Finding 1. Improving business processes is the top priority for many IT executives, especially at small and midsize companies.
Most companies are hoping to boost productivity and cut costs by revamping their business processes with the help of IT; smaller companies are also aiming to increase revenues. Not surprisingly, that's spurred an increase in the number of BPI projects across the board. Integrating timely information into work processes is also important: 83 percent of respondents say one of their primary BPI goals is to deliver critical information to employees while they are carrying out the company's business processes. But CIOs aren't just seeking to improve operations like logistics and customer service; they are also looking to improve the ways that managers and knowledge workers do their jobs, since managers as well as rank-and-file employees are under great pressure to work more efficiently and effectively. Financial, compliance and strategic planning processes head the list of today's top three BPI priorities.

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Next page: Although process improvement is a priority, the pace of change is moderate.