Small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are becoming more sophisticated in their technology purchases and are embracing solutions such as software-as-a-service (SaaS) and managed services, new research from CompTIA reveals.

The survey of more than 400 SMBs across the United States finds that nearly 30 percent of them plan to implement SaaS solutions in 2010 to lower costs and maintain their competitive edge. That's up from 22 percent and 14 percent respectively in the two prior years. Thirty percent of SMBs say they intend to implement managed services solutions in 2010.

The CompTIA study also identified key core values that SMBs look for in their technology providers: 86 percent demand partners that truly understand their business needs; and 83 percent want partners who are able to provider scalable solutions. The survey was conducted among 409 SMBs during the fourth quarter of 2009 to determine their adoption, purchase plans, perception, mindset, spending, purchase decision making and related issues vis-à-vis IT products and services. Respondents were representative of businesses with 10-499 employees in manufacturing, finance and insurance, healthcare, government and other industries.

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