But for those that made it to the top of the list, excellence in IT is a fundamental part of corporate strategy. It's equally obvious why the insurance and financial services firms that made it to the top consider IT to be of strategic importance - they deal in information almost exclusively. But Harrah's marketing strategy depends on building complex relationships with repeat customers via sophisticated data mining. But the company processes more than 60 million custom orders per year at facilities around the globe. And Avon couldn't do this without powerful technology to back it up, she adds.
Management takes an active interest in employees' careers from the day they arrive.
At the best places to work, technology employees know that their company cares about their future from the moment they walk in the door. Employees meet with their managers every quarter for a formal review to assess the plan and check on its progress. And it gives a really good grounding in the culture of the company. Every information services position at Harley-Davidson has its competencies mapped out in this way, Mason says. Ultimately, employees need to be responsible for their own careers.