An increasingly difficult challenge for many CIOs is how they'll continue to innovate in volatile economic conditions. In a digital world, a turbulent economy doesn't slow the relentless pace of change. It demands continued innovation to stay competitive—new strategies and new applications of information technology to achieve business breakthroughs. And it's required across the enterprise, from the mainframes in the back office to the customer-facing technologies at the front end. The simple reality is that most IT organizations still expend 80 percent of their resources maintaining day-to-day operations, leaving only 20 percent available for new initiatives. The high achievers find ways to break out of that rut; companies and agencies that maintain the status quo will get left behind when the economy turns around.

You are invited to participate in and join InformationWeek and Smart Enterprise magazine for an informative discussion of these issues. This Smart Enterprise Exchange—held exclusively for the benefit of CIOs and Senior IT Executives from government agencies and enterprise-level organizations—will examine current economic trends, their likely impact on IT strategy, and how IT can remain on an innovative footing.

Among the topics we will explore:

Alan Beaulieu Senior Economist Institute for Trend Research

Brian Gillooly Editor-in-Chief, Events, InformationWeek and Smart Enterprise

Daniel G. Mintz CIO, US Department of Transportation

Geoffrey Brown Senior VP and CIO Inova Health System

Chris O'Malley EVP and General Manager for Mainframe Business Unit CA