Cloud computing, finding the right IT talent and working for a global organisation are the top issues CIOs discussed at the recent Next Gen CIO summit held on the Gold Coast.
Ovum analyst, Steve Hodgkinson, said several CIOs remain sceptical about the impact of the cloud and are waiting for the technology to catch up before they make large investments into cloud services.
“There’s still a lot of scepticism, disbelief, prudence and caution around cloud within enterprises," he said. "A lot of that comes from a long track record of being burnt by technology which has promised a lot and under delivered. The telecommunication capability isn’t quite there yet.
“Cloud services, however, are starting to pick up and be viable and enterprises are getting ready to buy once the technology is in place.”
Hodgkinson said proactive CIOs are experimenting with the cloud while others are hesitant to invest in it.
“Most CIOs I’ve talked to definitely have an eye open for cloud and are watching it. The proactive ones are starting to get their hands dirty and into it while others are systematically experimenting with it. There is a fair amount of hesitation.”
CIOs are also under pressure from management to deliver short-term results and many are finding it difficult to work in organisations with a global outlook, according to Hodgkinson. CIOs are working at balancing long- and short-term thinking and investment but there’s still a lot of pressure for short-term results, making it difficult to deliver the required outcomes.
“CIOs who are part of global corporations are saying a globalisation movement is not necessarily working for Australia because the Australian economy has a larger growth trajectory than the European markets,” Hodgkinson said.
The quest for IT talent is another issue CIOs are facing.
“There’s still a sense of a skills shortage and knowing how to find the right people for a project and getting them onto your team.”
The insights come as CIO of Wilson HTM, Scott Stewart, last month spoke at the annual CIO summit in Sydney where he compared the move to the cloud in the same vein as the change from steam power to electricity.
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