Can you be a global CIO?

The CIO job description isn't what it used to be. Once upon a time, you were responsible for a world that was 50 miles outside your door. Then it was 500; now it could be the world.

As technology has gone global, so has business. Yours is probably one of them. And now you find yourself with a new set of challenges and obstacles at every corner. And you probably already know that businesses in developing markets face disadvantages, mostly a result of political meddling for generations.

"From an IT perspective, these markets need to grow at an investment rate that makes sense for them," said Wayne Shurts, CIO of Cadbury, the $7.8 billion global candy maker. "What they need today may not be what they need tomorrow. And tomorrow might actually mean tomorrow."

An article in CIO.com explains that as globalization reaches emerging markets, IT leaders face new management challenges and offers advice on balancing the many challenges that can be out of this world. For starters, the article explains it's important to get out of your comfort zone. Don't rely on local vendors and "experts" to do your job.

Overseas, many IT companies are mom-and-pop operations that focus on lower end tools rather than whiz ones that are more expensive. Sometimes it's hard to find qualified personnel so the operation must be supervised 24/7, the article explains.

For more on outsourcing in emerging markets:
- see this CIO.com article

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