U.S. Small and Medium-Sized Business 2012–2016 Forecast: Sizing the SMB Markets for PCs and Peripherals, Systems and Storage, Networking Equipment, Packaged Software, and IT Services

This IDC study forecasts IT spending by small and medium-sized businesses in the United States. Total IT spending is presented for 2012–2016, with the baseline year of 2011, and subtotals are provided for small businesses (<100 employees), lower midsize companies (100–499 employees), and upper midsize companies (500–999 employees). Details on spending totals are provided for key hardware, software, and services technology areas: PCs and peripherals, systems and storage, networking equipment, packaged software, and IT services. The study also forecasts the total number of small and midsize businesses, with detail for each of IDC's eight SMB company size subsegments.

"Spending on information technology by the 8 million small and medium-sized businesses in the United States will exceed $138 billion in 2012, accounting for approximately one-quarter of overall global SMB IT spending and more than 10% of all IT spending worldwide," says Justin Jaffe, research manager for Small and Medium-Sized Business Markets at IDC. "Vendors that are sensitive to the changing dynamics in SMB technology requirements as well as the critical differences in the ways SMBs and large enterprises approach IT investment will be best positioned for success in 2012 and beyond."