The Fractional CIO in SMEs: conceptualization and research agenda

Simon Kratzer (), Andreas Drechsler (), Markus Westner () and Susanne Strahringer ()
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Simon Kratzer: TU Dresden
Andreas Drechsler: Victoria University of Wellington
Markus Westner: OTH Regensburg
Susanne Strahringer: TU Dresden

Information Systems and e-Business Management, 2022, vol. 20, issue 3, No 7, 611 pages

Abstract: Abstract We conceptualize the new phenomenon of the Fractional Chief Information Officer (CIO) as a part-time executive who usually works for more than one primarily small- to medium-sized enterprise (SME) and develop promising avenues for future research on Fractional CIOs. We conduct an empirical study by drawing on semi-structured interviews with 40 individuals from 10 different countries who occupy a Fractional CIO role. We derive a definition for the Fractional CIO, distinguish it from other forms of employment, and compare it with existing research on CIO roles. Further, we find four salient engagement types of Fractional CIOs offering value for SMEs in various situations: Strategic IT management, Restructuring, Rapid scaling, and Hands-on support. The results reveal similarities with existing CIO roles as well as novel insights concerning the different engagement types. Lastly, we propose a research agenda for the Fractional CIO field, based on four research themes derived from existing CIO research and insights from the interviews.

Keywords: Fractional CIO; Virtual CIO; IT leadership; Part-time management; SMEs; Small businesses; Interim management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1007/s10257-022-00557-4

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