CIO role is being "dumbed down," study says.

• Author: Swartz, Nikki
• Position: Up front: news trends & analysis

Should chief information officers (CIOs) begin worrying about their jobs? A recent CIO magazine report, "The State of the CIO," shows that CIOs' roles within organizations are being diminished. The survey revealed the following:

* The percentage of CIOs reporting to chief financial officers (CFOs) doubled in 2003 from 11 percent in 2002. According to CIO, reporting to the CFO instead of the chief executive officer or chief operations officer is almost always a sign of diminished clout.

* Executive recruiters say companies...