This list comes courtesy of a survey by Robert Half Technology, so take this release for what it’s worth. Certainly food for investment thought, particularly since some analysts see tech on the rebound.
The release from the first link:
Top 10 Tech Investments – Information Security Leads List, CIO Survey Shows TORONTO, April 15 /CNW/ – Despite a challenging economy, three-quarters (76 per cent) of chief information officers (CIOs) interviewed recently said their companies will invest in information technology (IT) initiatives in the next 12 months. Information security topped the list of projects executives expect their firms to invest in, with 57 per cent of the response, followed by virtualization (36 per cent) and data center efficiency (33 per cent). The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. It was based on telephone interviews with 270 CIOs across Canada.
Following are five areas of IT investment that were cited most frequently by CIOs interviewed*:
<< 1. Information security (57 per cent): In any economy, protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information is a must- have for companies of all sizes. Technology executives in the business services and professional services sectors cited security most often, with 96 per cent and 88 per cent of the responses, respectively. 2. Virtualization (36 per cent): Added budget pressures are forcing many companies to focus on more cost-effective solutions for servers, storage and networking. Virtualization tools enable greater consolidation, lower hardware costs, and reduced space and power requirements. Four in 10 CIOs at large (1,000+ employees) and 38 per cent of CIOs at midsize (500 to 999 employees) companies plan to invest in this area. 3. Data center efficiency (33 per cent): Improving efficiency within the data center to achieve longer-term cost savings is a top priority for organizations pressured to cut back on IT spending. Companies are realizing that by not improving efficiency, it will result in the need for more costly expansions and upgrades in the future. 4. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) (32 per cent): Lower monthly phone bills, greater network flexibility and unified messaging, which allows users to more efficiently retrieve messages, are among the benefits that companies realize when they invest in VoIP technology. 5. Business Intelligence (28 per cent): Companies are investing in business intelligence software that allows them to squeeze greater cost efficiencies from their existing resources and processes, and to identify and mitigate business risk. *CIOs were asked, “Which areas, if any, will your IT department be investing in over the next 12 months?” Multiple answers were permitted. Percentages reflect responses from 76 per cent of the 270 CIOs who plan to invest in IT. The survey was conducted in January 2009. >>
“Despite increased budgetary pressures, many companies recognize that investing in IT initiatives leads to improved security, efficiencies and revenues,” said Sandra Lavoy, a vice president with Robert Half Technology. “Enhancing IT infrastructure will help organizations better prepare for growth when the economy rebounds.”
<< Rounding out the top 10 list of IT investment areas: 6. Outsourcing (26 per cent) 7. Software as a Service (SaaS) (23 per cent) 8. Web 2.0 (18 percent) 9. Social networking technology (18 per cent) 10. Green IT (16 per cent) About the Survey —————- The national survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. The survey is based on more than 270 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of Canadian companies with 100 or more employees. About Robert Half Technology —————————- >>
With more than 100 locations worldwide, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of information technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at http://www.rht.com.
David Kirkpatrick 