Most small businesses are cautiously optimistic about their
prospects and are making fewer cuts in technology investments than
mid-market and large companies, a survey of IT professionals has
revealed.
The survey, conducted among 450 IT professionals across
industries in the US and UK, was a collaborative effort between
Millward Brown, Research International, and Lightspeed Research
using the opinions of LinkedIn members via the LinkedIn Research
Network.
According to the research, IT professionals within larger
companies are much more focused on short-term challenges, such as
lowered budgets and reduced staff, while those in smaller
organisations are more likely to report an increase in technology
expenditure over the next 12 months (37%, compared with 26% for
enterprise organisations).
Steve Ingledew, managing director for
Millward
Brown's North American technology practice, said, "These
findings represent a silver lining for technology providers in what
is proving to be a challenging time.
"Small companies are seemingly more resilient and optimistic
regarding the future, whilst many larger companies are struggling
to adapt within an environment of hiring and spending freezes and
cutbacks."