Future Role of the Information Systems Executive

In November 1981, the Society for Management Informatoin Systems (SMIS) Executive Council voted to begin a research project to define a model of the information systems executive of the 1980s. The purpose of the model would be to help SMIS take a proactive role with respect to membership professional development, and provide conferences, speakers, articles and future research consistent with the directions defined by the model. Richard G. H. Harris, Vice President of Information Systems at Colonial Gas & Energy and a member of the SMIS Executive Council, and Leslie D. Ball, Associate Professor of Information Systems at Babson College, agreed to lead the research effort. In addition, John F. Rockart and Christine V. Bullen of the MIT Sloan School Center for Information Systems Research and Leo Pipino of Babson College joined the team. The work was begun with the Executive Council approval in November 1981 and was completed in August 1982.