Where does IT fit in?

Where IT fits in is a very subjective question!

In our organisation, IT is a means to an end. Computers allow us to perform tasks to enable other aspects of our business to run effectively. IT, if you like, is secondary to the plot. Other companies have IT as their core activity and anything else takes second place.

If our IT systems take a dive, the other 95% of our day to day activities can continue without a hitch. We may have to resort to fax and phone instead of e-mail to communicate, or have to write a letter by hand, but it's not the end of the world. However, if a key member of our staff phones in sick, then that's 20% of our service/production manpower out of action.

I guess it depends on whether the tail is wagging thedog or the dog is wagging the tail.

It all depends on your current business structure. I, for instance, report to my CEO directly. A friend of mine however who is also a CIO reports to his CFO who Then reports to her COO who then reports to the CEO. It just depends on what level you want the system to work.
If you have an organization that is compiled of a few chiefs and a lot of indians then you would prolly have direct response. On the flip side if you have a lot of buracracy then you will probably have more hoops to jump through to get where you need to be.
Generally (this is conjecture here) the CIO is part of the board and thus should have the CEO's ear, however if you have to jump over VP's and Senior VP's and so on and so on then you have a risk of things being muddied and thus not as resolute when they need to be.
as for research...well to that end I am not sure, but I would suggest searching the net for CIO and corporate structures. That may help. I hope this was what you were looking for.
-duck