INFO 663 - Discussion Questions for Xerox Corporation: Leadership of the Information Technology Function

Website: http://www.xerox.com/

Major discussion questions:

• Given the situation Barron encountered when she assumed control of the Corporate Information Management Function at Xerox and the challenges Xerox faced in 1987 and its current organization structure, how should the IT function be organized? As Paul Allaire, what criteria would you use to select an IT leader to head Xerox's IT function?
• Would you have accepted the position of CIM director if you were Barron? If you were inclined to accept, what issues would you want to discuss and negotiate before formally accepting the position?
• What actions should Barron take within the first six months of assuming her new role? What advice would you give her as she prepares for her meeting with Xerox President Paul Allaire?

Primary objectives:

1. To explore the role of the leader of the IT function in a large, decentralized organization, and the challenges, risks, and opportunities such leaders face.
2. To discuss alternative ways to organize the information technology function - specifically, to determine the role of a corporate staff function and the appropriate balance of centralized and decentralized responsibilities.
3. To contrast the role of manager with that of leader, and to consider the background, knowledge, and skills needed to be effective in each.

Additional reading material:

• Applegate, L.M., "Putting an MBA in Charge of IS" InformationWEEK, August 14, 1989.
• Applegate, L.M., "Management's Newest Star: Meet the Chief Information Officer" Business Week, October 13, 1986, pp. 160-172.
• Zaleznik, A., "Managers and Leaders: Are they different?" Harvard Business Review, May-June, 1977.