsavings.” Has top management clearly articulated exactly what it wants to acplish with IT? ? Top management uses ambiguous phrases like “make full use of IT,” or it issues specific requests and instructions like “use IT to cut lead time in half.” Is there a top management board specifically for the discussion of panywide IT strategy and does it function appropriately? Or, is there sufficient discussion of panywide IT strategy at top managementlevel meetings (for example, managing directors’ meeting)? ? Not just leaving IT to subordinates or being satisfied with discussions in form only. Does top management use IT output for objective verification and discussion of, for example, decisionmaking concerning strategy formulation or performance evaluation? Do people at all levels of the pany have an accurate understanding of the IT output that top management uses? ? Not just daily sales trends or the like. 1. Awareness of business environment 2. Position of IT in management reform/business reform 3. Instructions regarding IT utilization 4. Forum for discussion of IT strategy by top management 5. Use of IT by top managers themselves I. Top Management Decisionmaking Structure 1) Role of president/CEO and functions of the top management meetings and board 4: I am extremely confident that it has been achieved. 3: I think it has been achieved. 2: I can’t say one way or the other. 1: I don’t think it has been achieved. 0: It has not been achieved, and I think it is a major problem. “Top management” refers to the president and to a few other core directors who are responsible for the overall running of the pany. ? Example: Members of a panywide top management meeting (78 people) MITI 24 Is there a person who serves fulltime as CIO, or is there a senior director who virtually serves as CIO and invests a considerable portion of his time in ITrelated business? Is CIO a position that reports directly to the president? Is the CIO a member of the top management mittee? 6. CIO’s fulltime position or concurrent position 7. Position of CIO within top management 2) Role of CIO Is the CIO merely “head of a functional division” or is he an “agent for change in management and business practices?” ? Examples: Reforms of engineering and supply chains. Has the pany articulated a clear mission for the CIO, including specific responsibilities for IT that go above and beyond management of the head office IT department. ? For example, formulation of an IT vision or strategy, or evaluation of panywide IT investments. 8. Role and expectations of CIO 9. Mission of CIO 4: I am extremely confident that it has been achieved. 3: I think it has been achieved. 2: I can’t say one way or the other. 1: I don’t think it has been achieved. 0: It has not been achieved, and I think it is a major problem. (Hereafter, we refer to fulltime CIOs, concurrent CIOs, and de facto CIOs as “the CIO.”) Hours invested as CIO 100％ 80～ 100％ 50～ 80％ 30～ 50％ 0～ 30％ Grading ４ ３ ２ １ ０ Position of CIO Executive managing director or higher Managing director Director reporting to president Director not reporting to president No CIO Grading ４ ３ ２ １ ０ MITI 25 Does the authority of the CIO extend beyond approval authority at the head office IT department? Does the CIO have clearly defined authority over IT and does this authority function in practice? ? Example: Approval authority over panywide IT budget, authority to evaluate IT systems of individual user departments, authority over personnel decisions and evaluations of IT officers in user departments. Does the CIO have sufficient mastery of the following skills? ? Business sense: Possessed of deep insights into the potential for optimizing IT operations based on rich business and planning experience. ? Communication skills: Able to explain in an understandable way IT and the potential for optimizing IT operations to someone who knows almost nothing about IT. ? Technical understanding: Able to read and understand publications like Nikkei Computer and Nikkei Communication. Is the CIO always (or when necessary) asked to attend major strategy formulation meetings of user departments? Does he attend voluntarily? ? Not just formal attendance but real contributions are expected. Is the CIO individually involved in IT projects of strategy importance or those in the top 10% of investment amounts (project base)? Does he directly control progress and investment? ? He leaves everything to subordinates, or only receive formal reports. 10. Authority of CIO 11. Skills of CIO 12. Relationship of CIO to user divisions 13. Involvement of CIO in operations 4: I am extremely confident that it has been achieved. 3: I think it has been achieved. 2: I can’t say one way or the other. 1: I don’t think it has been achieved. 0: It has not been achieved, and I think it is a major problem. MITI 26 Have the role of the head office IT department and its relationship with user departments been clearly defined in terms of the need for and urgency of ITdriven business reform and the ability to utilize IT in the pany? Have anizations been designed accordingly and do they operate accordingly? Examples of roles: ? Centralized type: The majority of IT functions are centralized in the head office IT department, with overall optimization the goal. ? Decentralized type: IT functions are spread ou