Gartner to Midmarket CIOs: Get With the IT Times

CIOs in midsize companies need to rethink the way they work and better understand that IT has become part of a bigger business decision that extends beyond their department.Those were two of the takeaways from Gartner research VP Dale Vecchio, who spoke at Everything Channel's Midsize Enterprise Summit in Orlando, Fla. "All kinds of things that have happened in the last 20 years have started to change the way we do business and [the old] IT doesn't fit anymore," he said. Another key message: Midsize companies need to modernize their technology infrastructure. Modernization in the midmarket is being driven by such factors as social networking, business intelligence and green business practices, Vecchio said.

To wit, CIOs don't have it easy. According to Gartner's numbers, 52 percent of CIOs say the biggest barrier to change is a resistant corporate culture, followed by conficting priorities and organizational politics. In the next few years, midsize companies will also be facing a skills shortage as Baby Boomers begin to retire.ChannelWeb