Business study says IT career paths stall in small enterprises

IT managers who want to make a big impact on a business should focus on companies with 200+ employees, says a study from Ontario-based Info-Tech Research. That's because decision-making for IT department purchases in smaller enterprises tends to rest in the hands of senior, non-IT executives, making the IT manager's job one of implementing technology rather than directing strategy. Further, says Ed Daugavietis, senior research analyst with Info-Tech, "In companies with more than 200 employees, the 'balance of power' shifts, whereby more than 50 percent of purchase decisions are made by executives in the IT group."

For IT professionals who enjoy hands-on management of the IT infrastructure, adds Daugavietis, "the small enterprise can be an ideal experience. But for those aspiring to CIO, moving to a larger business is the obvious choice."