If the CIO is to be valued as a strategic actor, how can he bring to the table the ethos of alignment, bound to the demands of process strategic planning to move IT to the forefront of the organization's future? Most of the articles I bundled together for this week are replete with tables and charts. These can be a heavy read. Your approach should be to review these articles for the "big ideas" or lessons that are take away. I think these studies are significant enough that we will conclude our first week with an understanding of the roles between executive leaders, and how they see Information Technology playing a role in shaping a business strategy.

Brockmann, E. N & Lacho, K. J.. ( 2010). Strategic Planning: A Practical Primer for the entrepreneur. The Entrepreneurial Executive, 15, 25-32.

(Read for a context on strategic planning) Luftman, J. & Brier, T. (Fall, 1999). Achieving and Sustaining Business-IT Alignment. California Management Review. 42 (1), 109-122.