A new, global study of midsize organizations reveals that despite the economy, more than two-thirds are planning or implementing their top IT priorities. These smart midsize companies are taking advantage of the current environment to invest in their future, with areas ranging from information management and security management to social media and cloud computing seeing the greatest focus and investment.

IBM, in collaboration with Opinion Research Corp., surveyed 1,879 business and technology leaders in 17 countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas to understand the purchasing patterns, business issues and technology challenges that affect the investment and innovation strategies of midsize organizations. The study shows that the vast majority of midsize firms are taking a fresh look at ways to make far better use of the information and resources available to them. According to the study, most midsize organizations see their IT provider as a technology advisor, citing the following as crucial when evaluating technology providers.

• 70% of the survey respondents say they need a technology partner who can help them work smarter.
• 67% are looking for help building a high quality infrastructure to support their growing business.
• 65% are seeking new ways to use information to make better business decisions.
• 53% are focused on corporate social responsibility and in need of guidance around energy, environment and sustainability issues.