The idea that the CEO is in charge of business affairs and far removed from the engine rooms of the technology department is one that is not frequently challenged. After all, the CEO has his trusty CIO to depend upon, right? Wrong.

In recent years, there has been strong motivation for the idea that the CIO should understand the principles of business and apply these in his quest to provide technology-enabled services to the business. This is, indeed, a sound principle and one that makes sense. After all, the technologist needs to know what it is that the company does if he is to operate strategically in support of business principles.