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CIO Advisory | Information Technology
Information Technology in the Era of Digitalization and Industry 4.0
The significance of information technology and its drivers within companies is rapidly increasing against the backdrop of new business opportunities arising from digitalization and Industry 4.0. The use of other technologies such as Big Data, Data Analytics, Social Media, Mobility/Connectivity, and Cloud Computing is leading to the creation of new products and services, as well as new business models, processes, and value chains. This development, along with changing expectations within companies, is putting pressure on IT departments to reconsider their existing operating models and organizational structures.
Chief Information Office
The CIO team faces the challenge of balancing two critical demands: On one hand, business units expect IT to quickly and dynamically implement key innovations as part of the digital transformation. On the other hand, they also expect the existing IT services and systems to remain robust, secure, and cost-effective, serving as a reliable backend for future digital services.
This pressure is further intensified by unrealistic expectations to create financial and resource leeway for digitalization investments and innovations through efficiency improvements in legacy operations. The approach to achieving this involves standardizing and consolidating the IT landscape, migrating to cloud computing models (whether SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS), and intensifying nearshoring and offshoring efforts.
Development of a forward-looking IT organization model
It remains to be seen which IT organization (target operating model) promises the greatest efficiency and probability of success given this range of tasks and balances the balancing act between evolution and revolution in the best possible way. In our view, trends such as bimodal or two-speed IT misjudge the reality in companies and make acceptance and feasibility in IT organizations more difficult. It is much more important to address the following dimensions for the entire IT organization and to work on them in a corresponding transformation process:
- Aligning IT management with new requirements and management responsibility
- Initiating the change process in the IT organization and among employees to apply new technologies, agile methods and new forms of cooperation
- Establishing and maintaining an integrative innovation process for IT and business
- Aligning IT, its systems and innovations with the user (customers, employees)
- Utilizing new sourcing options where appropriate and value-creating (e.g. cloud computing, cloud services) and establishing corresponding governance and control structures
- Analyzing and positioning the company in new areas such as IoT, blockchain or data analytics
- Providing flexible data exchange platforms and mechanisms (e.g. API architectures, data management)
- Securing increasingly open IT platforms and systems against misuse and data theft (e.g. cyber security, data security)
Positioning IT in the digital transformation
In addition to the realignment of IT, the IT strategy processes should clarify how IT can position itself within the company in the course of digitalization. If the business units set up their own platform products, this is often done without IT. It is also unclear to many departments why they need internal IT when they can obtain entire systems as a cloud service directly from the provider. The question of how these systems can be integrated from a data and security perspective is often initially ignored. The aim is for IT to actively introduce such SaaS or PaaS offerings itself and then act as a competent integrator and data architect/manager of the entire IT landscape.
Get to know us
IT Readiness Assessment - Is Your IT fit for the Future?
The 4C GROUP's IT Readiness Assessment offers a non-committal analysis of your IT organization to evaluate your company's technological infrastructure and preparedness for the digital future. By identifying strengths, weaknesses, risks, and opportunities for innovation, you gain insights into how your company compares to the industry.
Take this opportunity to discover our expertise and proactively equip your company for a successful digital future.
Cloud Maturity Assessment - Optimize Your Cloud Strategy for the Future
Is your IT organization ready to unlock the full potential of the cloud? With our Cloud Maturity Assessment, we analyze the maturity level of your cloud organization across eight key areas - from strategy and governance to architecture, cost management, and security. Together, we identify optimization opportunities and develop tailored measures to make your cloud usage more efficient, scalable, and future-proof.
Schedule a no-obligation consultation now and take the first step toward a high-performing cloud organization!
Is Your IT Project Portfolio Ready for the Future?
Our IT Project Portfolio Assessment offers more than just an evaluation-it provides in-depth insights into optimization opportunities and potential risks.
By analyzing six key areas, we identify ways to improve efficiency and align your portfolio with future demands. Benchmark your project portfolio against the market and gain a strategic edge for sustainable growth.
IT Project Portfolio Assessment
Would you like to get your project back on a solid foundation and create the conditions for successful delivery?
With our Project Turnaround Assessment, you gain a comprehensive analysis of your project's current situation. We examine all key influencing factors and clearly highlight where action is needed to optimize project management and ensure long-term success.
