CIO magazine says we need one in an extensive piece.
CIO suggests the Czar should:
- Develop a strategic plan for technology in the United States.
- Serve as a portfolio manager for government sponsored R&D projects.
- Coordinate technology policy across governmental agencies.
The piece lists the competitiveness threats that the U.S. if facing in the global market -- particulary from China, the defragmentation of tech policy management in the federal goverment and provides a useful look back and past efforts where the the government and industry worked together to combat competive threats (tech policy existed prior to 1995, after all).
Also, the story provides some interesting factoids from a survey of CIOs...
...Namely:
Forty-one percent of the 402 CIOs surveyed predicted that the United States would no longer be the world's technology innovation leader 15 years from now. And 60 percent of these respondents said they would like to see the federal government institute a coherent technology policy that sets specific goals for areas such as Internet access, cybersecurity, spam, and research and training.
CIO says this is a change of heart:
While previous polls by CIO indicated that many CIOs preferred a hands-off approach by the federal government, a new survey shows that many now advocate a more proactive stance.
And, remember that CIOs aren't necessarily mouthpieces for the technology industry. Rather, they are more likely to be the purchasers and managers of tech products and services for non-tech focused operations.
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