Information Technology IT took the lead in developing and implementing frameworks for business collaboration - financial and operating models and legal frameworks. Operating areas are now more aggressively pursuing joint business opportunities in CRM, integrated product development, transaction processing, and other areas.

The language can be a barrier when finance speaks finance and Information Technology IT speaks technology. To forge stronger working relationships, both parties have to learn more about the operations and demands of the areas they're not actively leading.

According to research done by Gartner's Browning, companies with fewer than 100 employees still have little formalized technology management. By contrast, many companies with between 500 and 1,000 employees already have CIOs or somebody acting in a similar function.

In the 20 to 99 employee group, you see loose Information Technology IT departments where the Information Technology IT staffers wear multiple hats. That hasn't changed much. Companies in the 500 to 999 employee group operate more like larger enterprises where the Chief Information Officer CIO plays a significant role in the decision-making.

Finance is moving from being one of T's biggest internal customers to one of its strongest allies in striving for standardization and integration.

The Govern recommended that agencies address Chief Information Officer CIO turnover by implementing human capital flexibilities, such as recruiting bonuses, retention allowances and skill-based pay.