By systematically analyzing six core areas, we identify challenges and risks at an early stage. At the same time, we develop tailored measures to help steer your project back toward stability and productivity. Our approach provides the transparency and clear decision-making basis you need to achieve sustainable improvements.
IT Project Turnaround Assessment
Insights
Top 4C Study: "Key factors of successful CIOs"
What makes CIOs successful?
60 above-average successful CIOs have shared their experiences and recipes for success with us.
We are in a time of unstoppable change. While uncertainty is growing in many companies, digitalization continues to advance. How can CIOs meet this growing challenge? Our study "Key factors of successful CIOs" now provides the first comprehensive insight into the working world of CIOs at top German companies:
- Which factors influence the success of CIOs
- Why leadership skills are more important for CIOs than technical and business know-how
- What particularly attracts German CIOs to their position
- Where the IT bosses themselves see their greatest successes
You can find an overview of our most important findings in our article in CIO Magazine.
4C Study: "Contribution and Success Factors of Sustainable IT"
Discover the growing importance of sustainability in the IT world in our latest study. Based on in-depth interviews with 20 leading CIOs and Sustainable IT Managers, this study sheds light on the current practices and benefits of sustainability-oriented IT strategies. Learn how sustainable IT contributes not only to Corporate Social Responsibility but also leads to significant cost savings and competitive advantages.
This study highlights how CIOs and IT Managers can enhance their visibility and reputation within the company through the implementation of Sustainable IT, opening up new career paths. Additionally, the report provides insights into various approaches and success factors for the implementation of sustainable IT, enabling IT organizations to be perceived as responsible and future-oriented.
Learn more about Sustainable IT and discover how you can optimally utilize the potentials and opportunities in your company.
Or read the interesting CIO-Magazin Article about our Study.
Hot Topic: IT/OT Convergence - Building Bridges for Greater Efficiency and Innovation
How can seamless integration of IT and OT be achieved in practice?
- Our latest study reveals where companies currently stand and which governance structures truly work.
- With our Readiness Assessment, we evaluate your IT/OT convergence maturity and identify concrete areas for action.
- Plus, our six clear recommendations from the IT/OT Governance Framework show how to build sustainable collaboration.
Tip: Read more about our study in this insightful article by CIO Magazine.
Publication: "What makes German CIOs successful"
Article is published in CIO Magazine in 2021
Publication: "Agilität ist keine Wunderwaffe"
Discover in our publication why agile initiatives fail and how to successfully transform into a flexible IT organization. Learn about delivering customer-centric IT services and the essential roles and structures required.
Article was published in CIO Magazine 2020
4C Study: "Effective Governance of IT/OT Convergence"
The main focus of convergence to date has been on IT security. We shed light on other aspects of governance for successful convergence.
4C Study: "Contribution and Success Factors of Sustainable IT"
Sustainability or CSR in IT is a new management challenge. But how do CIOs and IT sustainability managers benefit from CSR practices?
4C Study: "Leadership styles of successful CIOs"
Leadership is a daily exercise practiced with consistency. We focus on identifying the leadership styles of successful CIOs.
4C Study: "Implementation of cybersecurity strategies in the energy sector"
This report provides insights into top management's awareness of cyber risks and highlights security challenges in the supply chain as well as the integration of future technologies.
4C Study: "Attracting and retaining IT talent"
Discover key insights on how to attract top IT talent in our latest 4C study, "Attracting and Retaining IT Talent." This study answers crucial questions about what IT professionals look for in potential employers, their expectations from the recruitment and interview processes, and the most effective ways to engage them.
4C Study: "Measuring and communicating IT business value"
What is IT Business Value and how can it be measured? What does IT Business Value show and what share does IT have in the company's success?
Cooperation
Handelsblatt Summit Future IT 2025
2 Days
Marriott Munich Airport, Freising
The Handelsblatt Summit "Future IT" will bring together leading minds from business, technology, and academia in October 2025 to discuss key questions of digital transformation. We are pleased that Martin Stephany, Partner at 4C GROUP AG, will be attending the event in person. With his extensive experience in IT strategy and transformation, he is looking forward to engaging in professional exchange.
Will you also be attending and would like to connect with him? Feel free to reach out - he's happy to start the conversation!
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