IT Buyers Predict Spending Growth

U.S. and U.K. IT buyers are more optimistic about tech spending than their German counterparts, according to a recent study by United Business Media's RoperNOP Technology Group and CMP Media business divisions. For 2002, both U.S. and U.K. IT decision-makers predicted about 4% growth, while German tech buyers said spending would be flat. The outlook for 2003 was much brighter, particularly for the U.S., which expects 7.7% growth. U.K. respondents came in at 6.3%, and German buyers predicted 5.4% growth.

It's no surprise that U.S. spending in IT security software for this quarter is expected to exceed spending in the U.K. and Germany. U.S. buyers forecast 10% growth in that area compared with the same period last year, while the U.K. and Germany predicted their growth will be under 8%. IT decision makers overall ranked E-commerce as one of this year's top priorities, which probably helps explain their forecast for spending on Web-based applications. U.S respondents expect 6% growth in that area, while the U.K. and Germany predict 4% growth.

Survey results were based on interviews with more than 1,400 IT buyers at various-sized companies in the U.S., the U.K., and Germany.