Nordic IT spend to increase by 4% in 2002
After the economic downturn of 2001, even the most optimistic IT managers in the Nordic region are expecting only 4% growth in spending during 2002, according to IDC's annual survey of IT managers in the four Nordic countries.
Split opinions The survey, carried out in March, 2002, also found that those in Denmark are the most optimistic, followed by Sweden, Norway and Finland. The results of the telephone survey of 400 IT managers in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland have been published in IDC's report, Nordic IT Survey - Corporate IT and Telecom Spending Patterns 2002.
As the economic crisis has strongly influenced IT behaviour, IDC has seen big changes in many companies - in both positive and negative directions. Underlying the expectation of modest growth are shifts of up to 50% either way in some companies. This polarisation reflects the region's economic development in general which, though positive and showing increasing optimism, is the backdrop to company declines and lay-offs. Nevertheless, this polarisation also means that by focusing on the right companies there are many opportunities to be had.
High security spend IDC says that security is the hottest topic among companies in the region, with two thirds claiming to have security solutions installed, and the majority of companies say they will be implementing projects to improve their security solutions during 2002. The survey indicates that by the end of the year almost every medium- and large-sized company will have a security solution installed.
End-user research in Denmark shows that a third of all companies were hit by viruses in 2001, incurring heavy costs. IDC speculates that these experiences are likely to increase those companies' focus on security. And while decision cycles have been prolonged by the economic crisis, IDC believes that decisions on security will not be affected the same way. In addition, the growing need for remote access for home and mobile workers, whether wired or wireless, will also drive investment in security solutions.
The report also examines development plans in 17 other functional areas including financial applications, eBusiness solutions, portals, storage and telecoms solutions, aiming to identify those areas where IT vendors are likely to find good opportunities throughout the year.
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