The role and contribution of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO): Perceptions of core purpose, barriers and enablers

This ongoing study considers the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) role as perceived by twenty technology executives in multi-unit firms based in Europe. Interim results add richness to various, ongoing technology management debates in the literature. However, results also show that technology executives are faced with other issues such as the tension between long and short-term investment attitudes. For example, in publicly listed companies, CEOs tend to focus on short-term results (dividends and growth) and CTOs on the longer term (i.e. the need for a pipeline). A portfolio approach and a clear innovation strategy become critical under these circumstances. We have used a cognitive mapping approach as a way for technology executives to explore their core purpose, challenges and opportunities. A picture is forming regarding the aspects of technology management that are industry specific due to the need for specialist skills and experience. However, in certain contexts the technology executive is more of a generalist, differentiated by technology specific meta-abilities. The outcome of the research includes arguments for and against having a technology executive on the board of directors.