Survey Finds IS/Management Disconnect In Middle Market

Midsize companies suffer from a "significant disconnect" between the IS department and corporate management with respect to perceptions of the use of technology, according to a telephone survey of 400 executives by Whittman-Hart Inc., an information technology service firm. "We've found that middle-market companies have the same goals as larger companies, but they often have bigger headaches because they lack the IT resources to achieve those goals," says Stan Martin, executive vice president at Whittman-Hart in Chicago. The firm defines middle market companies as those with sales of $50 million to $500 million. The survey results, Martin adds, "confirm that one of the major issues limiting middle market companies from strategically using technology is the disconnect between executives and IS staff. From implementation expectations, to understanding the potential of technology to appreciating the resources required to achieve the benefits of technology, many executives do not see eye-to-eye with their IS staffers." For a more in-depth look at the findings of the Whittman-Hart Middle Market Monitor or to receive a copy of the study, see www.whittman-hart.com/mmm.