How are C-suite executives different? A comparative empirical study of the survival of American chief information officers

This research employs non-parametric, semi-parametric, and parametric survival analysis methods to explore theory-based aspects of CIO and other C-suite executives' job tenures. We analyze a large data set of C-suite executives, including 400 CIOs, drawn from the public and private sectors, including federal, state, county and city agencies, and Fortune 500 firms. The data span 1994 to 2009, and include the job start and finish dates of the different executives, as well as relevant variables for the individual, organizational, market and technological environments that permit us to assess the patterns of their survivability. We report evidence to suggest that CIOs have more in common regarding survivability with other C-suite executives than is widely believed. We also report differences based on individual characteristics (gender, education, income, time in position), organization type (government versus Fortune 500), organization size, and reactions to changes in the stock market In addition, CIO job tenures have grown longer from the early 1990s to the present day. Though there are few differences due to CIO gender, the relatively rare presence of female executives is associated with shorter job tenures for male executives. Published by Elsevier B.V.