Shaping an Innovative Information System Strategy: A CIO Issue Selling Perspective

The study examines the question of whether and how CIOs could exert influence to the enforcement of an innovative IS strategy regardless of their structural positions within the organizations. We draw upon the theoretical lens of issue selling to argue that whether or not CIOs can shape an innovative IS strategy depends upon their capacity to effectively direct the attention of their TMTs to strategic IS issues. In addition, building upon extant IS leadership literature, we identify four types of individual CIO assets (CIO decision making authority, TMT’s trust in CIO, CIO strategic IT knowledge, and CIO political savvy) potentially contributing to CIO issue selling effectiveness. An integrative research model is developed based upon the conceptual foundations and validated through questionnaire data collected from 106 matched CIO/TMT dyads. Results from our data analysis suggest issue selling is a viable approach for CIOs to upwardly influence organizational strategy making