Skip to main content
Frontiers of Business Research in China
Download PDF
  • Research Article
  • Published:

The relationship between CIO’s presence in the top management team and IT’s contribution to corporate innovation: An empirical study

Frontiers of Business Research in China volume 4, pages 685–701 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of CIO’s presence in an organization’s top management team (TMT) on the contribution of information technology (IT) to corporate innovation. A new theoretical model is proposed based on the literature review. Through a survey of 120 CIOs of Chinese companies, we examine a series of hypotheses developed based on this model. Our findings reveal significant influences of CIO’s presence in the TMT on IT’s contribution to corporate innovations. The findings also suggest that such impacts are mediated by TMT’s IT knowledge. Furthermore, we find the significant moderating role of TMT’s risk appetite, i.e., when the executives are more willing to take risks, the relationship between CIO’s participation in TMT and the importance of IT to innovation is more significant. Theoretical contributions and practical implications of these findings are also discussed.

References

  • Armstrong C P, Sambamurthy V (1999). Information technology assimilation in firms: The influence of senior leadership and IT infrastructures. Information Systems Research, 10(4): 304–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bassellier G, Benbasat I, Reich B H (2003). The influence of business managers’ IT competence on championing IT. Information Systems Research, 14(4): 317–336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker S W, Whisler T L (1967). The innovation organization: A selective view of current theory and research. Journal of Business, 40: 462–469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benaroch M (2002). Managing information technology investment risk: A real options perspective. Journal of Management Information Systems, 19(2): 43–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Boynton A C, Zmud R W, Jacobs G (1994). The influence of IT management practices on IT use in large organizations. MIS Quarterly, 18: 299–318

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown S A, Chervany N L, Reinicke B A (2007). What matters when introducing new information technology. Communications of the ACM, 50(9): 91–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CIO Insight 研究中心, 北京大学光华管理学院 (CIO Insight Research Center, Guanghua School of Management of Peking University) (2008). 2008 年度中国CIO1000 调研报告 (The annual report of Chinese CIO 1000). 信息方略, (25): 34–57

  • Cohen W M, Levinthal D A (1990). Absorptive capacity: A new perspective on learning and innovation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35: 128–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daft R L (1978). A dual-core model of organizational innovation. Academy of Management Journal, 21: 193–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis J M, Kettinger W J, Kunev D G (2009). When users are IT experts too: The effects of joint IT competence and partnership on satisfaction with enterprise-level systems implementation. European Journal of Information Systems, 18: 26–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Earl M J, Feeny D F (1994). Is your CIO adding value? Sloan Management Review, 35(3): 11–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Evan W M (1966). Organizational lag. Human Organization, 25: 51–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Feeny D F, Edwards B R, Simpson K M (1992). Understanding the CEO/CIO relationship. MIS Quarterly, 16: 435–448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kearns G S, Sabherwal R (2006). Strategic alignment between business and information technology: A knowledge-based view of behaviors, outcome, and consequences. Journal of Management Information Systems, 23(3): 129–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leidner D E, Kayworth T (2006). Review: A review of culture in information systems research: Toward a theory of information technology culture conflict. MIS Quarterly, 30(2): 357–399

    Google Scholar 

  • Lind M, Zmud R W (1991). The influence of a convergence in understanding between technology providers and users on information technology innovativeness. Organization Science, 2: 195–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacCurtain S, Flood P C, Ramamoorthy N, West M A, Dawson J F (2008). Top team trust, knowledge sharing and innovation. LINK Working Paper Series. http://doras.dcu.ie/2420/

  • Mata F J, Fuerst W L, Barney J B (1995). Information technology and sustained competitive advantage: A resource-based analysis. MIS Quarterly, 19(4): 487–506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohr L B (1969). Determinants of innovation in organizations. American Political Science Review, 63: 111–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nahapiet J, Ghoshal S (1998). Social capital, intellectual capital, and the organizational advantage. Academy Management Review, 23(2): 242–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Offstein E H, Gnyawali D R, Cobb A T (2005). A strategic human resource perspective of firm competitive behavior. Human Resource Management Review, 15: 305–318

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierce J L, Delbecq A L (1977). Organization structure, individual attitudes and innovation. Academy of Management Review, 2: 27–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Podsakoff P M, Organ D W (1986). Self-reports in organizational research: Problems and prospects. Journal of Management, 12(4): 531–544

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porter M E, Millar V E (1985). How information gives you competitive advantage. Harvard Business Review, 63(4): 149–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Prahalad C K, Hamel G (1990). The core competence of the corporation. Harvard Business Review, 66(3): 71–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Robey D (1986). Designing Organizations. Homewood, IL: Irwin

    Google Scholar 

  • Rockart J F (1988). The line takes the leadership: IS management in the wired society. Sloan Management Review, 29(4): 57–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Rockart J F, Earl M J, Ross J W (1996). Eight imperatives for the new IT organization. Sloan Management Review, 38(1): 43–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross J W, Beath C M, Goodhue D L (1996). Develop long-term competitiveness through IT assets. Sloan Management Review, 38(1): 31–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Smaltz D H, Sambamurthy V, Agarwal R (2006). The antecedents of CIO role effectiveness in organizations: An empirical study in the healthcare sector. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 53(2): 207–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swanson E B (1994). Information systems innovation among organizations. Management Science, 40(9): 1069–1092

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teece D J, Pisano G, Shuen A (1997). Dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Strategic Management Journal, 18(7): 509–533

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson V A (1965). Bureaucracy and innovation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 10:1–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Violino B (1998). Defining IT innovation. InformationWeek, 14: 58

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallach E J (1983). Individuals and organizations: The cultural match. Training and Development Journal, 37(2): 28–35

    Google Scholar 

  • West M A, Anderson N R (1996). Innovation in top management teams. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81(6): 680–694

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou H, Long L R (2004). Statistical remedies for common method biases. Advances in Psychological Science, 12(6): 942–950

    Google Scholar 

  • Zmud R W (1982). Diffusion of modern software practices: Influence of centralization and formalization. Management Science, 28(12): 1421–1431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 路 琳, 梁 学玲 (Lu Lin, Liang Xueling) (2009). 知识共享在人际互动与创新之间的中介作用研究 (The mediating effect of knowledge sharing between interpersonal interactions and innovation). 南开管理评论, 12(1): 118–123

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Dan Song, Dong Li & Lingyun Qiu

Authors
  1. Dan Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dong Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lingyun Qiu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dan Song.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Song, D., Li, D. & Qiu, L. The relationship between CIO’s presence in the top management team and IT’s contribution to corporate innovation: An empirical study. Front. Bus. Res. China 4, 685–701 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11782-010-0116-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11782-010-0116-x

Keywords