Despite still being in a fragile economic situation, and considering all the social, labor, and microeconomic caveats that come with it, the economy seems to be giving us small signs of improvement. This is at least suggested by the report on ICT and competitiveness conducted by Penteo, in which the vast majority of executives interviewed state that their companies are growing. Moreover, most of these executives have optimistic business expectations, reversing the more conservative trend of previous years.

Companies are therefore growing; but they are also focusing on growth primarily from the perspective of innovation and talent management, while continuing to emphasize traditional key issues such as customer acquisition and retention.

Cost reduction is no longer a priority, being surpassed by expansion-related actions such as improving company visibility or efficiency. In this context, the use of ICT to generate value is a key factor in strengthening companies. According to respondents in the Penteo report, information and communication technologies appear as a competitiveness factor behind customer relations, innovation, and talent—but ahead of other important factors such as processes, productive technology, and globalization. In any case, it is worth noting the influence of proper ICT management on other factors, as it can maximize the benefits of each, especially in innovation, customer relations, and processes.

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ICT and Competitiveness: A Stable Union

While the importance of technology has always been promising for executives, its contribution in companies has continued to grow, making ICT increasingly relevant from a management perspective. The relationship between ICT and competitiveness has become almost a mantra. Positive evaluation is even higher among growing companies, suggesting that technology truly delivers measurable results.

It is interesting, however, that despite ICT’s importance, executives do not feel their companies are fully prepared for digital transformation. They also do not emphasize their own technological knowledge and, to a lesser extent, believe that the technology they use is not exactly what they need. In other words, ICT is relevant and provides a differential value—even when companies do not consider it fully integrated into their operations. On the other hand, many executives believe they need more technology than they currently use, indicating significant growth potential both in usage and business outcomes.

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The CIO in Today’s Company

The study dedicates a section to Chief Information Officers (CIOs) as key figures in ICT implementation, analyzing the present and future of this executive role.

Technical knowledge is no longer the most important attribute for this profile; in fact, it is the least valued by managers or senior executives. In contrast, strategic vision, innovation orientation, and project management skills are increasingly required—qualities that strengthen the link between ICT and competitiveness.

Other highly valued qualities for any employee are also emphasized: creativity, communication, customer focus, flexibility, and collaboration. Above all, given market fluctuations and increasing competitiveness, a “positive attitude” is essential for achieving company objectives.

As technology becomes increasingly strategic, the CIO role is also strategic. In fact, trends indicate that technology departments (IT, systems, etc.) in companies will face two major paths: either join the Executive Committee and take charge of innovation, or become dispensable. CEOs believe CIOs must take on increasingly non-technical functions. If the profile does not adapt to this progressive change, the role may be reduced to a purely technical position integrated into other departments or acting mainly as a liaison with outsourced services.