When you're determining IT priorities, it helps to know what businesses like yours are doing. With the "Inside the Midmarket: A 2009 Perspective" trend study results, you'll learn how midmarket businesses are thriving, even in the face of a challenging economy and changing technology. You'll see their purchase plans, budget levels and more to help drive your own IT decisions.
IBM Worldwide StudyJuly 2009
Inside the Midmarket: A 2009 Perspective
An environment like no otherInside the Midmarket
The magnitude of change that is affecting industries today is unprecedented. About the study Difficult economic conditions, a broader set of business imperatives, and evolving technology requirements are presenting midsize companies with "Inside the Midmarket: A 2009 as many threats as opportunities. At the same time, fundamental shifts are Perspective" was commissioned by taking place in the way people everywhere live, work and interact. It's becoming IBM and conducted independently by increasingly clear that innovative, forward thinking organizations can do the Opinion Research Corporation. more than survive in this environment, they can thrive. Midsize companies The survey of 1,879 business and have been the engines of economic growth fueling a smarter planet for a long information technology decision time. To continue that path to success, midsize businesses must embrace makers at midsize businesses (100- new and better ways of doing business. This is a smarter world, one where 1000 employees) was conducted midsize companies can take a fresh look at ways to make far better use of the across banking, retail, healthcare, information and resources available to them.consumer products, manufacturing and other industries and spanned 17 countries including the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, China, India, Brazil, Japan, Canada, Italy, Russia, Malaysia, Benelux, Australia and Mexico. The study was conducted between the dates of April 13, 2009 and May 20, 2009.
Midmarket companies look to IT vendors for more than just a transactional relationship.They require expertise to become smarter and gain greater insight.
Findings from a recent study show that midsize companies are looking to do just that. In fact, well over half of the survey respondents say they need a technology partner who can help them work smarter, build an infrastructure to support their growing business, and identify ways to use the information they have to make better business decisions. A significant number are focused on corporate social responsibility and in need of guidance around energy, environment and sustainability issues. These are not simple projects. These Inside the Midmarket
are significant initiatives, ones that can be game-changing for businesses with the vision to apply new approaches and harness the power of an increasingly smaller, flatter and smarter planet.
Strategic Focus The study reveals distinct mindsets that are actively shaping the business strategy and related IT priorities at midsize companies. Leaders of these organizations are being counted on to find new growth opportunities and deliver innovation to support the accelerating rate of change. At the same time, they must improve efficiency and manage an effective, secure and resilient IT infrastructure to ensure the organization's survival and success. As might be expected, the survey shows these parallel forces are shaping the mindset of midsize businesses around the world.
Half of midmarket companies are in a cost-cutting mindset; other half are focused on customers, innovation and growth.
Roughly half (53%) of surveyed companies are concentrating their efforts on increasing efficiency and lowering costs-strategic imperatives that can be supported by virtualization, energy efficiency, process optimization, IT standardization and other initiatives focused on reducing complexity and expense.
The other half (47%) have an innovation mindset with their primary focus on finding new sources of growth, transformation for competitive advantage, and strengthening customer relationships.Inside the Midmarket
Expanders: Of those Innovators, 25% are looking specifically for opportunities to be bullish in the marketplace by expanding into new markets and taking share from competitors. Among these strategic expanders, 63% are partnering or would like to partner with companies who provide high quality IT infrastructure solutions for their expansion projects.
Transformers: Another 11% are using the current environment as a window of opportunity to innovate their business models and drive transformation initiatives. This suggests a strategic focus on identifying breakthrough innovations and developing new sources of competitive advantage to be fully prepared for the economic recove... [download for more]
