[December 07, 2010] Lenovo and AMD Publish Joint Survey: SMBs Overworked, Cutting Corners and Engaging in Risky Technology Behavior Tweet Dec 07, 2010 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- Resource-and-cash-strapped small businesses struggling to cut costs in a slow economy are leaving simple cost savings options on the table and putting data at risk, according to a recent survey from Lenovo and AMD. According to the companies, the jointly produced "Lenovo-AMD Small Business Tech Survey," which sought to identify common issues and trends in technology use by small businesses, also uncovers several peculiar technology practices including relying on "piggybacking" on nearby WiFi networks and saving critical business files on USB thumb drives. The survey of more than 700 small business professionals indicates that stretched-thin staff and fierce competition means more and more employees will be working on vacation over the holidays. More than four in five (85 percent) small business professionals agree they conduct work outside of the office. A clear majority (72 percent) of respondents rarely take an email-free vacation. In order to keep up with their hefty workload, many respondents agreed they rely on a mobile device such as a laptop or smart phone. The most preferred devices are laptops (38 percent) and smart phones (31 percent). For many respondents, WiFi in their home or office is the primary means of connecting to the Internet with their company-issued laptop. However, some respondents admitted to connecting to unsecured WiFi networks ("piggybacking") in order to conduct business. 25 percent of respondents reported they or someone in their company piggyback other available WiFi networks to conduct business. Almost one in five senior-level executives (17 percent) and proprietor/owners (17 percent) surveyed say they piggyback on wireless networks. The Lenovo-AMD Small Business Tech Survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Lenovo between October 14 and November 9, among 722 adults aged 18 and over who owned or were employed by a small business with no more than 500 employees. Lenovo is a manufacturer of personal computers. Formed by Lenovo Group's acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets products and services worldwide. ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]