State CIO’s Role in Economic Development

NASCIO recently released an issue brief https://www.nascio.org/publications/issueBrief040713.cfm
on the role of the state chief information officer (CIO) in economic development.

http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=90844

"This brief is an overview of how the state CIO can improve state economic competitiveness through the deployment of digital government services, promoting the Internet economy, and high-speed Internet access," said George Boersma, chair of NASCIO’s economic development subcommittee and director of the Office of Technology Partnerships for Michigan’s Department of Information Technology. "We hope that this will really get state CIOs thinking about ways they can contribute to their governors’ agendas to build prosperity for their citizens."

The brief asserts that every state CIO currently plays a role in state economic development. NASCIO recommends that CIOs ensure that their states are practiced leaders in providing digital government services, which are a major indicator of a state’s tech savviness in the Internet economy. NASCIO also recommends that state CIOs assess their role in helping to promote citizen access to broadband Internet, a key infrastructure requirement for future economic growth. NASCIO also encourages state CIOs to consider serving as liaisons to their states’ technology industries and that they leverage state IT buying power where possible. Suggestions for more in-depth reading are provided for every topic covered in the brief.