The report from Informatica Corporation, an enterprise data integration specialist, says that businesses must bridge the 'data chasm' that such 'experts' exhibit, or risk impairing their operations.
Citing a recent IDC report that found the digital universe growing at the rate of 62% per year, the study claims that frustrated employees are taking matters into their own hands by making use of online applications and cloud computing services to manage the information they need more efficiently.
As a result, says the study, IT departments are drowning under a tidal wave of data as new applications and software flood into the company infrastructure.
If this is not addressed, Informatica says that, as businesses plan for 2011, the tug of war over who owns what will see business-critical information overlooked and opportunities to generate additional revenue missed.
The study bases these assertions on research carried out amongst more than 300 professionals in companies of more than 250 employees, in the UK, France and Germany, and found that 39% of sales and marketing professionals cited a sluggish response from IT to their data requests as the main reason for buying their own software.
Mark Seager, Informatica's vice president of technology, said that the rise of new models such as cloud computing will create a headache for IT departments if they are not integrated in an overall IT strategy.
"Business users now think it should take hours not weeks to implement new technologies. When they perceive IT to be behind the curve, they're going off under their own steam and purchasing software without realising the implications this has on their company", he said.
"In 2011, without closer alignment between IT and the business, IT will only fragment further creating blind spots that pose serious security, regulatory and financial risks", he added.
Delving into the research reveals that more than half of IT managers believe that control over company databases should reside with the IT department. In contrast, 56% of business users believe ownership should fall directly with employees.
These conflicting opinions, says the study, result in a fragmentation of company data.
Seager notes that, despite ongoing industry discussion around the huge challenge that businesses face today to house more and more data effectively, this research reveals that many businesses have some way to go to fully align business and IT.
"In order to effectively bridge this gulf, a process of education is required, to ensure that all members of an organisation are working to the same priorities when it comes to managing such a valuable business asset", he said.
"In order for businesses to continue to drive efficiencies and remain competitive in 2011, the issue of business and IT alignment has to be resolved", he added.