News Feature

How to Be an IT Power Broker and Influence Policy-Makers

By Eric Berkman

January 15, 2002 — CIO — If new laws enacted in response to the Sept. 11 attacks prove anything, it?s that government policy can reach into every aspect of how companies use information technology. From measures to encourage airlines to improve how they screen passengers to new powers for investigators to monitor private e-mail, lawmakers are telling companies how they can, or should, use IT to promote all sorts of policy goals. The government?s reach, of course, isn?t limited to national security. New policies regulating e-commerce, privacy, telecommunications and trade all have an impact on corporate IT.

CIOs should be at the table when such policies are forged because they?re in the best position to advise lawmakers on how new legislation will affect corporate IT. But they have a history of being out of the loop when it comes to influencing the federal government. In the past, this has led to trouble.

Lee Jones, CEO of AmericasDoctor.com and former CIO of Abbott Labs? pharmaceutical division, says drug company CIOs were taken by surprise when, in 1997, the Food and Drug Administration issued onerous technical and procedural requirements for companies that wanted to maintain their records electronically. The rule, which Jones says had Y2K-like implications, forced many companies to forgo new, strategic IT projects while they made their legacy systems conform to the rules. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the industry?s leading trade group, estimates that it will take the average large drug company 10 years and $150 million to comply. The outcome would have been different had CIOs been involved from the outset, says Jones.

?[The FDA] spent two or three years getting feedback on the rule, but nobody understood how it would impact IT because the right people weren?t engaged,? he says. [[RYAN: JONES IS A ?HE? RIGHT? Just wanted to make sure Yes. EV]]The experience taught Jones to be involved in policy-making from the get-go?and so should you regarding any policy issue that affects your company?s systems.

Here?s some advice from CIOs, lobbyists and legislators about how to become an influence peddler.

1. Get Informed

The first step to successful lobbying is knowing which issues you need to worry about. Reading the daily papers isn?t enough: The mainstream press won?t cover every piece of legislation or regulation that affects IT in your company. You can learn more from the many resources, including the following, that cover technology or your industry.

Government Websites The U.S. General Accounting Office (www.gao.gov) provides daily updates of its research and analysis of federal legislation and regulations. Many reports address IT policy. CIOs can also find industry-specific legislative and regulatory information on FirstGov (www.firstgov.gov), a federal government portal. The U.S. House of Representatives (www.house.gov) and the U.S. Senate (www.senate.gov) also have websites containing information about pending legislation.
Industry Associations Most trade groups have print or online newsletters that update members on the status of policies they?re working to influence.
Wall Street Analyst Reports These industry-specific reports from financial analysts cover anything about an industry that could affect its financial outlook.
The Information Technology Association of America This trade association, which lobbies on behalf of IT vendors, maintains a government affairs page (www.itaa.org/govt) with news and position papers about proposed IT policy.
Trade Publications For every industry there are trade magazines and newsletters that report on business and technology trends. Many also cover politics and policy. Warren Communications? news services (www.warren-news.com), a daily subscription-based service, is a favorite of Cathy Hotka, vice president of IT with the National Retail Federation, because it provides comprehensive coverage of government policy impacting the IT and communications sectors.