Prof. Dr. David Bendig and Dr. Robin Wagner from the Institute for Entrepreneurship, together with Prof. Dr. Erk P. Piening and Prof. Dr. Johann Nils Foege from Leibniz Universität Hannover, have published their study "Attention to Digital Innovation: Exploring the Impact of a Chief Information Officer in the Top Management Team" in the journal MIS Quarterly (VHB JQ3: A+; Financial Times 50).

From left to right: Prof. Dr. David Bendig, Dr. Robin Wagner, Prof. Dr. Erk P. Piening, Prof. Dr. Johann Nils Foege.

The researchers investigated how the presence of a Chief Information Officer (CIO) in the top management team influences firms’ digital innovation. The results show that the presence of a CIO positively influences both ideated digital innovation in the form of digital patent activity and commercialized digital innovation in the form of the digital sophistication of new products.

The study thus emphasizes the important role of CIOs as strategic players, in particular their relevance for firms’ digital innovative strength. Characteristics such as the CEO's IT experience and the industry-specific focus on IT influence the dynamic between the presence of a CIO and digital innovations.

In practice, this means that the appointment of a CIO at the top management level enables companies to develop innovative digital strategies not only in terms of technology, but also on the market side. The results offer clear recommendations for companies that want to strengthen their digital innovation capabilities.

The full text of the study can be viewed free of charge at: https://misq.umn.edu/attention-to-digital-innovation-exploring-the-impact-of-a-chief-information-officer-in-the-top-management-team.html